Rushing to get last-minute groceries, or to get an outfit for the end-of-year celebrations? Unlike on 1 January, this is still possible today. Find out what is open (and until when).
Unlike Christmas Day (25 December) and New Year's Day (1 January), New Year's Eve is not an official holiday in Belgium, meaning many stores and services will be open. However, some will be adjusting their hours.
Whereas on public holidays, public and administration services do not operate, on 31 December they will be open. Some Brussels communes, including Uccle, will welcome residents during the usual opening hours on Tuesday. Others, such as Saint-Gilles, Saint-Josse-ten-Node and Schaerbeek, will be closed in the afternoon. Check your local authority website for its opening hours.
Postal services will be open and letters, packages or newspapers will be delivered, and banks will also be open. Banking online and paying with your card is possible every day.
Most pharmacies will also be receiving customers, and police services will remain accessible at all times. Those needing urgent police assistance should call the emergency number 112.
What about shopping?
The vast majority of supermarkets across the country will be open, but with adjusted hours. Colruyt, Aldi, Lidl, Makro and Okay stores will be open until about 17:00 or 18:00 (check the opening hours of your local store on the company's website).
Some local Carrefour Express, Delhaize Shop’n’Go, Intermarché and Spar shops will remain open until later (about 20:00), but again, checking the hours first is advised.
Credit: Belga/ Nicolas Maeterlinck
Many retail and independent shops as well as shopping malls will still be welcoming customers on Tuesday. City 2 in Brussels will be open until 19:00, while Docks Bruxsel is open until 17:30 in Brussels. Maasmechelen Village in Limburg will welcome shoppers until 16:00.
The Brussels Christmas market will be selling mouthwatering food, warming drinks and unique products, but stalls will close early (at 18:00 instead of 22:00). Many restaurants and bars will remain open on New Year's Eve, hoping to entice party-goers, but as this is decided independently, make sure to check opening hours online.
Public transport
Belgium's national railway service SNCB's offer will be slightly adjusted. Until Sunday 5 January, there will be fewer P-trains (trains that enhance the train offer during peak hours). On 31 December, only one in two of the several S-trains will run.
Station ticket offices will be open in line with the normal timetable, except in the Kortrijk, Sint-Niklaas, Mechelen, Oostende, Ottignies, Brussels-Luxembourg and Brussels-Schuman stations, where they will close at 18:00. No trains will run between Belgium and the Netherlands after 20:30 on Tuesday.
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In Brussels, public transport company STIB will continue to operate, and from midnight, the entire STIB network will be free for all travellers. All four metro, tram and bus lines will run at an increased frequency until 02:30. Afterwards, partygoers can get home safely with the night buses and/or tram 81. Buses on the Noctis night network will run between midnight and 05:30.
In Flanders, De Lijn will also be increasing the capacity of its bus and tram services on New Year's Eve. Walloon public transport company TEC has not confirmed it is adapting its services for New Year's Eve.
