Itinerary

By public transport from the railway station of Oostende
Take the Coastal Tram from Oostende station in the direction of Knokke to the tram stop called ‘Weg naar vismijn’. Get off and follow the signs ‘Vismijn’ and ‘VLIZ’. Continue all the way to the end of Vismijnlaan. Proceed through the covered fish auction hall and take the second passage under the warehouses to the left. The main entrance to the VLIZ is located at the waterside, Wandelaarkaai 7. This walk takes about 10 min.

You can also take bus 9 (Groenendijk-Sas Slijkens) on bus platform 12 in front of the railway station. Get off at the bus stop called 'Sluisplein'. Cross Moreauxlaan and continue in the direction of Vismijnlaan.

Timetables of the Coastal Tram and bus 9

By car from the E40 motorway

At the end of the E40/A10 motorway you enter Oostende and follow exit 4 in the direction of Blankenberge (N34). After passing lights, a roundabout and the viaduct you turn left at the fourth lights. Mind the tram! Go immediately right and then take the first to the left (=Niewewerfkaai). At the end of this street turn right (=Vismijnlaan). Go all the way to the end of Vismijnlaan and turn immediately to the left after having passed the covered fish auction hall. Parking facilities are available at the waterside. The main entrance to the VLIZ is located at the waterside, Wandelaarkaai 7.

How to reach Oostende

* By plane and by train
When you arrive at Brussels Airport (Zaventem), go to the lowest floor and take the train to Brussels Midi Railway Station (every 20 minutes). From Brussels Midi you have a direct train connection to Oostende once every hour (1 hour 42 minutes) or you can take the train to Bruges and change to the Oostende train (1 hour 47 minutes). Another possibility is to take the train to Gent-St-Pieters at the airport and to change to the Oostende train in Ghent (2 hours 19 minutes).

Timetables of trains to Oostende

* By car
From the Netherlands or Germany:
Drive in the direction of Ghent; take the motorway in the direction of Bruges (E40) and continue in the direction of Oostende (E40/A10).

From France: Drive in the direction of Kortrijk; take the motorway in the direction of Bruges (E17) and then continue in the direction of Oostende (E40/A10).

From the UK:
- Transeurope Ferries (Ramsgate Oostende).
- Eurotunnel or ferry via Calais or Dunkerque: Take the motorway in the direction of Bruges-Oostende-Brussels (A16/E40). When you reach Jabbeke, continue in the direction of Oostende (A10 - exit 6). Take care not to take the first exit to Oostende (Exit 5) or you will end up in the city centre of Oostende.
- Ferry via Zeebrugge: follow the coastal motorway (N34) in the direction of Oostende.