Belgium on an Australian Licence — the Side Switch & the Brussels Ring

Belgium is compact and easy to cross in a day, but for an Australian it asks for one big mental flip on arrival — and then drops you straight into some of the busiest motorway junctions in Europe.

You are switching to the right. Australia drives on the left; Belgium drives on the right. The first hour is where mistakes happen — pulling out of a car park, taking a roundabout that now runs anticlockwise, or a reflex glance the wrong way at a junction. The complication here is that you rarely get gentle roads to practise on. Belgium’s traffic is dense, and the Brussels ring (R0) in particular is a fast, multi-lane loop with merges coming thick and fast. If you can, take your first proper drive somewhere quiet before tackling the ring, and be deliberate at every turn until right-hand driving stops feeling odd.

Carry the right paperwork — and the right kit. An International Driving Permit is recommended alongside your Australian licence; sort it at home, as you can’t get one on arrival. Belgium also requires more in the boot than Australia does: a warning triangle, reflective vest, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher are all mandatory, and roadside checks do happen. A hire car should carry them, but confirm before you drive off. The driving permit checker will confirm your licence position.

On the numbers, the alcohol limit is 0.05 BAC — the same as most of Australia, so no surprise there. Speeds run 50 km/h in town, 70 on rural roads (lower than you may expect) and 120 on motorways. The bigger issue is enforcement: Belgium is saturated with fixed and average-speed cameras, and even a 10 km/h overspeed costs around EUR 53. The speeding fine calculator will estimate anything heavier. Save 112 for emergencies, read the full rules on the Belgium driving guide, and treat the first hour on the right with respect — that is where the whole trip is won or lost.