Basic Travel tips for Stimulate Participants of VLIR- ITP at Vrije Universitiet Brussel

1. BASIC TRAVEL GUIDE FOR
STIMULATE PARTICIPANTS
( From Jette Campus )
1st edition
Lauren P. Kipaan, STIMIUC 2009 ( BSU- Philippines )

2. Important Tips
1. Brings euro coins, you will need this if you will call and buy drinks thru
machines in the Student home upon arrival.
2. Bring lots of foods ( noodles, Water base foods ) because we are not yet
familiar with the place to buy things.
3. Bring spoon, plate, drinking and a small cooking pot.
4. Bring tooth paste, shampoo, and other hygiene related things.
5. Bring office Tools like paste, scissor, masking tape, etc. you will need this in
many activities.
6. 70-100 euro is the safest amount that you will bring in to start a living.
7. Expect food adjustments.
8. Bring medicine for your usual ailments ( headaches , flu & etc. ).
9. If you bring liquid based products, put them together and sealed it thru
masking tapes then put in a black plastic bag and sealed it again. As
much as possible, put in a not noticeable part of your baggage. This
might cause trouble in the Airport.

3. Before Travel Tips
1. Photocopy your travel documents and put in your hand carry bag and in
the Check baggage. Don't forget the name tag of the baggage plus
the contact person in Belgium and the email address.
2. In your hand carry bag, put some food to eat upon arrival in Brussels. You
might miss your baggage in the Airport, at least you have something to
eat in the student home.
3. If you come to Belgium during Winter, Put already your jacket, gloves, and
bonnet in your hand carry bag. It is better also to bring belt bag for you
to easily put and bring out your passport and other documents.
4. In your passport, insert or paste your address in the student home plus the
contact no. of Sir Alexander Coppens ( Assistant to Prof.
Neuwenhuysen ).
5. In Amsterdam Airport, you expect a long walk and puzzling signs. If you are
not sure don't hesitate to ask the right person and always confirm.

4. 6. In Zaventem Airport, you will expect also a long walk in a more puzzling
routes. Anyway, just follow the sign of the baggage ( uitgang ) and look
for the baggage belts and read the scrolling place of origin of the
baggage's.
7. If you can't find the taxi arranged for you, call sir Alexander Coppens. Maybe he will
advise you to take a taxi and always choose the trusted face ( maybe the old
ones ). Before riding in a taxi, call sir Alexander again and give the taxi plate
number. On your way, give the driver something from your country ( food is
better ). You represent the good image of your country by doing that.
8. If you arrived at night, and you didn't bring food, you buy in the airport or train
station. There is no available store in the student home at night except for the
readily available drink machines.
9. If you arrived during Saturdays and Sundays, Maybe you are still afraid to
travel, You can buy some drinks and foods inside the Hospital entrance
( Building 1 ) at the back of ( building 6 ) bus stop but it is open only from
1pm. Their is also an ATM machine just beside the store.
10. Time setting in Belgium is Military time, meaning 1pm is 13:00 hour or 17:00 hour
is 5pm.

5. ANATOMY OF VUB BUILDINGS
Buildings in VUB are classified or named according to alphabets
or numbers. You will usually see buildings with big letters or
numbers in the building.
An example would be;
D.2.13
This illustrated alphabet and numbers tells us that the classroom is at building D and it is
located in the second floor and room number 13. in short,
D Building
2 Floor
13 Room number
You can also search information of any VUB employees thru the
website of VUB and click on the menu “WHO IS WHO”.

6. Time left before
Destination departure
Bus
number

7. Insert your ticket here!
Bus stop indicator
Stop button

8. At the span of 9am, the bus will arrive at 9:19 am and 9:40 am.

9. Laarbeek- UZ Brussel
is the name or the
place of the bus stop.
Number 13, 15, 53,
245, 820 and 84 are
the number of buses
that passes or stop at
this bus stop.
Noctis are night
buses.

10. Bus 1 will arrive after six minutes

11. The Train starts at Antwerpen-Central at 8:42am and will arrived
at Anvers-Central at 9:25 am.
The train also stops at Vilvorde at 8:50, Mechelen at 8:58am …
and Anvers-Berchem 9:19.
The number 11, 12, 4, 8, and 4 are the number of Train tracks
( Spoor ).

12. CITY TRAVEL TIPS from VUB JETTE CAMPUS
1. Please observe the traffic lights in walking.
2. Inquire and ask people.
3. Memorize landmarks.
To Simonis
Maybe your first travel in the city is to buy foods. Go to the hospital
entrance ( Building Number 6), this is the bus stop of Bus 14, 13 & 15 but
take the Bus number 14 UZ BRUSSEL and drop off at Simonis. You will
need to buy a ticket ( 2 euro ) to the driver and insert it in the machine. As
you travel, the bus stops at Dieleghem, De rieveren, Legrelle, Spiegel,
Broustin. if you see this bus stop, you are in the right direction. But
sometimes the bus change routes, anyway you will go to Simonis.
You will see many shops in the environment of Simonis. Shops in
Belgium are normally within the building, unlike in the tropical countries that
all are displayed in the streets.

13. To GB & ALDI Supermarket
Take bus 14 at the hospital entrance, get off at Spiegel ( the moment the bus enter in the line track of trams ). As
you step out, you will see the ENJOY VIDEO and the Church. go to the direction of VOSCA and CENTRE AUDITIF billboard
and building with STELLA ARTOIS written on it. As you cross the street, go to right and go to the left upon reaching the street
corner ( a tram line ). Take right upon reaching the BEL COMPANY & BLOKKER, you will see GB Supermarket. You will pass
thru MOBISTAR, VIVALDIS & TWINS business shops.
If you can't follow the first instruction, go to the wide parking area just in front of the gate of the Church, and there, you
can see GB Supermarket.
To go back, go to the bus stop in where you get off and wait again for Bus number 14- UZ BRUSSEL. You can also ride
in the Bus 13 but it will pass thru many bus stops.
TO BRUSSEL NORTH STATION
Take bus 14 front of the hospital until the final destination to Brussel northstation. Get off the
moment you see the WTC towers 11 & 111. Go up in the stairs towards the train station.
If you start from VUB Etterbeek Campus, take the tram #25 direction Noordstation. To go up, take
the escalator.
Brussel Noord or Brussel North Station to UZ BRUSSEL ( VUB Jette )
At the exit S. Bolivar Plein overloooking WTC towers, look for the bus stop of Bus 14- direction UZ Brussell (
right side if you go down the steps of the North station). During the night, the bus #15 is available until 11pm.
If you will go to VUB Etterbeek Campus, take the tram 25 just below the station. Take the
escalator in going down.

14. Take bus 14 and stop at SIMONIS. As you enter in
the gate of the Metro subway, go down to the left,
this is subway line 2 and DELACROIX as
destination. You will observe this following stops;
Ribaucourt, Yser, Rogier, Botanique, Madou, Arts-
Loi, Troon, Porte de Namur, Louise, Munthof, Porte
de Hal, Zuidstation, and finally the CLEMENCEAU.
Get off and go up and just follow the direction of
many people ( with caddy ) or towards the basketball
court, if you are not sure ask people.
To go back, return to the same subway
but take the direction of SIMONIS. Get off at
Simonis and take the exit Avenue Jette-Jetse Laan /
Leopold 11.
Note: Clemenceau or Anderlecht Open Market ( Every
Saturday/ Sunday )
The market is open in the morning until 14
o’clock in the afternoon.

15. TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & MOBILITY OFFICE
Take bus 14, get off at Simonis. Take the subway line 2 direction of
Hermann Debroux. Get off at Petillion. Take the exit “Vrijwilligerslaan”
and Walk straight to “ Avenue der Voluntaires” until you see VUB ( you
will pass thru this shops; Texaco,Couture Jonistar, Lasagneria, Pharmacie
Apoteek, Agra Indian Restaurant ) after this, just continue walking along
Avenue Henri Schoofs Laan then cross the street and look for the
building illustrated. It is near the oval. The International Relations and
Mobility service is situated on the ground floor. Enter the building
and enter in the door at your left side.
You can also take the tram from Petillion by taking the exit
“Louis Schmidt” and walk until you see the tram line. Take the
inner track direction Boondaal Station and get off at Tweede
Lanciers or Etterbeek station.