Can you visit Ghent from Brussels in one day?
Yes. Ghent is one of the easiest Belgian day trips from Brussels by train. The official SNCB/NMBS route page currently gives an average journey time of around 36 minutes between Brussels and Ghent, with direct trains available. That is train time, not the time from your Brussels hotel to the canals of Ghent.
Allow extra time to reach the right Brussels station, travel from Gent-Sint-Pieters to the medieval centre and return for your evening train. A realistic full-day trip leaves ample time for riverside streets, a historical visit and lunch.
Official Brussels–Ghent train times and tickets.
Which Brussels station?
Services may call at Brussels-Midi, Central and North, but their stopping patterns vary. Select the departure station closest to where you actually are and check your train rather than travelling unnecessarily across Brussels first.
If you arrive in Belgium on Eurostar at Brussels-Midi, a domestic onward train to Ghent may be convenient. If you're staying near Grand-Place, Brussels-Central is often a better starting point. The current SNCB planner will display your platform and any delays or maintenance work.
Gent-Sint-Pieters or Gent-Dampoort?
Most direct trips to Ghent focus on Gent-Sint-Pieters, the principal station. It is not in the old town: you'll generally connect with De Lijn tram or bus, or allow a longer walk.
Gent-Dampoort lies closer to the northern edge of the historical centre and is around a 15-minute walk away according to Visit Gent. Some routes and trains make it attractive, but do not assume all Brussels trains stop there. Check before buying.
Visit Gent station information · De Lijn planner.
How to buy the right rail ticket
Purchase through SNCB/NMBS online, its app, ticket machines or staffed offices. There are age- and time-dependent fares and discount products; the journey planner proposes the relevant options. Don't publish a universal 'Brussels to Ghent costs €X' figure because price and eligibility depend on your journey.
A Belgian domestic rail ticket is not automatically a De Lijn tram ticket for your last journey into Ghent. Budget the local connection separately unless you have a product that explicitly covers it.
A simple six-hour Ghent visit
After arriving in the centre, start at Korenmarkt and walk to St Michael's Bridge. Enjoy the Graslei and Korenlei, then choose either the Castle of the Counts (paid entry) or a slow wander through Patershol. Have lunch before visiting the Belfry and St Bavo's Cathedral area.
The Ghent Altarpiece requires separate planning and advance booking; don't count on entering a timed visitor-centre experience spontaneously. For a day trip, choosing a single main paid attraction is often more enjoyable than trying to complete every museum.
Returning to Brussels
Look up the evening departure from the same Ghent station at which you plan to collect luggage or board. SNCB's route page includes typical first and last trains, but engineering works and holidays can change them. Save the itinerary in the app and allow time to return from the centre to the station.
If you have an international rail departure that evening, build in more margin and consider staying in Brussels rather than gambling on an extremely tight connection.
Sources checked 19 October 2026: SNCB Brussels–Ghent route, live departures, Visit Gent stations, De Lijn. No third-party or affiliate train booking is necessary to follow this guide.