Car Rental at Charleroi Airport

Airport travel guide

Also called Brussels-South, Charleroi Airport is actually about an hour’s drive from the Belgian capital. Although Charleroi, itself one of the largest cities in Belgium, enjoys a reputation of being rough around the edges, it has plenty of hidden gems to explore. Better yet, it can also serve as a hub from which to explore Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. With that in mind, these are three destinations in and around Charleroi:

• Charleroi Museum. Located in Ville Haute (the Upper Town), the area that is home to most notable city landmarks, the Charleroi Museum actually consists of two cultural institutions, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Glass Museum. The former is larger and has several paintings by the surrealist René Magritte, one of the most famous former inhabitants of the city, as well as by several other world-famous masters, and the Glass Museum can be just as interesting to explore. The Charleroi Museum is near several other points of interest like the city’s distinctive Art Deco Town Hall and Saint-Christophe Church.
• Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse. A religious procession with its roots dating back to St. Roch who allegedly saved the local inhabitants from the plague, these marches take place every year from May to September. Fascinating to experience, they can be found in a number of villages around Charleroi and have been recognized as masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage by UNESCO. 
• Liege. Like many cities in the interior of Belgium, Liege is mainly known for its industrial heritage — but that hasn’t stopped it from reinventing itself as an attractive travel destination. The city is home to eclectic architecture that includes gems like the immense Prince-Bishops' Palace and retro-futuristic Cointe Observatory, as well as attractions like the Archaeoforum (an underground site of three former cathedrals as well as Roman ruins), the Museum of Walloon Life, Museum of Religious Art, an attractive riverfront, and the Aquarium Museum Complex (mostly dedicated to different fields of natural sciences). Liege is 95 km (58 miles) east of Charleroi, a trip that can be made in just over an hour.
• Lille. Another city that mixes industrial legacy with scenic architecture and busy cultural life, Lille is one of the most interesting destinations in northern France. The city’s atmospheric and well-preserved center is home to notable buildings like La Vieille Bourse and Rihour Palace, while Lille’s museums are some of the best in the country. In 2020, Lille was named the World Design Capital. The trip from Charleroi takes about an hour and 20 minutes. Ask your rental car supplier in advance if they permit crossing the border.

Top international routes

• Milan
• Manchester
• Bucharest
• Budapest
• Tirana
• Girona
• Treviso
• Istanbul
• Alicante
• Marseille

Main airlines

Ryanair, TUI fly Belgium, Wizz Air, Pegasus Airlines, Air Belgium, and Air Corsica

Terminals

The two airport terminals, T1 and T2, are connected and you can walk between them.

Location

Charleroi Airport is about 7.5 km (4.6 mi) north of Charleroi and about 45 km (28 mi) south of Brussels. Motorways N568 and E420 connect the airport to Charleroi while motorways E420, E19, and N266 connect the airport to Brussels.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from $40 per day
• Medium cars - from $48 per day
• Large cars - from $62 per day
• Station wagons - from $60 per day
• SUVs - from $96 per day
• Vans - from $167 per day
• Premium cars - from $89 per day

Car rental desks

Some are located in the arrivals hall. The exact location of your car rental provider's desk will be listed on your Confirmation Voucher.

Services and facilities

You’ll find several bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, as well as retail shops and newsstands. The duty-free shop is located near the boarding gates. Charleroi Airport also has several ATMs, two currency exchanges, a children’s play area, a lost and found office, a mobile device charging point, and cots for travelers whose flights have been delayed. Self-service, coin-operated luggage lockers are right outside the airport, near the taxi stand. The airport’s facilities are mostly equipped for travelers with reduced mobility, and special assistance is offered, but make sure to contact your airline at least 48 hours before your arrival if you’d like this service.

Nearest gas station

Q8 gas station, located at Entree Aeroport-rue Ransart 999, can be reached in about one minute and is open daily from 4:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. There are many other gas stations near Charleroi Airport and on the way to both Charleroi and Brussels.

Popular one-way rentals

• Brussels (59 km / 37 miles)
• Liege (86 km / 53 miles)
• Ghent (107 km / 66 miles)
• Leuven (85 km / 52 miles)
• Bruges (150 km / 93 miles)
• Lille (120 km / 75 miles)
• Antwerp (108 km / 67 miles)
• Paris (286 km / 178 miles)
• Cologne (215 km / 134 miles)
• Utrecht (233 km / 146 miles)