How to reach Oostende ?

By plane and by train:

At Brussels National Airport, take any train to Brussels. At Brussels Central Station, change to the direct train to Oostende (frequency: every hour, last train around 23 hr). Tickets need to be purchased at the counter in the railway station at Brussels National Airport (they accept most credit cards). Price of the ticket Airport-Oostende (one leg): approx. 15 Euro in 2nd class and approx. 24 Euro in 1st class. Travelling time: approx. 20 min from Brussels National Airport to Brussels Central Station, and another 1 hr 20 min from Brussels Central Station to Oostende.

By boat:

Through Zeebrugge. From Zeebrugge to Oostende (distance 25 km) by taxi or by tramway (travelling time: approx. 45 min). P&O Ferries have a regular bus service between their ferry terminal in Zeebrugge and the railway station in Brugge, but if you ask the driver, he will drop you off at the tramway station in Zeebrugge (this should be for free). Tickets for the tramway can be purchased at the kiosk, or from the tramway driver. Make sure to have Euros with you, since trams and busses do not accept foreign currency.

By car:

(a) From Brussels, Antwerp, the Netherlands and Germany. Take direction Gent, then follow the E 40 to Brugge, and the A 10 to Oostende. Continue till the J.F. Kennedy roundabout. Enter the roundabout and take the second exit for downtown Oostende, or the first exit (marked N 34, Blankenberge-Knokke) to go directly to the Sea Fisheries Department. This double carriage road takes you underneath the railway tracks and across the harbour. A few hundred meters past the bridge across the harbour, you will see a brick water tower (on your left). Turn left at the traffic lights next to the water tower, then immediately turn right. You are now in the Ankerstraat. The Sea Fisheries Department is about 200 m down the road, on your right side.

(b) If you come from Zeeland or Holland, you can cross the Westerscheldt through the tunnel in Oudelande, and approach Oostende from the North-East (the ferry in Vlissingen does not take cars anymore). Head for Knokke via Zelzate (take the N 49 to the right up to Knokke), then continue along the coastal road (the N 34) to Oostende. At some point you will see a rectangular white traffic sign with "Oostende" in black letters on a white background. After having passed this traffic sign, take the first to the right (Fortstraat), then the first to the left. You are now in the Ankerstraat. The Sea Fisheries Department is about 200 m further down the road, on your left side.

(c) From France via Kortrijk (Courtrai). Take the A 17 to Brugge (Bruges), and the A 10 to Oostende. Continue till the J.F. Kennedy roundabout, then proceed as explained under (a).

(d) From France via Veurne (Furnes). Take the E 40 to Brugge until Exit 5. Do NOT continue till the junction with the A 10 (when coming from the West, you cannot loop back to Oostende). Immediately upon leaving the E 40, turn left for the N 33 direction Oostende. After about 5 km, you reach the outskirts of Oostende. Ignore the first traffic lights (after approx. 7 km after having left the highway), but turn right at the second traffic lights (after approx. 8 km). Follow the N 34 (direction Blankenberge and Knokke) till the J.F. Kennedy roundabout. Enter the roundabout and take the third exit for downtown Oostende, or the second exit to go directly to the Sea Fisheries Department. Proceed as explained under (a).

(e) From the UK via Zeebrugge. Follow the coastal road to Oostende, then proceed as explained under (b).

How to reach the Institute from downtown Oostende ?

By car

Leave town in a generally southerly direction by following the road signs for Brugge, Blankenberge or Knokke. When you reach the N 34 (the coastal road that connects De Panne to Knokke), continue to the North-East (direction Blankenberge-Knokke). The N 34 takes you underneath the railway tracks, across the harbour, over the sluice gates of the canal Oostende-Brugge (on your right) and the sluice gates of the Spuikom (a sea water basin, also on your right). A few hundred meters further down the road, you will see a brick water tower. Turn left at the traffic lights next to the water tower, then immediately turn right. You are now in the Ankerstraat. The Sea Fisheries Department is about 200 m down the street, on your right side.

By tram, bus or taxi

There are regular tram (direction De Haan or Knokke-Heist) and bus services between downtown Oostende (Marie-José Plein or Railway Station - see city map) and the part of town where the Sea Fisheries Department is located. Ask the bus driver for the stop nearest to the GB Supermarket of the Opex neighbourhood. For the tram, drop at the stop "Duin en Zee" (also known as "Military Hospital"). From there, it takes a 5 minutes' walk to the Institute. Please notice that the entrance of the Sea Fisheries Department is NOT on the double carriage road in front of the Institute, but on the parallel road on the other side of the building (Ankerstraat). You also can take a taxi. Depending from where you start in Oostende, the trip could cost anything between 10 and 15 Euro.