VENUE GUIDE
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa
By the F1 Weekend team · Sources: Formula 1 timetable (gate times estimated from it)
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps sits deep in the Ardennes forest near the town of Spa, Belgium — roughly 150km southeast of Brussels and 50km from Liège. The circuit is rural by nature, so smart transport planning is the difference between a smooth race weekend and a multi-hour traffic nightmare. Give yourself at least 90 minutes extra travel time on race day.
Travel by train to Verviers-Central or Verviers-Palais stations. From there, official TEC shuttle buses run frequently to the circuit (Francorchamps). The shuttle ride takes approximately 25-40 minutes. Buy a combined 'B-Excursion' ticket from any Belgian rail station to cover both the train and the shuttle bus.
Direct, air-conditioned coaches depart from major cities including Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, and Aachen (Germany). These drop you at the dedicated bus parking near the circuit gates. This is the best way to avoid the complex local rail transfers and the legendary Spa traffic bottlenecks on Sunday.
Access Spa-Francorchamps via the E42 (Exit 10 or 11). All parking MUST be pre-booked; no on-the-day permits are sold. Be warned: the Ardennes roads are narrow and prone to extreme gridlock. Expect 2-3 hours to exit the car parks after the race. Park & Ride options from Malmedy and Stavelot are also available.
Private helicopter transfers operate from Liège Airport (LGG) and Brussels (BRU), landing you inside the circuit grounds. It is the only way to guarantee a arrival time during the peak Sunday morning rush, as the single-lane approach roads frequently come to a total standstill.
If you are staying at the official Green, Yellow, or Young Village campsites, walking is your best and only option. The circuit is massive — ensure you have comfortable, waterproof footwear (the Ardennes weather is notoriously unpredictable) as the trek to your grandstand can take 30-40 minutes across uneven terrain.
Estimated: about 2 hours before the first track action each day. Check your ticket for the official gate times.
Friday
First on track: Free Practice 1 13:30:00
Saturday
First on track: Free Practice 3 12:30:00
F1: Qualifying 16:00:00
Sunday
First on track: Race 15:00:00
Curated activities in Spa matched to every F1 session gap in the race weekend schedule.
Browse Spa experiences →The Belgian Grand Prix is held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, in the village of Francorchamps in the Ardennes. The circuit is in the province of Liège, in the Wallonia region of Belgium, southeast of the town of Spa. The FIA lists it as 50 km south-east of the city of Liège.
Liège Airport is the closest airport to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, 65 km away according to the FIA. Next is Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands, at 70 km. On race weekend, Spa Grand Prix also runs paid City Shuttle coaches to the circuit from cities including Brussels, Liège, Cologne and Maastricht.
From the UK, take LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) from Folkestone to Coquelles, next to Calais. The crossing takes 35 minutes. From Calais, follow the E40 motorway through Brussels towards Liège. Then take the E42 towards Verviers and leave at exit 10 for Francorchamps, the village where the circuit sits.