Brussels Car Free Sunday 2026: times, programme and top 5

In short

• Sunday 20 September 2026, from 9.30 am to 7 pm: all 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region are closed to motorised traffic.
• STIB public transport is free all day and reinforced; authorised vehicles are limited to 30 km/h.
• 2026 bonus: the Brussels metro turns 50, to the very day.

Once a year, Brussels turns the volume down. On 20 September 2026, from 9.30 am to 7 pm, the entire Region becomes Europe’s largest car-free zone: pedestrians, bikes, scooters, skates and prams take back the asphalt, and the city centre turns into an open-air living room.

The official timings, no guesswork

• Closure: from 9.30 am to 7 pm across the whole Region.
• Gradual: barriers, access roads and tunnels close and reopen progressively — expect some disruption just before 9.30 am and just after 7 pm. In festive neighbourhoods, streets may stay closed longer.
• Speed: 30 km/h maximum for every authorised vehicle.
• Exemptions: taxis, public transport, coaches, emergency services, police, diplomatic corps and holders of a municipal pass.

Getting in and getting around

The Ring and motorways stay open: only the access roads into the Region are closed. Best practice: leave the car in a park-and-ride, or better still, take the train.

Once here, STIB metros, trams and buses are free all day and reinforced. A useful reminder: car-free does not mean rule-free — lights, priorities and caution still apply, especially with children on the roadway.

2026: the metro turns 50

On 20 September 1976, Brussels opened its first metro section, between De Brouckère, Tomberg and Beaulieu. Fifty years later, to the day, the anniversary falls on Car Free Sunday. Mobility Week (16 to 22 September) therefore puts the metro centre stage.

“This year, Car Free Sunday is a double celebration, with a city coming alive for its citizens and fifty years of our metro.”
Elke Van den Brandt, Brussels Minister for Mobility (STIB press release)

🏆 The 5 verified things to do in the city centre

1. Folklorissimo on the Grand-Place

The Folklore Festival takes over the Grand-Place, the Town Hall, the Fashion & Lace Museum and Manneken-Pis, running until 9 pm on Sunday: parade of giants, dance, brass bands, participatory choir, barrel organ, folk race, and this year an opening to the Latin American cultures of Brussels. Free.

2. The Comic Strip Festival at the Bourse

The ninth art fills the Bourse (boulevard Anspach 80) and several city-centre venues — Riches Claires library, Cinéma Palace, Halles Saint-Géry — from 10 am to 6 pm: signings, talks, exhibitions, a big book market and workshops for children. Free.

3. The 50 years of metro exhibition, Bourse station

In the Qartier cultural space, inside the Bourse (Grand-Place) pre-metro station, STIB presents an exhibition on the history of the Brussels metro: objects, archives, videos and the winning posters of an open call to creators. Anniversary collector cards are available too.

4. Heritage Days, free to roam

Heritage Days run on 19 and 20 September under the theme “Our landscape, our heritage”, opening places usually closed to the public. Some visits require booking: check heritagedays.urban.brussels.

5. Jacques Brel depot, open day

To mark the metro’s anniversary, STIB opens its Jacques Brel depot, rue Nicolas Doyen 1 in Molenbeek, free of charge on Sunday 20 September from 10 am to 4 pm — a few stops from the centre, and perfectly reachable without a car since the network is free.

Practical questions

What time does Brussels Car Free Sunday start and finish?

Motorised traffic is prohibited across all 19 municipalities on Sunday 20 September 2026, from 9.30 am to 7 pm. Closures and reopening are gradual.

Is public transport free?

Yes. STIB metros, trams and buses are free all day, with extra services.

Where can families go in the city centre?

Folklorissimo, the Comic Strip Festival, the 50 years of metro exhibition and the Jacques Brel depot open day all offer family-friendly activities.

The newsroom’s tip

Start early, roll slowly, and make boulevard Anspach your backbone: in one straight line you string together the Bourse (comics + metro), the Grand-Place (folklore) and Manneken-Pis. The rest is a matter of legs and curiosity.

🔗 Sources & liens vérifiables

• Ville de Bruxelles — Dimanche sans voiture, 20 septembre 2026
• Ville de Bruxelles — Semaine de la mobilité et Dimanche sans voiture 2026
• Bruxelles Mobilité — semainedelamobilite.brussels
• STIB — Semaine de la Mobilité et Dimanche sans voiture 2026 (communiqué)
• STIB — Journée sans voiture : le réseau s’adapte
• Ville de Bruxelles — Folklorissimo
• Heritage Days / Journées du Patrimoine 2026
• RTBF — Journée sans voiture à Bruxelles : tout ce qu’il faut savoir
• STIB-MIVB — 50 years of metro: official programme
• STIB-MIVB — Jacques Brel depot open day