Rushing to get last-minute groceries or an outfit for the end-of-year celebrations? In the last few days of the year, this is still possible. 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 public and administration services do not operate on public holidays, they will on 31 December. Some Brussels communes, including Uccle, will welcome residents during the usual opening hours on Tuesday. Others, such as Saint-Gilles 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 on Wednesday, 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 most of them will adjust their hours to close an hour or two earlier. Colruyt, Aldi, Lidl, Makro and Okay stores will be open until about 5pm or 6pm (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 (8-9pm). Again, checking the hours first is advised.
Many retail and independent shops, as well as shopping centres, will still be welcoming customers on Wednesday. City 2 in Brussels will be open until 7pm, while Docks Bruxsel is open until 5:30pm.
The Brussels Christmas market will still be selling food, warming drinks and unique products on the last day of the year, but here too, stalls will close early (at 6pm instead of 10pm).
Many restaurants will remain open on New Year's Eve, but if you have not yet reserved a table, it is probably too late now. Numerous bars will also be open, hoping to entice party-goers. However, this will depend on owners and available staff, so make sure to check opening hours online.
Public transport
Belgium's national railway service SNCB/NMBS's offer will be slightly adjusted. Until Sunday 4 January, there will be fewer peak-hour trains (P trains) as part of the school holiday schedule. On 31 December, fewer trains will run.
In Brussels, public transport company STIB/MIVB will continue to operate, and from midnight, the entire STIB network will be free for all travellers.
All metro, tram and bus lines will run at an increased frequency until 2:30am. 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 5:30.
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.
