Transportation in Bruges

Bruges is compact and walkable, so most visitors rely on their feet plus the frequent local buses that loop the old town and run out to the train station. For a splurge, horse-drawn carriages wait on the Markt, pretty but slow and much pricier than a taxi. Skip the hop-on-hop-off buses; the medieval core is closed to them, so they just circle the ring road without getting you closer to the sights. From the airport, the coach shuttle drops you at the rail station in about 20 minutes and costs a fraction of a taxi. If you land late, the licensed cab rank outside arrivals is the only reliable option, ignore the unmarked cars that tout inside the terminal. Once in town, buy a 10-journey "De Lijn" card at the station or any newsagent. It works on all city buses and saves queuing for single tickets every time you ride.