Belgium on an Austrian Licence — No Vignette, but Bring a Fire Extinguisher

For an Austrian driver, Belgium is an easy country to take a car into — same side of the road, an EU licence with no permit needed, and, refreshingly, no vignette to buy before the motorway. The adjustments are minor and practical rather than dramatic.

The boot needs a fire extinguisher. At home it is merely recommended; in Belgium a fire extinguisher sits alongside the warning triangle, reflective vest and first-aid kit as a legal must-have. Roadside checks do happen, so make sure all four are present — a hire car should have them, but confirm at the desk before you drive off.

The Brussels ring is the one stretch that demands attention. Belgium’s network is fine, but the R0 ring around Brussels is dense, fast and lined with merges, more intense than anything on the Austrian motorway grid. Time your crossing to avoid the morning and evening peaks if you can, and keep to the right except to overtake. Speeds are 50 km/h in town, 70 on rural roads (lower than Austria’s 100, so ease off on the open road) and 120 on motorways — a notch down from the Austrian 130.

The real catch is enforcement. Belgium runs one of Europe’s densest camera networks, including average-speed sections, and a modest 10 km/h overspeed already costs around EUR 53. The speeding fine calculator will size up anything bigger. Drink-driving matches home at 0.05 BAC, and emergencies are 112. For the full ruleset — parking, low-emission zones in cities like Brussels and Antwerp, and tolls — see the Belgium driving guide. There is genuinely little to relearn; just pack the extinguisher and watch your speed.