Belgian Grand Prix ⋅ Getting to Spa Francorchamps
Plan
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Belgian
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DESTINATIONS
Clearly, organisers of the first Belgian Grand Prix in 1925 weren’t thinking of international F1 fans when they chose this quaint corner of the Belgian countryside. Nestled in the Ardennes and over 100km from Brussels Airport, Spa-Francorchamps is one of the least accessible Formula 1 circuits on the calendar.
But while it might not be the easiest race to reach, it’s always worth the extra effort, and with a little preparation, getting to the Belgian GP is more than manageable. Whether you’re flying in from abroad, coming from the UK, or travelling by car, train or coach, this travel guide has you covered. We’ll go over all the essential Belgian GP transport options and share tips to help you plan your journey to and from the circuit.
International Travel: Arrival in Belgium for the Belgian Grand Prix
Best Airports for Spa-Francorchamps
Though there is a small airfield near the track, this doesn’t cater for commercial flights. Your best option is to look for flights for Brussels (BRU) or Brussels Charleroi (CRL). The latter is especially popular with low-cost carriers, but if you plan to stay in Brussels, it’s close to an hour’s drive away. Other options in the region include Luxembourg (LUX), Cologne (CGN) and Maastricht (MST).
Flights to Brussels (BRU)
There are direct flights to Brussels from several UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Bristol. Across Europe, Brussels is connected to major cities such as Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, and Zurich. Long-haul routes include New York (JFK), Toronto, Washington DC, Dubai, and Beijing.
Airlines: Brussels Airlines, Ryanair, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates.
Onward travel: 140km / around 2 hours by car or 2–2.5 hours by train and bus.
Flights to Charleroi (CRL)
Charleroi is popular with low-cost carriers and serves several UK airports, including Stansted, Manchester, and Edinburgh. It also connects to European cities like Milan, Budapest, Warsaw, Madrid, Bucharest, and Lisbon.
Airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, TUI fly Belgium.
Onward travel: 125km / around 2 hours by car. Public transport connections to Spa are slower and involve multiple changes.
Skyscanner’s powerful search tools help to uncover the cheapest routes and the best flight deals. Set price alerts to get deals when they drop, or use the monthly chart view to find the best time to book.
Note: Flying home late Sunday is possible, but post-race traffic can be painfully slow. If you’re driving, it may take hours just to leave the car park so flying Monday is usually the safer option.
Train travel to Belgium for the Belgian GP
Travelling city centre to city centre, train travel can cut out a lot of transfer time and save you from the dreaded airport security checks. This all means a quicker, more convenient and sustainable way to travel to the Grand Prix.
Europe’s train network is efficient and well-connected, so wherever you are on the continent, a train is an option, but it’s especially useful for surrounding countries. From further afield, a plane is often cheaper than an overnight sleeper train.
Trains from Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Frankfurt arrive at Brussels Midi station. From here, it’s another 2 to 2.5 hours to reach the circuit by train and bus (more on that in the next section).
Example Journey Time To Brussels By Train
Paris → Brussels: 1h 22m
Amsterdam → Brussels: 1h 50m
Cologne → Brussels: 1h 50m
Frankfurt → Brussels: 3h 00m
Luxembourg → Brussels: 3h 15m
You can search train schedules across multiple operators simultaneously to and from just about any station in Europe using Omio (formerly GoEuro) and purchase tickets for the same cost as buying direct from the train lines.
Note: In most cases, you can book international train tickets online from 60 to 90 days before the dates you wish to travel.
Travelling by train from Britain to the Belgian Grand Prix
The Eurostar is one of the best ways of getting to Spa-Francorchamps from the UK, and many British F1 fans opt to take the ‘Chunnel’ to lap up some high-octane excitement and waffles on the continent.
Hop on the train at St. Pancras and you’ll be whisked away to the heart of the Low Countries in no time at all. The high-speed Eurostar gets to Brussels in about 2 hours.
- You can book your travel to include travel to London from 130 UK towns and cities.
- The Eurostar arrives at Brussels Midi/Zuid station. From here, your ticket covers you to travel to any Brussels station. Trains to Verviers and Spa leave from Brussels Central.
- Search schedules and buy tickets with Omio.
Local Travel: Getting to Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix
Now that you’ve got as far as Belgium, there are several ways to get to Spa-Francorchamps. If you’re taking your car to the Grand Prix you can drive to the track and park nearby. Or, if you bring your bike, just go as far as Stavelot and cycle the rest of the way.
If you’re travelling without a car, there are several public transport options available for the Grand Prix. You can take a train and connecting bus via Verviers, or book a City Shuttle coach from cities across Belgium and the wider region.
Getting to Spa-Francorchamps by Car, Motorbike and Bicycle
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps lies on the edge of the village of Francorchamps. It’s along the E42 highway about 110km southeast of Brussels, between the towns of Spa and Stavelot.
The exact route you take will depend on which grandstand you are watching from and which car park you’re in. Whatever your route, you need to approach the Spa-Francorchamps region on either the E25 or E42 highways and take the appropriate exit (see below). From there, continue to the designated car park at the track.
If you’re using GPS, key in the relevant highway exit. Beyond that point, the directions may differ due to local traffic diversions, so look out for signs for your car park instead.
Tip: Traffic around Spa is notoriously bad, especially after the race. If your itinerary is flexible enough, it’s a smart move to hang around at the circuit or in Francorchamps village until the gridlock eases.
Parking at Spa-Francorchamps
Official Car Parks
Where you park will affect not only how far you’ll have to walk to your grandstand but also the route you drive to get to the track. Most car parks are close to the La Source entrance, where most of the grandstands are, but there are also car parks on the far side of the circuit near Les Combes and Blanchimont entrances.
The Yellow Area Parking is reached via the E42 motorway and is walking distance from the La Source entrance. Yellow E25 and Yellow bis require you to take a shuttle bus to reach the track, but are easier to access on the E25.
Green Area parking covers the Combes and Kemmel areas and is best for Bronze (general admission) ticket holders or those with seating in this part of the track. As well as a field close to the gates there is also the Malmedy car park. The latter is connected by shuttle bus and is the only car park that is asphalt — ideal for a wet Spa weekend.
Red Area Parking is reached via the E25 and is close to the Blanchimont gates, making it ideal for grandstands in this area.
- Parking tickets must be booked in advance and will be issued as an e-ticket.
- Print your ticket and display it on your dashboard to be scanned at the checkpoint.
- Car parks open at 6:00am each day of the event.
- Parking costs €25 per day for cars and passes are available from the official website.
yellow
Entrance: La Source
For: All Gold Grandstands, Fanzone Grandstand and Silver Grandstand 1
Route: E42 – Battice to Trier
Exit: 10 (Francorchamps)
Shuttle bus: No
yellow
E25/bis
E25/bis
Entrance: La Source
For: All Gold Grandstands, Fanzone Grandstand and Silver Grandstand 1
Route: E25 Liège–Luxembourg
Exit: 48 Werbomont
Shuttle bus: Yes
green
Entrance: Les Combes
For: Combes Grandstand, SpeedCorner, Silver 3, Silver 4, Silver 5, Silver 6 & Bronze (GA)
Route: E42 – Battice to Bitburg
Exit: 11 (Malmedy)
Shuttle bus: Yes
red
Entrance: Blanchimont
For: 17 – 27, Silver 5 & Silver 6
Route: E25 – Liège to Luxembourg
Exit: 48 (Werbomont)
Shuttle bus: No
Unofficial Parking
Local Francorchamps residents sometimes let out their driveways for the weekend, and you may find parking spaces within walking distance from the La Source entrance. Unless you’re arriving early on Thursday, though, it’s better to book official parking in advance so you can guarantee your spot.
Motorbike Parking
There are asphalt parking lots for motorbikes at the circuit, which include facilities for helmet storage. Both are near the paddock end of the circuit, close to the La Source and Ster entrances.
- Motorbike parking opens at 6:00am each day.
- Parking passes for motorcyles cost €20–25 per day.
- Tickets can be booked in advance from the official website or purchased on the day.
blue
Entrance: Ster
For: All ticket holders
Route: E42 – Battice to Trier
Exit: 10bis
yellow
Entrance: La Source
For: All ticket holders
Route: E42 – Battice to Trier
Exit: 10 (Francorchamps)
Cycle/Park & Bike
Cycling to the circuit is a great way to avoid the worst of the traffic congestion and now that there’s a park and bike option it’s never been easier. There’s a dedicated bike park at the Blanchimont entrance and you don’t need a ticket to leave your bike here — just turn up and lock up.
If you’re bringing your bike by car, there’s a free Park & Bike car park about 5km from the circuit, in Stavelot (Avenue André Grégoire). From there, you can cycle the remaining stretch via the RAVeL path and park your bike at the same Blanchimont bike park.
The Blanchimont bike park is open Friday to Sunday, 6am to 10pm. Tickets for the Park and Bike lot are available from the official website.
Getting to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps by Public Transport and the City Shuttle Bus
By Train and bus (via Verviers)
To get to the Belgian Grand Prix by rail, the easiest way is to take the train to Verviers-Central station and continue by bus to the circuit. There are direct trains from Liege and Brussels.
Regular TEC buses (routes 395 and 294) leave from just outside the train station, running frequently on Thursday, Friday and Saturday but not on Sunday.
There is also a shuttle bus service from Verviers to the circuit. Shuttle bus tickets cost €10 and can be purchased online or on the day at the TEC office at the entrance to Verviers-Central station.
The roughly 30km journey from Verviers to the circuit gates takes about 45 minutes.
Shuttle Bus Times
To the circuit: from 7:30am to 1:00pm
Back to Verviers: from 4:30pm to 7:30pm
By Train (via Spa)
The Spa-Genonstrere train station is actually closer to the circuit (13km). However, travelling via Spa involves more transfers and there isn’t a bus service from here to the track.
To get to the railway station of Spa you’ll board the same train as the one to Verviers but will need to change trains at Pepinster. Many IC trains won’t stop at Pepinster, so if you’re coming from Brussels, you may need to get off at Liège and transfer to a regional train.
It will take 25 minutes for the train to reach Pepinster, where you can transfer to the train to Spa-Genonstrere — also about 25 minutes. From here you can continue to your accommodation or the circuit.
Buying Train Tickets in Belgium
- For travel within Belgium, view schedule information and buy tickets in advance with Omio.
- You can also buy tickets from machines at any station but there may be a long wait on race day! Buy your return tickets in advance to avoid the queue on the way back.
- Tickets are for the journey only, not a seat reservation. Sit – or more likely stand – anywhere.
- Tickets are issued for the date of travel only. You are free to take whichever train at whichever time you like.
- Online ticket sales usually open one month in advance.
City Shuttle: Express Coach Travel to the Belgian GP
From Friday to Sunday, there are direct coach transfers to Spa-Francorchamps. They leave from cities in Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The City Shuttle is scheduled to arrive at the circuit at 9am and depart at 7pm.
Services from the cities listed below range from about €60-100, and tickets (return only) must be booked in advance.
- Aachen
- Antwerp
- Brussels
- Charleroi
- Cologne
- Düsseldorf
- Eindhoven
- Liège
- Lille
- Luxembourg
- Maastricht
- Mons
- Namur
About Me
I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 35 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
