© Carl Gruner・Unsplash License

Belgium

Brussels

A capital radiating from the cobbled Grand-Place. On the metro, trams and buses, tap a bank card and ride.

STIB-MIVB bus (Noctis at night)

Three operators share the same streets - STIB, De Lijn and TEC - each with its own tickets and readers. STIB sells nothing on board: buy first or tap a bank card. Validate every time; a season ticket does not exempt you.

Updated on August 5, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Sort out your ticket before you board
    You cannot buy a paper ticket on board. Buy one at a machine, a BOOTIK or a KIOSK, or just bring a contactless bank card.
  2. 2
    Board through the front door
    Buses are boarded at the front door. On articulated buses you can use any door, except on line 12.
  3. 3
    Tap the on-board reader every time you board
    Tap your ticket or card on the reader as soon as you board. Green lights and a beep mean it worked; red means no valid ticket.
  4. 4
    Tap again at every transfer
    On every transfer, present the same ticket or the same card again. Holding a season ticket does not exempt you.

Fares

Single fares6

STIB single journey (contactless bank card)
Tapping buys and validates in one move; with the same card you stop at the daily cap
2.4 EUR ≈ $3
STIB single journey (paper ticket)
Loading a ticket onto paper adds a flat 0.50 EUR; buy at a machine, BOOTIK or KIOSK
2.9 EUR ≈ $3
Brupass single journey
Covers STIB plus the De Lijn, TEC and 2nd-class SNCB networks inside the Region; MOBIB or app
2.7 EUR ≈ $3
Brupass XL single journey
The version that reaches the peri-urban networks outside the Region
3.6 EUR ≈ $4
De Lijn contactless fare on board
What you pay when you tap a card on a De Lijn vehicle - a separate system from STIB's tickets
3 EUR ≈ $3
TEC Classic single ticket
Buying on board adds 0.50 EUR; TEC vehicles do not take contactless cards yet
2.8〜3.3 EUR ≈ $3–4

Passes & multi-ride3

STIB 1 day
Paper only; unlimited rides from your first validation until the end of service that day
9 EUR ≈ $10
Brupass 10 journeys
Loaded on a MOBIB card or in the app; cheaper per ride than singles
18.9 EUR ≈ $21
Brussels Card transport option
The add-on price for 24, 48 or 72 hours; the card itself costs extra
9〜21.5 EUR ≈ $10–24

Fare caps1

Daily cap when paying by bank card
The ceiling for a day of rides on the same bank card - lower than the paper day ticket
8.5 EUR ≈ $10

Card itself1

MOBIB card issue fee
The card that carries a Brupass or a day ticket; issued at machines and counters
6 EUR ≈ $7

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

The bright yellow ones are TEC, the Walloon operator — different tickets, different on-board readers. Taken Jun 2025 © Stratoswift・CC BY 4.0
White with a yellow logo: De Lijn, the Flemish operator. "GEEN DIENST" on the display means out of service. Taken Feb 2020 © Stratoswift・CC BY-SA 4.0

Payment

Tap to ride
VISAMastercardMaestroDiscoverDinersJCBAmex銀聯
Readers on every STIB bus; the tap buys and validates at once
IC card
A MOBIB card carries your Brupass or season ticket
App tickets
The STIB app sells Brupass tickets only, not the plain STIB single
QR ticketing
Digital app tickets are activated and shown as a QR code
Paper tickets
Sold at machines, BOOTIKs and KIOSKs - never on board
Cash
Coins only, up to 40 EUR, at red GO machines; no notes and nothing on board

Quick facts

Fares from
2.4 EUR+

Heads-up

  • A dead phone counts as no ticket, with the surcharge

    If you ride on a phone wallet, keep the phone alive. If you cannot show a working device when an inspector asks, you are treated as having no ticket and charged the surcharge even though you paid.

Timetable

Typical duration Fills in where the tram and metro do not reach, and carries on out into the suburbs
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka