General information

Means of payment

The currency in Belgium is Euro (EUR). As of 2022, all businesses in Belgium must offer at least one form of electronic payment with credit/debit cards most often being included. Note, however, that some businesses do not accept common cards, such as Visa or Mastercard but instead only accept Maestro or Belgium-specific debit cards (e.g., Bancontact). In that case, you can always withdraw cash from ATMs, which are quite common (especially in the city center).

Business hours

Most shops in Ghent are open from 10:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday and the supermarkets are generally open until 20:00. On Sundays, almost all shops and supermarkets are closed but some supermarkets keep the regular business hours on Sundays. Restaurants generally close between 21:30 and 23:00 and are usually open on Sundays.

Power plug and socket types

Belgium uses E-type power sockets (see an overview here), which are primarily used in Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia and Czechia. E-type sockets are also compatible with C-type and F-type power plugs. For other plug types, you will need an adapter.