Best Place to Exchange Money in Bruges

01Exchange

Where to change money in Bruges

No bureau de change on the FSMA's register has a Bruges address, and Visit Bruges sends visitors carrying foreign notes to a single store. Skip the hotel reception: MoneySavingExpert says most hotels give poor exchange rates.

• Western Union, Steenstraat 2 ↗Visit Bruges recommends this store for turning cash into euros, and Western Union lists its hours as Monday to Thursday 10:30 to 18:00, Friday 10:30 to 18:30 and Saturday 10:00 to 17:00. Western Union says its stores swap euros for pounds and for US, Canadian and Australian dollars.
• CASH machinesThe CASH network lists machines at the railway station on Stationsplein and at Geldmuntstraat 22, the latter open from 06:00 to midnight. Visit Bruges mentions others on 't Zand and in Vlamingstraat.

02On arrival

Changing money at the airport

Trains leave the station beneath Brussels Airport for Bruges once an hour and take about 1 hour 25 minutes; the airport says most rail tickets to and from it include a €6.90 supplement, which can change. From Brussels South Charleroi Airport, a direct Flibco coach runs to Bruges station, taking around 2 hours 20 minutes on average, according to Flibco. From Ostend-Bruges Airport, Visit Bruges suggests a 15-minute bus to Ostend station, then a train. Every route ends at Bruges station, which has a CASH machine.

03Cash machines and cards

ATMs and cards in Bruges

Machines in the CASH network, shared by BNP Paribas Fortis, KBC, Belfius and ING, pay out to holders of any bank's card, and CASH adds no charge of its own, though your card provider may. Cafés and shops around Bruges price everything in euros, so pay in euros too: MoneySavingExpert warns that a conversion into sterling by a shop's terminal or a cash machine is often poorer value than your card provider's rate. No Belgian business may add a surcharge for paying electronically, or turn your card away because the bill is small.

04Getting around

Paying for transport in Bruges

Buses run between Bruges station and the centre about every five minutes. A De Lijn ticket covers 60 minutes of travel, changes included, and costs €3, though Visit Bruges says the price can be revised during the year. On board, the only way to pay is by contactless card, phone or watch, but you can also buy tickets at the Lijnwinkel on Stationsplein or from machines on Stationsplein and at the 't Zand stop.

05Local know-how

Good to know

• Tipping is never required: Visit Bruges says you can round up in a café if you like, and that tips are more usual, though still optional, for guides and taxi drivers.
• Pre-booked Bruges taxis charge flat airport fares, which Visit Bruges gives as €200 for Brussels Airport, €250 for Charleroi and €70 for Ostend-Bruges; they can change during the year.
• Cash totals in Belgian shops are rounded to the nearest 5 cents, so a bill of €4.98 costs €5.00 if you pay in cash.