What Is The Brussels Airport Supplement & Do You Need It?
This article may contain affiliate links. This means we receive a small commission whenever you book or purchase something through our links (at no extra cost to you!). You can find more information in our disclaimer.
You want to take the train to or from Brussels Airport, but then you hear chatter about something called the Diabolo Fee. What is it? Do you need it? And where can you buy it?
The Brussels Airport Supplement, also known as the Diabolo Fee, is a €6.90 mandatory charge for all train travel to and from Brussels Airport-Zaventem. Whether you need to purchase this supplement separately or not depends on the type of ticket you have, so it’s important to understand the rules to avoid any confusion or extra costs.
If you’ve ever travelled to or from Brussels Airport by train, you’ve likely encountered the infamous Diabolo Fee – a supplementary charge added to your ticket price.
As a Belgian local and self-proclaimed travel addict, it’s no surprise that I’ve taken the train route to and from the airport dozens of times. Back when I was young(er), there was no such thing as an airport supplement, but ever since 2009, it’s been here to stay.
In this guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Diabolo Tax, including what it is, how to purchase it, and when it’s required (or not).
What is the Brussels Airport Supplement?
The Brussels Airport Supplement, commonly referred to as the Diabolo Fee, is a mandatory surcharge imposed on all train journeys to and from Brussels Airport-Zaventem.
This fee is designed to cover the costs associated with the construction and maintenance of the dedicated rail link connecting the airport to the Belgian rail network.
Unlike a typical train ticket, the Diabolo Fee is a separate charge that must be purchased in addition to your regular train fare. It’s a flat rate, meaning the cost remains the same regardless of the distance travelled or the class of service you choose.
Join the community! Make sure you join our Belgium Travel Planning Facebook group. This is the place to ask any questions about your trip, to be inspired, and to connect with other Belgium travelers. Click here to join!
How much is the Brussels Airport Supplement?
The Diabolo Fee is €6.90. You have to pay it on top of the single ticket price from Brussels Airport to your destination or vice versa.
Who Needs to Pay the Diabolo Fee?
The Diabolo Fee is a mandatory charge for most travelers using the train to access Brussels Airport-Zaventem. However, you don’t always have to buy it separately. In fact, it’s included in the majority of the tickets.
You Don’t need To Pay the supplement
In most cases, the Diabolo Fee is already included in your ticket price, and you won’t need to purchase a separate supplement. These include:
- A regular ticket to/from Brussels Airport (included in the price)
- A youth ticket to/from Brussels Airport (included in the price)
- Kids younger than 12 (if they travel for free | 4 kids < 12 travel for free with 1 paying adult)
- Blind & visually-impaired persons
You Need to pay the Supplement
If you have one of the following tickets, you’ll need to add the Diabolo Fee as a separate supplement.
- Youth Multi Pass
- Standard Multi Pass
- Eurostar ticket (even with “Any Belgian Station” supplement); ICE ticket
- Interrail ticket
- Eurail ticket
- Benelux Tourrail ticket
- Youth Holidays Pass
For the full list of tickets that require the Diabolo Fee, check the official website here.
Do Kids need to pay for The Brussels Airport Supplement?
No, kids under 12 don’t need to purchase the Diabolo Fee on the condition that they travel for free.
On Belgian trains, 4 kids under the age of 12 travel for free if they’re accompanied by a paying adult (= Free4kids).
If your kid is travelling on their own, they need to buy a 50% discounted Kids Ticket. If they buy a Kids Ticket to/from Brussels Airport, the Diabolo Fee is already included in the price.
How to Purchase the Diabolo Fee
Once you’ve determined that you need to purchase the Diabolo Fee for your journey, there are three ways to obtain it: online, in the app or at the station.
- Buy online: Mind that this can ONLY be done through the official website of the Belgian rail operator, SNCB/NMBS, and not through a third-party ticketing platform such as Trainline.
- Buy in the app: download the app and purchase your Brussels Airport supplement directly. Bonus that you get realtime train information too. I prefer this option!
- Buy at the station: you can also purchase the Diabolo Fee at the self-service kiosks at any Belgian train station or at the ticket counter. Mind that not all stations have a ticket office, though! The self-service kiosks are available in English and pretty straightforward. Ticket counters can have a bit of a line, especially in bigger stations such as Antwerp Central Station or Ghent Sint Pieters.
How to Use the Brussels Airport Supplement
Nearly all Belgian trains are free to board and will have ticketing control on the train.
However, Brussels Airport has access gates for passengers entering and leaving the station. This means that you’ll have to scan your ticket or separate Diabolo Fee before or after your train ride.
- Find an access gate with a green arrow
- Scan the bar code on your paper or mobile ticket
- The doors open and you can enter or leave the station
- If you’re travelling with kids, let the kid pass with you through the gate
Wrapping up this guide about the Diabolo Fee
If you’ve skipped the majority of this article, let’s summarise the most important facts.
The Brussels Airport Supplement is also known as the Diabolo Fee. It’s a flat fee of €6.90 that you have to pay on top of any ticket to or from Brussels Airport. However, in most cases, that fee is already included in your ticket price. So normally, you don’t have to buy a separate Diabolo ticket.
The only cases where you do have to buy a separate ticket is when you’re using some sort of multi-ticket pass or international train ticket.
I hope this guide helped you understand better what the Brussels Airport Supplement is and whether or not you need to pay it separately. If you have more questions, join the Belgium Travel Planning Facebook group.
BELGIUM TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES
Getting to Belgium: Fly into one of the main international airports: Brussels Airport (BRU) or Charleroi Brussels South Airport (CRL). Take an international train to Brussels South Station. Or take a ferry to Dover or The Netherlands, then drive or take the train to Belgium.
Getting Around: For the major destinations, the train is by far the best option. You can book your train tickets here. If you’d like to visit smaller places, the most convenient way would be to rent a car. We always use Discover cars, they compare all the rental companies and give you the best rates.
Accommodation: Booking.com is the most popular accommodation platform in Belgium. It’s what I use every single time.
Guided tours: Use Get Your Guide or Viator to find fun tours in Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. Or Guruwalk to find free walking tours in multiple destinations.
If this helped you plan your adventure, a coffee would go a long way in fueling my next guide! 😉
