First this: which of the two does your ticket mean?
Brussels has two airports that are both called Brussels, and they are well over fifty kilometres apart. A taxi to Brussels Airport is therefore a different ride from a taxi to Charleroi Airport, with a different price and a different journey time. Mix them up and you end up at the wrong airport.
| On your ticket | Code | What it is also called |
|---|---|---|
| Brussels Airport | BRU | Zaventem, north-east of the city |
| Brussels South Charleroi | CRL | Charleroi, well over fifty kilometres further south |
So look at the airport code and not at the place name. Low-cost airlines often fly from Charleroi and call it "Brussels" in their own communication, which is correct as far as it goes but says nothing about where you need to drive. When you book, pick the destination from the suggestions and check that it is the airport with that code, and pass the code on if someone else books the ride for you; then there can be no doubt.
The same confusion exists just across the German border: Ryanair sells flights from Airport Weeze as Düsseldorf Weeze, while that airport is not near Düsseldorf, and there too the code (NRN) is what counts on your ticket. What that means for your ride is explained on Taxi to Weeze Airport.
How the price comes about
The legal maximum per kilometre and per minute is a cap on the meter. A fixed price agreed in advance does not fall under it, and may therefore come out higher than the meter.
A ride to Belgium goes at a fixed price agreed in advance, so there is no legal ceiling you can work out for yourself. You see the amount before you confirm and you pay online in advance; after that it does not change, not even if you sit in traffic for longer than expected. Ask every provider for a final price and not for an estimate, and check that it is on your confirmation.
| What counts | Why |
|---|---|
| Your pickup address | From Zeeland or Brabant it is a different ride than from the north |
| Which airport | Charleroi is well over fifty kilometres further than Zaventem |
| The vehicle | From five passengers, or with a lot of luggage, a bus takes over |
| One way or return | A return is recorded in advance as two rides |
With a larger party or a lot of suitcases the ride becomes a taxi bus, and from nine people a bus with a driver. On the booking page you see the price per vehicle before you commit to anything.
Departure time and flight number
When you book you choose the pickup time yourself. Count back from the moment you want to be at the airport, with the driving time and a margin for rush hour in it. How much time you need at the airport itself is something to check with the airport; it differs per airline and per destination, and that is not for us to say.
If you are also being picked up again, give your flight number to whoever books the return trip: then the driver can check whether your flight lands later before he drives up. How to think about leaving early enough is in our guide on how long before your flight to be at Schiphol (in Dutch); the numbers in it are KLM's at Schiphol and do not apply one to one to Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi to Brussels Airport?
That depends on your pickup address, on which of the two airports you mean and on your party. We do not quote a from-price, because we do not publish route fares. What you do need to know: such a ride goes at a fixed price agreed in advance, which you see before you confirm and which is not covered by the meter maximum.
What is the difference between Brussels Airport and Charleroi?
They are two airports well over fifty kilometres apart. Brussels Airport (code BRU) is at Zaventem, north-east of the city; Brussels South Charleroi (code CRL) is further south. Many low-cost airlines fly to Charleroi and call it "Brussels". So look at the code on your ticket and not at the place name.
Is there a taxi from the Netherlands to Brussels Airport?
Yes. The network is active across Europe, so a ride to Belgium is an ordinary booking. It is a ride you plan in advance rather than a taxi you hail: on a cross-border ride the price is fixed beforehand. You can book here yourself when you are picked up almost anywhere in the Netherlands; the destination can be anywhere. You cannot yet book a ride from Brussels Airport yourself, because that pickup address is outside the Netherlands.
Does the Dutch taxi fare apply to a ride to Belgium?
Not if you book it in advance at a fixed price, which is also the sensible way to do it on a cross-border ride. The legal maximum per kilometre and per minute is a cap on the meter. A fixed price agreed in advance does not fall under it, and may therefore come out higher than the meter. So ask for a final price that is on your confirmation.
How do I find a cheap taxi to Brussels Airport?
By comparing the same thing. For every offer, ask whether the amount is per ride or per person, whether it is one way or return, whether it is a shared ride and whether waiting time counts. A low amount that turns out to be per person is no longer low with four travellers.
Can I go to Charleroi Airport with a group?
Yes. A car takes up to 4 passengers, a taxi bus 5 to 8 passengers, and above that it becomes several buses or a bus with a driver. The fare is per vehicle and not per passenger, and luggage costs nothing extra.
Sources
Amounts and rules change regularly. Always check the current information with the official bodies.