As the first public holiday of the year, 1 January will see many shops and businesses close for the day. With the change of year falling in the middle of a weekend, many shops will only be open until noon on Saturday 31 December.
As with other public holidays, public and administration services, such as postal services, will not operate on 1 January, and neither will banks. On 31 December, however, they will be open on reduced hours.
Some Carrefour Express shops will be open on New Year's Day, as well as some of Delhaize’s smaller Shop’n’Go markets. Aldi, Lidl and Colruyt will remain mostly closed on the first. Nearly all of them will close earlier than their usual time on 31 December.
Most regular shops will be shut on New Year's Day, which also falls on a Sunday this year. Still, various convenience stores may remain open, depending on the choices made by their independent shop owners.
Pharmacies will remain closed on New Year's Day, but for urgent needs for medication, people can contact the pharmacist-on-duty in their municipality.
Belgium’s national railway service, SNCB, as well as bus service De Lijn and Brussels public transport STIB, will continue to operate, but at a reduced service schedule.
