With All Saints' Day, today marks yet another public holiday in Belgium, with many businesses and services closing their doors on Wednesday, and some even seizing the opportunity to turn it into a (very) long weekend.
As with other public holidays in the country, public and administration services will not operate on 1 November, and neither will banks. Postal services are also shut down for the day, meaning there will be no delivery of letters, packages or newspapers.
Belgium’s national railway service SNCB, bus service De Lijn and Brussels public transport company STIB will continue to operate during the bank holiday, but at a reduced Sunday service schedule. STIB, however, is also adjusting some of its bus lines to allow people to easily reach the cemeteries in the Capital Region.
As for groceries, the large Carrefour and Delhaize supermarkets will be open. Some Carrefour Express shops and Delhaize’s smaller Shop’n’Go markets will also be open, but only for reduced weekend hours. Aldi, Lidl and Colruyt will remain mostly closed.
Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
Many shopping malls and retail shops across the country, such as City 2 and Docks Bruxsel, will remain closed today. Most other stores, such as those on the Rue Neuve in Brussels for example, will also close their doors on Wednesday. Still, various smaller convenience stores may remain open for the holiday, depending on the choices made by their independent shop owners.
Most pharmacies will remain closed, but for urgent needs and medication, people can contact the pharmacist-on-duty in their municipality.
Meanwhile, amusement parks and zoos across Belgium will generally be open, but many of them will do so at a later hour and close sooner.
Police services remain accessible at all times, even on public holidays, though district offices are closed, meaning they are not available for administrative matters. Those needing urgent police assistance should call the emergency number 112.
