Travelling from the UK to Spa: A Practical Guide

For many motorsport fans, a trip to Spa-Francorchamps is a bucket list experience. The circuit is legendary, but getting there can feel daunting if you’ve never done it before. Here’s a straightforward guide to help plan the journey from the UK to Belgium.

Documents and Car Requirements in France

• Passport: Valid for the duration of your trip.

• Driving licence: UK licence is accepted.

• V5C logbook: Proof of vehicle ownership.

• If leased/hired/financed: You’ll need a VE103 certificate (supplied by the leasing company) as proof you’re allowed to take the car abroad. Apply for this well in advance, it can take time to process.

• Insurance certificate: Check your policy covers EU driving.

• UK sticker: Required unless it’s built into your number plate.

• Hi-vis vests: One for each occupant, must be kept inside the car not the boot.

• Warning triangle: Mandatory in France.

• Headlamp converters: Stickers or electronic adjustment for left-hand drive roads.

• Breathalyser kit: Still technically required in France (not enforced heavily, but worth carrying).

• European breakdown cover: Strongly recommended — recovery or towing abroad without it can be expensive.

• Travel insurance: Covers medical issues, lost items, and trip delays. Worth having even for a short weekend trip.

Taking Le Shuttle

• Crossing time: About 35 minutes.

• Stay in your car: You remain with your vehicle, so no waiting lounges or baggage hassle.

• Toilets on board: Available in every carriage, similar in size and style to aircraft toilets.

• Moving around: You can walk between carriages, but the doors can be awkward to open.

• Check-in: Quick and efficient, but always allow buffer time in case of delays.

• Earlier trains: When you check in at the machine, you’ll often be offered the option to board an earlier train if space is available.

• Timing: Bear in mind that “last call” is at least 30 minutes before departure, to allow for passport checks and customs. Don’t get caught thinking you’ve got longer.

• Best advice: Book the earliest train you can. It gives you more flexibility on the road and helps avoid heavy traffic once in France and Belgium.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Arrive and check in: Drive straight from the motorway into the check-in lanes. Machines auto-read your number plate and pull up your booking. Confirm details (petrol or electric car, no pets, etc.) and you’ll receive a paper hanger for your mirror. It shows your boarding code (e.g., L5). Follow the lane signs for cars, caravans, or trucks depending on your vehicle. Like the passport booths, check-in machines are set up for both right-hand and left-hand drive cars. If you’re travelling alone in a UK right-hand drive car, aim for a right-hand side machine — it makes reaching much easier.

2. Wait at the terminal: Park up and head inside if you want food, drink, or a toilet break. Large screens display departure codes that match your hanger (L5, etc.). They’ll count down to when you should return to your car and head to boarding.

3. Border control/customs: You’ll first go through UK passport checks, then French (reversed on the way home). Booths are also designed for both right and left-hand drive. Solo travellers should stick to the right-hand side for easier access.

4. Boarding the train: Follow staff directions, drive onto the train, and park in your assigned lane. Handbrake on, gear in first/park, then stay with your car until arrival.

5. Exiting at Calais: Once the train doors open, drive straight off and follow signs for the A16 motorway. Before you merge, there’s a service station right outside the shuttle roads — useful for fuel, toilets, or a quick coffee before the long stretch ahead.

Motorways, Services and Fuel

• First stop after Le Shuttle: As soon as you exit the train at Calais and head onto the motorway, there’s a service area. Handy if you need a quick break or fuel before settling into the drive.

• Recommended stop: The Shell Café services about 100 miles from Calais is a solid halfway point to Spa. Good coffee, clean facilities, and reliable fuel.

• Services: Toilets usually charge around €1 to use, either coin or contactless. Keep small change handy.

• Types of stops: Alongside full service stations with fuel, food, and toilets, there are smaller aire/picnic areas. These may only have parking and tables, sometimes toilets, but rarely food or fuel. Useful for a quick rest if you don’t need facilities.

• Coffee machines: Many French service stations have contactless-pay coffee machines. The coffee is cheap but often awful quality — don’t expect much.

• Fuel quirks:

• At some petrol stations you must pre-pay inside, giving the cashier your pump number before filling.

• Others have terminals on the forecourt: you select your pump number, choose fuel type, and insert your card before you can pump.

• It’s different from the UK, so don’t assume the process is always the same.

• Cheapest fuel: Supermarket stations (Carrefour, Leclerc, Intermarché) are cheaper than motorway services, but not always 24/7.

• Sat nav: Set it to avoid tolls so you don’t get diverted onto unnecessary French toll roads.

• HGVs: Expect a lot of lorries on the French motorways. They don’t always give way and can close up gaps quickly. Be extra vigilant. Traffic lightens once you’re past Brussels.

Driving on the Right

• Don’t overthink it — you’ll naturally adjust within a few minutes.

• The most anxiety usually comes at the start, but it’s amazing how quickly you adapt. By the time you’ve done your third roundabout, it feels natural. Just don’t get complacent, stay sharp, especially after breaks or long motorway stretches.

• Motorways are the easiest place to get used to it: just follow the flow of traffic.

• Roundabouts go the opposite way to the UK. Give way to traffic coming from the left.

• At junctions and slip roads, remind yourself to stay on the right, especially after a break or early in the morning.

• In towns, watch for one-way streets and trams (common in Belgium).

• Overtaking is always on the left.

Speed Limits and Enforcement

• Speeds are in km/h, not mph. A quick rule of thumb:

• 50 km/h ≈ 30 mph

• 80 km/h ≈ 50 mph

• 110 km/h ≈ 68 mph

• 130 km/h ≈ 80 mph

• Limits can change quickly — for example, dropping from 130 km/h to 110 km/h without much warning. Pay attention to the signs.

• France and Belgium both use fixed and mobile speed cameras. Many are unmarked and fines can be sent to UK addresses.

• Keep an eye out for temporary limits in roadworks; enforcement there is strict.

Route from Calais to Spa

The drive from Calais to Spa is around 250 miles (400 km) and usually takes 3.5 to 4 hours depending on traffic and stops. It’s a straightforward route with motorways most of the way.

• From Calais: Join the A16 motorway heading east.

• Into Belgium: Continue past Dunkirk and Lille, then cross into Belgium. The A16 becomes the A18/E40.

• Stay on the E40: This takes you towards Ghent and Brussels.

• Ring roads: Around Brussels follow signs for Liège (Luik) to join the E40 eastbound again.

• Liège to Spa: At Liège, switch to the E25 southbound, then follow signs for Spa-Francorchamps/Stavelot. You’ll join the N62 and N62a which wind into the Ardennes and directly to the circuit.

It’s pretty much all motorway travelling with only a couple of changes around Brussels. You do have to take care that you’re in the right lane as it can be six lanes wide at some points.

Timing

• Calais to Brussels: About 2 hours 30 minutes with normal traffic.

• Brussels to Spa: About 1 hour 15 minutes.

• Traffic can be heavy around Brussels ring road (R0), so allow extra time if you’re travelling on a Friday evening or race weekend.

I did it from Calais to Spa in 3 hours and 33 mins plus a 5 minute stop.

Costs

• This route is toll-free, unlike many French motorway journeys. You’ll only pay for fuel and any services stops along the way.

Hotels

• Accommodation ranges from luxury spa hotels to simple B&Bs and budget stays. Camping is also possible if that’s your style.

• Radisson Blu Balmoral: A good mid-range choice in Spa. Prices fluctuate — for example, mine jumped by £40 per night when I booked closer to the date.

• Hotel La Source: Right next to the circuit, but eye-wateringly expensive. Avoid unless you’ve robbed a bank.

• Alternatives: Malmedy, Stavelot, and Verviers all offer decent options within 20–30 minutes of the track.

• Whatever you choose, book early for big events like the Spa 24 Hours or F1 weekend. Prices rise fast and availability shrinks.

The Circuit

• Arriving: Head to the gates at La Source – Route du Circuit 25, 4970 Francorchamps (Stavelot), Belgium. This takes you straight to the mini roundabout at the main entrance. There’s even a petrol station right by the gate for last-minute top-ups.

• Choose the Right Entrance: Pick the gate closest to your ticketed area or grandstand. It’ll save you time and walking.

• La Source: Best for grandstands near Turn 1.

• Ster: Near La Source, convenient for grandstands between La Source and Eau Rouge.

• Les Combes: Ideal if you’re in the Les Combes, Rivage, or Pouhon sections.

• Blanchimont: For access to the Blanchimont grandstands.

• Parking: Spectator parking is outside the circuit with shuttle buses in. Media and team parking is usually inside if accredited. On normal race weekends this is straightforward, but for F1 it’s very different — expect heavy restrictions. Parking is often moved to neighbouring villages with shuttle buses running in. Always check the official schedules and plan extra time. If you’re accredited media, you can drive through security at La Source (show your pass) and park in the P14 car park.

• Walking: The circuit is vast, around 7 km long. You can’t walk the full outer rim, so you’ll need to use the tunnels that pass under the track to move between sections. There are also plenty of elevations around the track, with steep hills and access points that can make walking tough. Good footwear is essential, especially if you plan on reaching classic vantage points like Eau Rouge, Pouhon, or Blanchimont.

• Weather: Even if it’s sunny, at Spa you’re never more than ten minutes away from the heavens opening. Always carry wet gear — even just a poncho or brolly — or you’ll regret it.

• Food and drink: Food stalls vary. Not everything is open unless it’s a major race weekend. When open, expect decent variety but high prices. Many fans bring their own supplies.

• Cash and card: Most stalls take card, but it’s smart to carry some euros for smaller stands.

• Toilets: Plentiful, but queues can be long at peak times.

• Shuttles: For big events like F1 and 24H, shuttle buses run around the circuit to help cover distance.

• General admission: Arrive early if you want a good spot. Popular areas fill quickly.

• Language: French is most common, though German and Dutch are also spoken. A few words go a long way. Most people speak some English.

• Mobile signal: Patchy in wooded or hilly areas. Download maps and tickets before you go.

• Clothing: Evenings can get cool, even in summer. A light jacket is worth packing.

• Ear protection: Bring earplugs if you’re not used to the noise, especially for kids.

Final Thoughts

Travelling from the UK to Spa might sound like a lot of moving parts, but once you’ve done it you’ll see how manageable it is. The key is planning ahead — from paperwork and packing to choosing the right stops on the way. The Ardennes setting, the atmosphere of Spa, and the thrill of watching cars charge through Eau Rouge make every bit of preparation worthwhile. Once you arrive, all the effort melts away and you’re left with one of the best motorsport experiences in the world.