Languages

Languages in Belgium

Belgium consists of three distinct Communities, characterised by both language and and governance. To the north, the area of Flanders is where Dutch is the official language, while French is the main language of the southern Walloon region. Additionally, the area around the capital Brussels (located inside of the Flanders region) is officially bilingual, the languages being Dutch and French. The third official Community of Belgium is German speaking which lies in the east of the Walloon region, bordering the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. Many Belgians also speak English, especially in the larger towns and cities, and tourist areas.

The international dialing code for Belgium is +32 and the outgoing access code for international calls is 00. Payphones are widely available and usually accept coins and phone cards, with some accepting credit cards. Prepaid calling cards such as the Belgacom Calling Pass, are popular and allow for cheap call rates. They will work with normal landlines, mobile phones and payphones and can be purchased at post offices, train stations, and newspaper stands.

The GSM mobile phone service in Belgium has excellent coverage and if you are travelling with an unlocked GSM handset it is probable that a locally purchased prepaid sim card will work nicely and be far cheaper than paying international roaming fees from your existing provider.

Internet access for visitors is widespread with many internet cafes in the larger towns and cities - especially Brussels. WiFi coverage is also good in many areas with free “hot spots” becoming more prolific. Many hotels and even hostels offer internet access either in the rooms, a dedicated area for guest use, or a WiFi network covering the whole building.