Mobility for persons with disabilities
Do you need assistance when travelling because of your disability? All kinds of support measures exist for persons with disabilities to make travelling easier and financially viable.
Travelling by public transport
De Lijn, NMBS and MIVB provide support for persons with disabilities to help them use public transport. This can mean financial support, assistance, and the provision of adapted transport.
De Lijn - Free season ticket for persons with disabilities
- Free annual season ticket
- Sent automatically
National discount card for public transport:
- Free travel on public transport provided by De Lijn, MIVB, TEC and NMBS
- For the blind and visually impaired
Card for free assistance for persons with disabilities on public transport
- Free assistance by a person of their choice
- Applies to public transport provided by De Lijn and NMBS
The NMBS offers personal assistance at their stations for passengers with reduced mobility.
MIVB in Brussels is also working on accessibility. Persons with disabilities can use the MIVB taxi bus to get anywhere in Brussels. Assistance is available in the metro stations. MIVB uses accessible buses on several lines.
All De Lijn dial-a-bus buses are equipped with a lift. This means wheelchair users can board easily.
Dial-a-bus service
- Service only available on request
- Equipped with a lift for wheelchair users
Public transport buddies
If you have difficulties taking public transport, or if you want to practise a route, you can use the services of a public transport buddy. Public transport buddies help persons with disabilities to learn how to use the bus or tram.
Travelling by adapted transport
What if you cannot use public transport?
- The Adapted Transport Services (Dutch: Diensten voor Aangepast Vervoer) provide door-to-door adapted transport. These services are intended for persons with reduced mobility who cannot use public transport.
- Thanks to the volunteers from the Centre for Persons with Reduced Mobility (Dutch: Minder Mobielen Centrale), persons with mobility problems can still travel.
Using your private means of transport
Several benefits and exemptions are also in place for private means of transport. For example, you can obtain a special VAT certificate for vehicles. You can apply for this certificate via the municipality or your health insurance fund. This certificate entitles you to
- VAT reduction on the purchase, use, repair and maintenance of a car
- exemption from the vehicle registration tax (Dutch: belasting op inverkeerstelling/BIV) and annual road tax.
The Federal Public Service - Social Security lists all possible benefits: A brief overview of the measures for persons with disabilities:
Parking badge for persons with disabilities
- Parking in reserved spaces
- Unlimited validity
Exemption from the obligation to wear a safety belt
- Medical reasons for not wearing a safety belt
- Medical certificate required
Driving aptitude test and adaptation of vehicles for persons with disabilities
- Advice on adaptations to your car
- Driving aptitude test
Transport to and from school
Allowances are also available for travel to school. For example, children who use a wheelchair and are unable to walk alone for 300 metres receive an allowance from the Flemish Agency for Persons with Disabilities (Dutch: Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap/VAPH). You can use this allowance to pay for transport to school with your own car or by taxi.
Pupil transport is organised by the school in special educational needs education. Your child will be picked up and dropped off at home if he/she attends the nearest school (in your educational network and type of education).
Transport to and from work or training
You are eligible for an allowance from the Flemish Service for Employment and Vocational Training (Dutch: Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding/VDAB) for travel to and from work or training by personal transport (car, taxi, etc.) if you have a work-limiting disability.
