In Brussels, there are several providers of hop-on hop-off bus tours that offer a convenient way to explore the city’s main sights. So the question is, which Brussels city tour and which provider should you choose?
Why should you take a hop-on hop-off bus through Brussels?
For many travelers, the question arises as to the best way to explore a new city. A city tour in Brussels with hop-on hop-off bus tours is a particularly attractive option. They combine flexibility – the ability to hop off at any stop and explore the surroundings at your own pace – with the convenience of reaching the main sights without the need to navigate public transport. From the open top decks of the buses, passengers often enjoy a panoramic view during the Brussels city tour, while informative audio commentaries provide interesting facts and stories about the city.
The structure of the city, with its different districts such as the historic center, the European quarter and the more distant Atomium area, makes a city tour in Brussels a particularly efficient way to cover the distances. Important sights are not always within walking distance of each other and these tours are designed to connect these points, reducing travel time and simplifying planning.
The providers at a glance: Hop-on hop-off bus companies in Brussels
When searching for sightseeing tours in Brussels, you will find interesting hop-on hop-off bus tours from two main providers: Tootbus and City Sightseeing Brussels. Both companies offer tours that show visitors the highlights of the city.
Tootbus Brussels
The best-known provider of city tours in Brussels is Tootbus Brussels. The provider attaches particular importance to sustainability and uses 100% electric buses. In addition, Tootbus relies heavily on digital integration through the Tootbus app. This offers useful functions such as real-time bus tracking, route maps and audio commentaries. Audio guides are available in several languages (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic and Dutch). Another interesting offer are the “Tootwalks” – free, self-guided city tours on various topics, which are also accessible via the app.
Tickets can be purchased for 24 or 48 hours. The operating times vary seasonally. In the high season, buses run approximately every 15-25 minutes, in the low season every 30-40 minutes.
According to its website, Tootbus Brussels offers the so-called Red Route with a total of 12 stops. When we traveled with the bus line (Sep 2024), the current flyer showed a route with 18 stops. I have shown these in italics here.
Tootbus stops
- Central Station (Gare Centrale):
Start and end point of the bus tour and starting point of a Tootwalks tour. - Rogier
- Tour & Taxis/Maritime Station:
Renovated industrial monument. - Van Praet
Train World - Serres Royales
Parc de Laeken - Atomium:
Here you can visit the symbol of Brussels and mini-Europe. - Basilica of the Sacred Heart Koekelberg:
Significant Art Deco church, one of the largest churches in the world. - Tour&Taxis
Gare Maritime - Bourse (stock exchange)
- Grand Place/Manneken-Pis:
The central and beautiful market square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous little statue Manneken Pis is within walking distance.
Start of a Tootwalking Tour - Sablon
Antiques market, chocolatiers, Notre-Dame du Sablon church - Poelaert/Louise/Courthouse:
Palace of Justice, an imposing court building with a panoramic view. Avenue Louise shopping street. - Horta
Horta Museum (Art Nouveau architecture) - Flagey:
Cultural center, ponds of Ixelles. - Cinquantenaire:
Parc du Cinquantenaire, Autoworld, military museum.
Start of a Tootwalking Tour - Parc Léopold
Start of a Tootwalking tour - Luxembourg (Place du Luxembourg):
European Parliament area with an insight into the political work of the EU. - Place Royale:
A historic square with museums and impressive architecture. Nearby are the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Magritte Museum, Mont des Arts.
Tootbus also offers a unique ‘Brussels Before Night’ tour. This Brussels city tour gives you a different perspective of the city as dusk falls, illuminating sights such as the Ixelles Ponds, the Courthouse, the European Parliament, Cinquantenaire Park and the Royal Palace.
Book your tour
City Sightseeing Brussels
City Sightseeing is an internationally renowned brand for hop-on hop-off bus tours, known for its distinctive red double-decker buses
The provider operates two routes: Line 1 – Atomium (Blue Line) and Line 2 – Europa (Red Line). Both lines start at Central Station, which makes it easy to change buses. There are a total of 22 stops on both lines.
An audio guide is available in 8 languages (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Russian and Dutch).
Tickets are valid for 24 or 48 hours and include both lines. The operating times and timing of the buses depend on the season.
The buses are generally wheelchair accessible.
List of stops on the Atomium Line (Blue Line) and attractions:
- Brussel-Centraal (Central Station)
Grand-Place, Manneken Pis, Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, Comic Strip Museum (CBBD), MOOF - Rogier
Shopping opportunities in the Botanique shopping center - Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (Serres Royales / Koninklijke Serres)
Royal Greenhouses (open seasonally), Laeken Castle (exterior view), Church of Our Lady of Laeken, Japanese Tower - Atomium (Place de l’Atomium)
Atomium, Mini-Europe, Design Museum Brussels, Planetarium - Musée René Magritte Museum (René Magritte Museum)
This is the museum in Jette, Magritte’s former home, not to be confused with the Magritte Museum on Place Royale - National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg (Basilique Nationale / Nationale Basiliek)
Koekelberg Basilica (one of the largest churches in the world), panoramic view - Tour & Taxis (Parking Esplanade)
Tour & Taxis area (events, gastronomy), Gare Maritime - Dansaert
Dansaert district (fashion, design), MIMA - Stock Exchange (Brussels Stock Exchange – fish market)
Stock Exchange building, Place Sainte-Catherine (fish restaurants) - Marolles / Marollen
Flea market on Place du Jeu de Balle (Vossenplein), antique shops - Manneken-Pis
Manneken Pis statue
List of stops on the Europa Line (Red Line):
- Brussel-Centraal (Central Station)
Grand-Place, Manneken Pis, Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, Comic Strip Museum (CBBD), MOOF - Place Royale
Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Magritte Museum (on Place Royale), BELvue Museum, Coudenberg Palace, MIM - Sablon
Antiques market, chocolatiers, Notre-Dame du Sablon church - Palace of Justice (Palais de Justice / Justitiepaleis)
Palace of Justice (monumental building), Place Poelaert (panoramic view), Marolles district (access), Avenue Louise - Horta Museum
Horta Museum (Art Nouveau architecture) - Flagey
Flagey Cultural Center, Ponds of Ixelles - Parlamentarium
European Parliament, Parlamentarium (visitor center), Place du Luxembourg - Leopold Park (Parc Léopold)
Museum of Natural Sciences, House of European History - Cinquantenaire (Jubilee Park)
Arc de Triomphe, Autoworld, Royal Army Museum, Museum of Art & History (access via Schuman stop) - Schuman
Berlaymont building (EU Commission), Justus Lipsius building (Council of the EU), European Quarter - Royal Palace of Brussels
Royal Palace (open seasonally), Parc de Bruxelles (Warande Park)
The choice of provider: a comparative overview
Choosing the right hop-on hop-off provider depends on individual priorities and preferences. Tootbus and City Sightseeing offer sightseeing tours in Brussels. However, they differ in some key aspects.
| Feature | Tootbus | City Sightseeing Brussels |
| Route structure | A red route and a special tour at dusk | Two lines: Blue (Atomium) & Red (Europe) |
| Approximate number of stops | 12-18 | 22 (11 each line) |
| Thematic focus | Extensive | Divided: Atomium/North vs. Europe/Center/South |
| Eco-friendliness | 100% eco | Standard buses (partially covered upper deck) |
| App features | Real-time tracking, route maps, audio commentary, tootwalks | Basic information, city map if necessary |
| Audioguide-Language | 11 | 8 |
| Typical ticket validity | 24 / 48 hours | 24 / 48 hours |
| General bus frequency | Main season: every 15-25 Min. Low season: alle 30-40 Min. | ervery 30 Min. (varies seasonally) |
| Price 24h Ticket (EUR) | starts at 32,-€ | starts at 25,-€ |
| Accessibility | Yes | Yes |
| Unique selling points | Environmentally friendly, Tootwalks (app-based city tours), modern app | Two-line system for focused tours, potentially a little cheaper |
Expert tips for the hop-on hop-off experience in Brussels
To get the most out of a city tour in Brussels with the hop-on hop-off bus, the following practical tips can be helpful:
Booking and tickets
- It is advisable to check the official websites of the providers (Tootbus.com, CitySightseeingBrussel.be) as well as resellers such as GetYourGuide for current prices, offers and detailed conditions.
- Vouchers are usually redeemed directly on board the bus. Electronic vouchers on smartphones are common.
Best time to visit Brussels by bus
- Although bus tours are available all year round, a visit in pleasant weather (spring/summer) enhances the open-top bus experience. Note that bus frequency and operating hours may vary seasonally.
Planning the day
- Start your tour early to make the most of the validity of your ticket (24 or 48 hours from first use).
- It is advisable to study the route maps and stop lists in advance. This allows you to visit the desired attractions along the route.
- One strategy can be to first ride a complete round to gain an overview and then get off at a second round.
At the bus stops and on board
- Pay attention to the bus stops marked accordingly by the respective providers.
- Check the bus frequency and use real-time tracking apps if available (especially on Tootbus) to minimize waiting times.
- Although headphones are provided, it may be more convenient to bring your own.
Dealing with disruptions
- It should be borne in mind that city traffic, weather conditions and unforeseen events can occasionally cause delays or route adjustments.
- A certain amount of patience and flexibility is an advantage here.
Our experience
We chose the buses from Tootbus for our city tour in Brussels. Actually for no particular reason, one of the buses was parked in front of the central station and booking was very easy.
We hadn’t thought about the route and decided quite spontaneously where we wanted to get off. Of course, this can have disadvantages. So we got off at Van Praet station to see Trainworld. The driver’s completely incomprehensible reaction to our request should have made us sit up and take notice. No one ever seemed to get off there. Now we know why – we couldn’t find Trainworld. Apparently the stop is not exactly nearby.
As the next bus had just passed us, we decided to walk to the next stop. The route was long… but beautiful. We discovered a Chinese tower and a beautiful garden, walked past the royal greenhouse and were able to watch the departure of a state guest from the royal palace.
We then got back on at stop 5 and traveled to the Atomium. After the visit, we continued by bus to stop 10. After visiting the Notre-Dame du Sablon, we walked to the Manneken Pis and from there back to the central station.
Using the hop-on hop-off bus in Brussels was just right for this day. The bus ride was ideal for getting a quick overview of the city and discovering some of the sights.
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