Why Ghent Is a City Where a Driver Makes All the Difference

Ghent is often overshadowed by Bruges, but anyone who has spent a day here knows it deserves better. This is a university city with a living medieval core, a network of canals that once carried grain and cloth, and a restaurant scene that rivals anything in Brussels. The trouble is that Ghent was not built for cars. The historic centre is almost entirely pedestrian, the streets around the Graslei and Korenlei are restricted, and the parking garages that serve the centre fill up early on weekdays. The railway station, Sint-Pieters, sits on the southern edge of the city, and the tram ride from there to the centre takes twenty minutes. A rental car without a driver means finding a place to leave it, then walking or taking public transport anyway. DrivenByChauffeur offers car rental with a professional driver in Ghent for individuals, couples, and small groups of up to eight passengers. The price is agreed before the trip, and the driver handles the route, the parking, and the fuel.

Brussels Airport and the Drive into East Flanders

Ghent does not have its own commercial airport. Most visitors arrive through Brussels Airport, about 65 kilometres to the southeast, and the drive takes 50 to 70 minutes on the E40 depending on traffic around the ring. The route passes through the outskirts of Brussels and then opens into the flat farmland of East Flanders before descending toward the city. Antwerp International is another option, about 60 kilometres to the north, and the drive from there takes a similar amount of time. Our drivers track your flight as it updates, so the car is ready when you exit arrivals. The figure quoted before the trip covers fuel, road charges, and the waiting time if your flight is delayed. There is nothing extra to pay at the end.

Your Ghent Chauffeur – Someone Who Knows the Canals and the One-Way Loops

Our Ghent drivers live in the city or in the surrounding towns, and they know the restricted zones, the tram routes, and the one-way system around the centre in detail. They know which streets near the Graslei allow vehicles and which are pedestrian only, where to stop near Saint Bavo's Cathedral without blocking the bus lane, and how to reach the university buildings at Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat when the students are moving between lectures. They know the back route through the Patershol that avoids the worst of the centre traffic and the way to the Flanders Expo that skips the queues on the ring. They speak English, present themselves professionally, and adapt when plans change. The car is cleaned and mechanically checked before each trip. Ghent winters are cold and damp, and summers are mild, so both heating and ventilation are tested before every booking.

Car Options – Sedan, Minivan, or Minibus

Our Ghent fleet covers a range of needs. For solo travellers or couples, we offer sedans with comfortable seating and enough boot space for luggage. For small groups of three to six, we use minivans that give extra room without being difficult to place near the centre. For larger parties of up to eight passengers, we provide minibuses with generous legroom and space for bags. Every vehicle has air conditioning, safety equipment that meets Belgian and EU standards, and a clean interior. Tell us how many passengers are travelling and what you plan to do, and we will suggest the right vehicle.

A Day in Ghent – Gravensteen, Graslei, and the Saint Bavo Altarpiece

Ghent can be covered well in one day with the right transport. Start at the Gravensteen, the medieval castle in the middle of the city, and walk down to the Graslei and Korenlei, the old quays where the guild houses stand side by side. Visit Saint Bavo's Cathedral to see the Ghent Altarpiece, and then the Belfry and the old cloth hall. In the afternoon, drive out to the Museum of Fine Arts or the SMAK for contemporary art, or head to the Flanders Expo if an exhibition is running. If you have time, drive west to the villages along the Leie or north to the Dutch border at Zelzate. With a full-day car hire, your driver stays with you from the first stop to the last, waiting while you explore and repositioning when needed. The price is locked before departure.

Business Travel in Ghent – Conferences, Events, and Corporate Clients

Ghent has become a destination for business gatherings, especially in the biotechnology, logistics, and technology sectors. The Flanders Expo, the ICC Ghent, and the various hotels around the city host events throughout the year. The city is also home to a growing number of research centres and startups linked to the university. We provide car rental with a driver for corporate clients, including airport pickups from Brussels or Antwerp, hotel-to-venue transfers, and evening shuttles for executives and small delegations. Drivers arrive early, hold to the schedule, and stay reachable when plans change.

How the Fleet for Ghent Is Maintained

The cars we keep for Ghent are serviced at a workshop on the outskirts of the city, in a building that used to belong to a textile firm. The head mechanic, a man named Wim who has worked on vehicles in East Flanders for over twenty years, runs the schedule. He knows that the cobblestones around the Graslei and the Korenlei are hard on suspension and tyres, and that the tram tracks along the Kortrijksesteenweg send a vibration through the steering that a car from a city without trams never experiences.

What to Put in Your Request for a Car in Ghent

The request form is on our website. Fill it in with the number of passengers, the dates you need the car, the addresses for pickup and drop-off, and any extras such as a child seat or extra space for luggage. If your hotel is inside the pedestrian zone, tell us the name and we will let you know the closest place a car can stop. If your plans include a trip outside Ghent, whether to Bruges, Brussels, the coast, or the Dutch border, say so in the form and we will confirm whether the price changes. Once you agree to the quote, the booking moves to the scheduling stage! A driver is matched to your route based on his knowledge of the area, and he receives your pickup point, the time you want to be collected, and any notes you have added, such as a preference for a quieter road or a stop at a particular place. Between 24 and 12 hours before the trip, you will get a single message with his name, his phone number, and the car details. If your flight into Brussels is delayed, we are following it, so he adjusts his arrival without you having to call. If you want to change the pickup address on the day, that is usually possible as long as he can reach the new location!

You can also review Bus RENTAL WITH DRIVER IN BRUGES option.