Venue
The Conference will be held at the Thorn Hotel Brussels City centre, located on Boulevard du Jardin Botanique street. Please click on below link for exact location: https://goo.gl/maps/zQ4gpUy5VAJ2 For more information on the Thorn Hotel.
Belgium Visa Application Requirements
Depending on the purpose of your travel to Belgium, there are different types of visas that will apply to an individual. You must apply for a different Belgium Schengen Visa, accordingly.
General required documents for a Belgian Schengen Visa Application:
For a more detailed description and further information can be accessed from the link below.https://visaguide.world/europe/belgium-visa/
One must download the application form, fill it completely. You can also fill the Schengen Visa application form electronically and then print a hard-copy.
- 2 photos must be attached; the photo should be of passport format – a recent whole-face capture with a light background. Learn more about photo requirements and specifications for a Belgian Visa.
- Your passport and copies of your previous visas – valid for at least 3 months beyond return date – are required. Your passport must have at least two blank pages.
- Travel health insurance confirmation of minimum 30,000 € coverage within Belgium and the entire Schengen area.
- A cover letter stating the purpose of visit to Belgium and itinerary
- Flight Itinerary with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from Belgium
- Hotel Booking for the whole duration of the intended stay in Belgium.
- Proof of civil status (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, ration card if applicable)
- Means of subsistence – Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay.
Belgian Schengen Visa for Members of Official Delegations: the required additional documents are:
- The official invitation copy
- Identity of applicant
- Purpose of journey (conference, meetings, event by intergovernmental organizations)
- Duration of stay
- Place of accommodation
Local Transportation
Brussels public transport tickets prices
Inner-city Brussels public transport uses unified ticketing system so you can use the same ticket for bus, metro, tram or a combination. The simplest way is to buy a single-fare ticket as you enter the vehicle. This costs €2,50. So-called contactless tickets are paper magnetic tickets that can be bought at any station. 1-hour ticket costs €2.10 and 24-hour time ticket costs €7.50. One must validate these by using the machine inside the vehicle. One can also buy a MOBIB card, load it with 'tickets' and then use it inside the vehicle. It costs €5 and can be bought at the ticketing office. One can load the MOBIB card even at the GO machines located at any station.
Brussels metro (Underground Metro)
There are 4 metro lines that service the Brussels city centre. Brussels metro runs frequently: every 3 minutes at peak, every 10 minutes after 8pm, every 5 minutes on weekends.
Brussels bus
Buses are convenient if your departure point or destination is not close to a metro station. Timetables are available at each bus stop and online but they do not run as frequently as the metro so it pays to check the timetable before waiting at the bus stop. Tickets can be purchased from the driver at €2.50 for a 1 hour ticket, which can be used on the metro and trams as well. The tickets can be recharged at any automate at the stations.
Brussels tram
Trams are similar to the bus and metro except they are slightly slower than the metro and slightly more frequent than the bus. It will depend on your route whether one should take a tram, a bus or metro to your destination. Upon arrival at the Zaventem Airport one has the option of taking the Underground Train Metro to Gare du Midi/Zuid station which takes 20 minutes. For the International Tripartite Conference venue – Thon Hotel City Centre, the tram station is Rogier and the tram line is number four (4) which is represented by the colour pink. Arrival times, departure times and stops are shown at each tram stop. There are also convenient street maps at each stop.
Brussels train (Central Train Station)
The intercity train system is very convenient for making day trips from Brussels to the other major cities in Belgium. Trains run frequently throughout the day (at least 1 train per hour) and tickets can be purchased at any railway station (marked with a B with a circle). All tickets have open time schedules so you can board at any time during the day.
Best option from Brussels Zaventem Airport to Thon Hotel
Languages and Interpretation
French and Flemish are the official languages of Belgium. German and English are spoken widely in Brussels. The conference sessions will be interpreted in English and French depending on the session.
Accommodation
There are several hotels in the Brussels city centre, as an alternative to Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre. Those closest to the conference venue are:
- Hilton Hotel,
- Crowne Plaza,
- Hotel Le Dome,
- Hotel Siru
AirBNB is a popular form of accommodation, it caters to different classifications and price ranges. This can be accessed through their website.
Currency
Euro is the legal tender in use in Brussels.
Weather
Rainfall in November is to be expected with temperatures ranging from one (1) to ten (10) degrees centigrade. It is therefore advised to pack for a cold and wet weather (Rain wear).
Health
Travel Health Insurance is required for those travelling to Belgium.
The nearest Hospital to the conference is St. Jean (Clinique), it is located on the same street as the conference venue on Boulevard du Jardin Botanique street.
The emergency Number is 112/ 100 for Medical emergency and Fire Brigade and 100 for the Police station and +(32) 70245245 for Anti Poison
CONTACT The Conference Task Team: unhabitat-psup-conf@un.org Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP)