Ghent — the historic student city in East Flanders with ~265,000 inhabitants — combines a medieval city centre with modern public transport via De Lijn. For wheelchair users, Ghent is a contrast city: the public-transport modalities (tram + bus) are well adapted, but the cobblestone city centre around Korenmarkt and Sint-Baafsplein requires practical slalom strategies.
In this guide: how to cross Ghent by wheelchair in 2026 via De Lijn, on which lines, and how to bypass the cobblestones. Part of our urban public-transport accessibility series.
Ghent De Lijn — overview
De Lijn Ghent serves the city with 2 modalities (no metro in Ghent):
| Modality | Offer | Wheelchair adaptation |
|---|---|---|
| Tram | 4 lines (1, 2, 4, 24) | Majority low-floor since 2022 |
| Bus | 30+ lines | Nearly 100% adapted |
Rule of thumb for wheelchair users: bus is default, tram for the axis lines through the centre (Zuid ↔ Ghent-Sint-Pieters).
🚋 Tram — largely low-floor
De Lijn Ghent completed a major switch to low-floor trams in 2022-2023. ~85% of the tram network is now served by fully low-floor rolling stock.
Best-accessible tram lines (2026):
- Tram 1 (Evergem ↔ Flanders Expo): main north-south line, nearly 100% low-floor, connects Ghent-Sint-Pieters station with the centre
- Tram 4 (Moscou ↔ Ghent University Hospital): to the university hospital, adapted
- Tram 2, 24: largely low-floor
Adapted stop = raised platform so you can roll straight from stop level into the carriage. Most stops on the axis lines are adapted — a few older stops outside the centre (Wondelgem, part of Ledeberg) lag behind.
At an old stop: the driver deploys the ramp — signal with a hand gesture.
🚌 Bus — reliable
Nearly all De Lijn buses in Ghent are low-floor with automatic ramps. Bus is the default modality for unfamiliar routes.
Practical:
- Signal to the driver when boarding
- Wheelchair space at the front
Best buses for tourist routes:
- Bus 3, 9: connect the centre with SMAK and Citadelpark
- Bus 5: to Muinkpark + Zuid
- Bus 42: to Ghent-Zeehaven / MSK
💳 Ticket + fares
MoBIB card: rechargeable transport card — buy at MoBIB machines or at De Lijn agencies.
Wheelchair-user fare: free with PWB-Mobib for people with a recognised disability. Companion free with PWB-Mobib. See our disability rights article for the application.
🎯 Planning an accessible Ghent day
Arrival: NMBS to Ghent-Sint-Pieters — station is adapted with lifts to the platforms.
Morning: Tram 1 to Korenmarkt. Belfry of Ghent + Saint Bavo's Cathedral within walking distance.
Afternoon: Museum district SMAK + Design Museum Ghent — both adapted and within walking distance or reachable by tram.
Evening: Zuid district for terraces or Vrijdagmarkt.
🚫 What not — warnings (cobblestones!)
Cobblestones in the historic city centre: around Korenmarkt, Sint-Baafsplein and Vrijdagmarkt lie medieval cobblestones that are physically challenging for wheelchairs — bumpy, uneven, sometimes with wide joints.
Slalom strategy:
- Stay along the edge of the squares — smoother slabs sometimes lie there
- Choose alternative streets with asphalt (Cataloniëstraat, Onderstraat, Veldstraat)
- Combine with tram — tram 1 runs through the centre, many short trips you can simply do by tram
Limited lift capacity in tram tunnels: Ghent has no pre-metro so no tunnel-station issues.
Night buses: not all are adapted — check per line.
Combine with other pillars
- Citytrip Ghent 1 day
- Accessible museums Ghent
- Brussels MIVB/STIB guide — comparison with Brussels public transport
- Antwerp De Lijn guide — comparison of Flemish cities
- NMBS/SNCB assistance guide — train journey to Ghent-Sint-Pieters
In closing
De Lijn Ghent is a strong Flemish public-transport option for wheelchair users in 2026 — the low-floor tram rollout since 2022 and nearly 100% adapted buses ensure you can travel smoothly from Ghent-Sint-Pieters into the centre. The challenge lies mainly in the historic cobblestone city centre — for that, good slalom planning and heavy tram use are the key.
Our recommendation: start with tram 1 from Ghent-Sint-Pieters + Korenmarkt + Belfry + SMAK — combines the most accessible De Lijn route with the classic Ghent sights.
Do you have a De Lijn Ghent experience we should include here? Let us know — first-hand info on adapted stops and cobblestone alternatives helps enormously for the next visitor.