Private driver in the European Quarter of Brussels
Berlaymont at 09:00, Parliament at 11:00, lunch on Place du Luxembourg: between Schuman and the Espace Léopold, meetings follow one another in streets where stopping is almost impossible.
The geography of a day of meetings
The quarter is best understood from the Schuman roundabout. On one side stands the Berlaymont, headquarters of the Commission; opposite, along Rue de la Loi, are the Council buildings, including the Europa building and its ‘lantern’. Further south, beyond Leopold Park, the Espace Léopold houses the European Parliament, backing onto Brussels-Luxembourg station and the square of the same name. Between these hubs sit permanent representations, consultancies, trade associations and hotels, often just a few hundred metres apart.
These short distances are deceptive. Rue de la Loi is one-way towards the centre, Rue Belliard one-way towards the Cinquantenaire, and the tunnel approaches do not forgive a wrong lane: miss a turning and you have to loop round the block via Etterbeek. Stopping outside an institutional building is rarely allowed, what with bus lanes, cycle lanes and security checks. A driver who knows the quarter knows where to pull in while you get out, and which side to choose depending on the entrance you need.
- Routes planned around the one-way systems on Rue de la Loi and Rue Belliard.
- A meeting point outside the security perimeter on summit days, agreed in advance.
- Hourly chauffeur for meetings that overrun.
- Pick-up in a side street rather than outside the institutions' entrances.
- Route to Brussels Airport via the east, without crossing the centre.
European summit days
The European Council meets at least four times a year, not counting extraordinary summits. On those days, the police set up a security perimeter around the Europa building: Rue de la Loi is closed near the Council and the Schuman roundabout, Rue Froissart partly so, and only people holding a pass may enter. In the surrounding area, several main roads are restricted to local traffic, on-street parking is banned, including along the delegations' routes, and buses are diverted.
The City of Brussels and the local police publish details of these measures ahead of each summit, and they may be extended. The driver checks them and suggests a meeting point outside the perimeter, within walking distance of your appointment. If you have a badge to enter the zone, the last part of the journey is on foot to the checkpoint: allow for those extra minutes, especially on the morning the summit opens.
- Rue de la Loi closed near the Council
- Rue Froissart partly within the perimeter
- Local traffic only in several nearby streets, as set out in the police order
- On-street parking banned, including along the delegations' routes
- STIB and De Lijn buses diverted
Leaving meetings at unpredictable times
Here, nobody is surprised when a meeting scheduled to end at 17:00 finishes at 18:40. Rather than guessing a return time, book an hourly chauffeur: the driver parks nearby, where permitted, and you send a message about ten minutes before you leave. The car then pulls up at the agreed corner, often a side street less exposed than Rue de la Loi or the approaches to the roundabout, and you set off without waiting on the pavement.
On Thursday evenings, Place du Luxembourg, known to regulars as ‘Plux’, fills with trainees, parliamentary assistants and lobbyists extending the working day on the café terraces. For dinner or a ride back to your hotel that evening, it is better to meet a few steps away, clear of the crowd. For Brussels Airport, the quarter has the advantage of already being on the east side of the city: the route to Zaventem avoids the centre, and the driver chooses the itinerary according to the traffic at the time.
European Quarter
A European summit falls on the day of my meeting: what should I plan for?+
A closed perimeter around the Council, on Rue de la Loi and the Schuman roundabout, and nearby streets restricted to local traffic. Give the exact address and entrance of your meeting: the driver checks the measures announced by the police and arranges the closest possible drop-off outside the perimeter. If you have a pass, the last stretch is on foot; allow a few extra minutes, especially on the first morning.
My meeting may overrun: how should I arrange the return journey?+
The simplest option is a chauffeur by the hour, on quotation: the driver stays in the quarter and you send a message when the meeting is drawing to a close. Without a chauffeur by the hour, you can book a return at a fixed time, but a late finish then means rearranging the journey with the team. For a delegation, a Van Business waits for the whole group at the same point.
Can you take me to several buildings in the same morning?+
Yes. Send the addresses and times of each meeting with your request. The driver takes the one-way systems on Rue de la Loi and Rue Belliard into account when ordering the journeys. For some short hops, such as from the Berlaymont to the Council just opposite, they will suggest crossing on foot instead and meet you at your next appointment, with your belongings still on board.
Can I be picked up on Place du Luxembourg on a Thursday evening?+
Yes, but rarely in the middle of the square: on Thursdays, the terraces overflow with the after-work crowd and traffic slows around Luxembourg station. The driver suggests a meeting point in an adjacent street, a short walk away, and confirms the exact spot by message. The same applies on evenings when there is a reception at the Parliament or at a nearby permanent representation.
Need a private driver or a transfer?
Available 24/7, we are at your service.