Can I get from Antwerp to the Chimay abbey by train/bus? Is the public transportation wheelchair accessible? Is the brewery and Abby wheelchair accessible once I get there? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Can I get from Antwerp to the Chimay abbey by train/bus? Is the public transportation wheelchair accessible? Is the brewery and Abby wheelchair accessible once I get there? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The abbey at Scourmont isn't open to the public - it is a closed Trappist community (clue - that is why Chimay is a Trappist beer) - and the brewery is located within the abbey complex and therefore also not open to the public. The public does have access to the church and some of the grounds..
Furthermore the abbey is located some 10 km from the nearest public transport (an infrequent, working days only, bus service) and therefore the question as to whether it is wheelchair accessible is irrelevant.
Chimay is 150 km from Antwerp. You can see from this what it would take to get there: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1055393-i20755-k4191772-Should_I_go_to_Chimay_How_do_I_get_there-Chimay_Hainaut_Province_Wallonia.html
And from its own website, what there would be to see when you get there: http://chimay.com/en/chimay-experience/ - which also tells you that the visitors centre - and presumably the "interactive walk" - is "Accessible for a disabled person".
As for public transport, trains are wheelchair accessible although you must request assistance some time in advance, for all the stations concerned (not sure if Couvin would be possible) (see https://www.accessibletravelnl.com/blogs/Guidelines-to-accessibility-in-Belgium). Most TEC buses aren't (https://www.infotec.be/fr-be/medeplacer/solutionsdemobilit%C3%A9/solutionstec/servicespmr.aspx), but then this doesn't seem a feasible option anyway. Taking inspiration from one of the answers in the previous question, it would be better to get off the train (direct from Antwerp) at Charleroi-Sud station and take a taxi from there to Couvin (http://www.sympatax.com/ - click on Service PMR: "personne à mobilité réduite" = persons with reduced mobility). I don't know how much this would cost, you'll have to ask the taxi service for a quote.
Edited: 6 years ago