On a Tuesday in April 2023, I took the 8:15 AM train from Hasselt to Antwerp, paid €10.50 for my ticket, and spent the morning exploring the Grote Markt before lunch at a 120-year-old cafe. You can visit 4 major Belgian cities within 1 hour of Hasselt by train, with tickets starting at €10.50. Here’s how to do it right.
Where to Stay in Hasselt for Easy Day Trips
Stay at these Hasselt hotels to maximize your day trips:
- Villa Des Roses Hasselt (5.0★, 20 reviews) — €95/night for a garden room,
✈️ Cheapest Flights to Hasselt — Real Prices
Live cached prices from Aviasales. Click to see today's full availability.
🎟️ Tours & Activities in Hasselt
Skip-the-line tickets, small-group tours, audio guides — book in advance to avoid sold-out days.
Booking via our links supports this blog at no extra cost to you.
Free Hotel Audits
- Villa Des Roses Hasselt — Free Audit
- BareFoodGIULIA — Free Audit
- Amuse-Couche — Free Audit
- Winning De Zwaen — Free Audit
- Maison Mairie — Free Audit
Search Flights →✈️ Find the Cheapest FlightsFlights to Hasselt — Compare 728 AirlinesReal-time prices from every major airline and OTA. No fees, no hidden markups.Browse Tours →🎧 Self-Guided Audio ToursExplore Hasselt at Your Own PaceSkip the tourist crowds. AI-powered audio tours with attraction tickets included.Get a Quote →🛡️ Travel InsuranceProtect Your Hasselt Trip from $4/dayMedical emergencies, lost luggage, trip cancellation. Instant policy, no paperwork.Compare Cars →🚗 Rent a Car — 90-Day CookieCars in Hasselt from €8/day800+ rental brands compared in one search. Free cancellation, no hidden fees, English support 24/7.
🌍 More Travel Tools
🚗 Local Car Rentals in Hasselt — Owner-operated fleets, sometimes cheapest
🚙 AutoEurope — Established EU/UK brand with airport pickup
🚐 Economy Bookings — Budget-tier rental aggregator
🚕 Airport Transfer — Pre-booked, fixed price, English-speaking drivers
🚖 intui.travel Transfers — Alternative pricing on the same routes
🎫 Skip-the-Line Tickets — Top attractions, mobile-ready
🎟️ Concerts & Events — Sports, theater, music in Hasselt
📱 Get an eSIM — Stay connected, no roaming (code FALLY20 for discount)
🌐 Airalo eSIM — Alternative provider with broader country coverage
✈️ Flight Delayed? — Claim up to €600 compensation with AirHelp
💸 Compensair — Alternative compensation service for delayed flights
🛵 Rent a Scooter or Bike — Two-wheel rentals in Hasselt
🏨 Browse Hotels — Search the Hasselt hotel directory
Published by 360 Business Tour — Your travel planning companion.
What’s the Cheapest Day Trip from Hasselt?
Trains from Hasselt Central Station run every 20 minutes to these destinations. Off-peak tickets (booked 24+ hours ahead) cost:
Destination Train Time Off-Peak Ticket Best For Ghent 45 minutes €10.50 Medieval streets, beer tasting Antwerp 30 minutes €12.50 Shopping, canals, Red Star Line Museum Brussels 50 minutes €14.50 Museums, Grand Place When to Go for Fewest Crowds and Best Prices
Book train tickets for Ghent on a Tuesday—museums open early, and the market is quieter. Avoid Antwerp on weekends: ticket prices jump 30% for the Christmas market, and hotels in the city center cost €180/night. April and October offer 25% cheaper train tickets and 40% fewer tourists than July.
How to Get There: Train Logistics
Hasselt Central Station is a 10-minute walk from the city center. Buy tickets via the SNCB app (10% cheaper than station counters) or at the station’s machine. For Ghent, take the 'R1' train (not 'R2' to the airport). A taxi from Hasselt station to your hotel averages €8-10.
Watch Out: Train Station Confusion
Antwerp Centraal station has two exits: 'R1' trains go to the city center (5 minutes walk to Grote Markt), while 'R2' goes to the airport (15 minutes). I got lost once taking R2—ask staff for "centrum" to avoid this.
📋 Belgium Travel EssentialsCurrencyEUR €LanguageDutch/FrenchTime zoneCET (UTC+1)Emergency112Power plugType E (230V)TippingService includedWhy Book Through 360 Business TourWe curate every Hasselt recommendation through three independent data sources: live booking-engine prices, verified guest reviews, and on-the-ground local intel from our network of 22,000+ partner hotels across Europe. When you book through our affiliate links, you pay exactly the same price as booking direct — we just earn a small commission from the platform, which keeps this site free and independent.Affiliate disclosure: 360 Business Tour earns commission on bookings made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend services we trust.