How to reach us

By public transport

Train The Ostend railway station is located in the city centre, within walking distance of the promenade and the shopping streets. There is a direct connection to and from Kortrijk, Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp. For international trips there is a direct connection with Lille and a connection with Paris operated by Thalys (by way of Brussels). Timetable and route planner
Bicycles A blue-bike station can be found at the Oostende railway station where you have a bike available as a member with a membership card. Thanks to the handy locker, you can comfortably park your blue-bike everywhere and you can keep it for 18 hours. When you take the train back, just drop the blue-bike at the station again. More information
Coastal tram When leaving the Ostend railway station, take the coastal tram in the direction of Knokke up to the tram stop ‘Weg naar vismijn’. This takes about 5 minutes. From the tram stop you can walk to the InnovOcean Campus: follow the Hendrik Baelskaai and after 550m turn right to the Jacobsenstraat. Timetable

To Ostend by car

Parking

If you visit the VLIZ by car, parking is easiest at Strandparking P3 Ankerstraat, Ankerstraat 2, 8400 Ostend (650m from the VLIZ main entrance).

From the Netherlands or Germany:

Drive towards Gent (Ghent), then towards Brugge (Bruges) (E40) and finally towards Oostende (Ostend) (E40/A10).

From France:

Drive towards Kortrijk (Courtrai), then towards Brugge (Bruges) (E17) and finally towards Oostende (Ostend) (E40/A10).

From the UK:

- If you take the Channel Tunnel or the ferry to Calais or Dunkirk (Dunkerque): drive towards Bruges (Brugge) – Ostend (Oostende) – Brussels (Bruxelles/Brussel) (A16/E40); at Jabbeke take the turning to Ostend (Oostende) (A10 – turning 6). Be sure not to take the first exit towards Ostend (exit 5 in Gistel), otherwise you will end up in the centre of Ostend.
- If you take the ferry to Zeebrugge: follow the N34 to Ostend.

From the E40 motorway to VLIZ:

At the end of the E40/A10 motorway you enter Ostend and take exit 4 towards Blankenberge (N34). When you have passed the traffic lights, a roundabout, a viaduct and the blue bridges, turn left at the fourth traffic light (follow the sign InnovOcean Campus). Mind the tram!
After crossing the tram line, immediately turn right and then take the first street right (Ankerstraat). The InnovOcean Campus can be found on the crossroads of the Ankerstraat and Jacobsenstraat.

From Brussels Airport to Ostend

On the lower floor of Brussels Airport, take the train to Brussels-Midi/Zuid (frequency: every 20 min.). Then take the hourly direct train to Ostend (1 hour 42 minutes) or you can transfer in Brugge (Bruges) to go to Ostend (1 hour 47 minutes). At the airport it is also possible to take the train to Gent (Ghent) – St.-Pieters and rail to Ostend from there (2 hours 19 minutes).
Timetable and route planner