By air: the nearest airport to the city is Oostende-Bruges Airport, which is about 15 miles from Bruges near the coast. It offers flights to and from Europe, but most are charter flights from large travel agents to destinations in the Mediterranean.

Brussels airport, which is further away in the centre of the country, is a much more popular destination for many travellers and has regular train routes to Bruges which takes less than hour and is a little over 50 miles away. Antwerp Airport, which has fewer connections than Brussels, is about the same distance from Bruges and connects to European destinations, including London and Manchester.

Connections from the Belgian capital are very regular, about every 30 minutes, but times can change, so visitors should check the latest departure schedule. Bruges has numerous connections to neighbouring France and the Netherlands too.

By ferry: Bruges is one of the simplest cities in the whole of Europe to access via ferry from the UK in particular with its regular connections to the nearby ports of Oostende and Zeebrugge, both less than 20 miles away.

By bus: Bruges is linked to most major destinations in Belgium and many elsewhere in Europe. The city is part of the Eurolines bus network connecting to more than 400 destinations across the continent, with numerous direct links between Bruges and main cities in France, Holland and the UK, among others.

By road: visitors to Bruges are not permitted to enter the heart of the city by car; up to the city walls is the nearest private vehicles are allowed, with parking provided outside this area. Getting to the city by car is straightforward, given the good highway links to Brussels and the ports of Oostende and Zeebrugge.