What is the nearest train station in Bredene?
Bredene has no railway station of its own; the nearest station is Ostend, about 5 kilometres away and a short tram ride.
- Ostend station: on the Natiënkaai, right by the Oostende Station tram stop. The Coast Tram (Kusttram) takes you to Bredene in about 10 minutes.
- Trains: hourly direct trains via Bruges and Ghent to Brussels, Leuven, Liège and Eupen, via Ghent and Sint-Niklaas to Antwerp, and via Kortrijk to Brussels and Brussels Airport.
- Summer: in July and August extra trains run to the coast (the Kust-Express).
- Journey time: about 15 minutes from Bruges, about 40 minutes from Ghent, about 1 hour 15 minutes from Brussels and about 1.5 hours from Antwerp to Ostend.
- Journey planner: current times are on belgiantrain.be and in the NMBS/SNCB app.
How do you travel to Bredene by public transport?
Take the train to Ostend and the Coast Tram (Kusttram) from there to Bredene; the tram stops at three places along the dunes and campsites.
- Coast Tram: stops Duinenplein (by the beach and the seaside centre), Campings and Renbaan; in summer the tram runs about every 10 minutes, the rest of the year usually every 15 to 20 minutes and less often in the evening. It takes about 10 minutes to Ostend and about 10 minutes to De Haan.
- Train: direct trains run to Ostend from Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp and Kortrijk; from the Netherlands and Germany you change in Antwerp or Brussels.
- Bus: Bredene-Dorp, further from the sea, is served by De Lijn buses from Ostend.
- Paying on De Lijn: on the tram and bus, hold your debit card, credit card or smartphone against the white reader; contactless payment also works with foreign cards. You only tap in, not out. You can also buy a ticket in advance in the De Lijn app.
- Works on the tram: in 2026 and 2027 De Lijn is renewing tracks and stops in and around Bredene. The tram may run more slowly or use a temporary stop, and some journeys (mainly in the evening) are replaced by buses. Check De Lijn before you travel.
- Journey planner: train times on belgiantrain.be, trams and buses on delijn.be.
How do you get to Bredene by car?
Bredene lies just east of Ostend and is easy to reach via the E40 (A10).
- From Brussels and Ghent: follow the E40 (A10) all the way to Ostend, then the signs to Bredene.
- From Antwerp and the Netherlands: take the E17 to Ghent and then the E40; from Rotterdam and Amsterdam drive via Antwerp.
- From Zeeland: through the Westerscheldetunnel, which has been toll free for cars, motorhomes and motorcycles since 30 December 2024, and on via Zelzate, the N49 and Bruges.
- From northern France: from Lille via Dunkirk (A18 and E40) or via Kortrijk (A17) and Bruges.
- Driving time without traffic: Bruges about 25 minutes, Ghent about 50 minutes, Brussels and Antwerp about 1 hour 15 minutes, Lille about 1 hour, Rotterdam about 2 hours 15 minutes, Cologne about 3.5 hours.
- On arrival: parking is paid in the centre and along the seafront and scarce on busy days.
Can you cycle to Bredene?
Yes, from Ostend station you can cycle to Bredene in about 20 minutes.
- From Ostend station: about 5 kilometres; take the free ferry across the harbour channel to the Oosteroever or ride round via Sas-Slijkens.
- From Bruges: about 25 kilometres on the towpath along the Bruges-Ostend canal, which ends near Bredene.
- Coastal cycle route: the coast route (part of EuroVelo 12) runs along the entire Belgian coast, with a dense network of cycle junctions.
- Bikes on the train: on NMBS trains you buy a bike supplement in advance; folding bikes travel free. On the Coast Tram a bike is allowed if there is space, with a separate De Lijn bike ticket. On summer days trains and trams are often too full.
- Bike rental: Bredene has several bike rental shops.