Ostend for Newcomers: Seaside Resort Port City and Eight Residential Districts
Ostend Newcomers' Guide
Ostend: Port, Sea Wall and Coast Tram
The first few weeks
Ostend (Oostende) is a port city and seaside resort in the province of West Flanders; the A10 motorway from Brussels ends here. Besides Ostend itself, the municipality includes the sub-municipalities of Stene and Zandvoorde; in everyday life, the city divides into eight districts, from Centrum via Vuurtorenwijk to Mariakerke and Raversijde. The official language is Dutch, so forms and letters from school come in Dutch. We handle the transport from a single provider – more under home removal.
For newcomers from Germany, the move is a change within the EU: household goods need no customs papers, but you must register with the city. According to the Belgian Ministry of the Interior (IBZ), EU citizens staying longer than three months register within three months of arrival; the wijkagent (neighbourhood police officer) then checks the address. We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21); your belongings are covered under the HGB. Route and schedule are described in our long-distance moving guide for Ostend.
Fixed Price for Your Move to the Coast
No-Obligation Advice for Ostend and the Surrounding Area
Call us on 01625978461 – after the survey, we quote you a fixed price for your move to Ostend. Whether a flat in the Centrum near the station or a house in Zandvoorde: access, floor and parking ban are all reflected in the quote. The coast is busy in summer, so plan your date and parking ban early.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
What we clarify before moving day
Parking Ban, Access, Date
In its moving guide, the city of Ostend links to the application for a parking ban for the move; the Parkeerloket on Gistelsesteenweg is responsible for parking matters. We tell you early which vehicle length and time slot to state. We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and handle planning, packing, transport and assembly from a single provider; Whether a home removal within Ostend or a move from Germany – we quote the fixed price after a survey. More destinations under Locations.
Packing Service
Parking Ban
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
Starter List for Ostend
From Burgerzaken to the doorbell with your name on it: these points belong on your list after moving to Ostend. We calculate the transport with a fixed price after the survey – driving time, parking ban and floor included.
Register
Put your name on the door
Register Your Car
Nursery and school
Use the Woonloket
Discover the Coast
Shared Load to the North Sea
What
newcomers should settle early
Important steps are reporting to Burgerzaken (civil affairs), the parking ban for moving day and, if applicable, a resident's card and parking zone at the Parkeerloket. If you are moving from Germany, also think of health insurance (ziekenfonds) and importing your car with E705. By car, you reach Ostend via the A10 motorway, which ends here; by train, IC trains run to Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. This way your move to Ostend is well planned from the start.
Choosing a quarter
Organising moving day
Businesses and special cases
Questions About Living in Ostend
The Districts of Ostend at a Glance
Ostend divides into eight districts: Centrum with the station, shopping streets and sea wall, the Vuurtorenwijk by the port, Konterdam/Meiboom, the Westerkwartier on Vlaams Plein, Mariakerke with Nieuwe Koers and Raversijde in the west, and Stene and Zandvoorde in the hinterland. The coast tram stops in Raversijde, Mariakerke and the Vuurtorenwijk, among other places.
Only Zandvoorde is still a clearly separate, rural village; with around 16,000 inhabitants, Stene is the larger of the two sub-municipalities. In Raversijde, the Atlantic Wall Museum and the Domein Raversijde recall the history of the coast. Which district suits you depends on your commute and how close you want to be to tram and train – we plan the move according to the access and floor of your new address.
Living, Working and Leisure in Ostend
We deliberately do not give reliable current rents or purchase prices here; locations on the sea wall and in the hinterland differ greatly. Compare offers yourself and use the city's Woonloket if you have questions. Jobs are offered by the port, with its marina, fishing port and shipyards, tourism and catering, and Ostend-Bruges Airport, which is mainly used for freight, among others.
In your free time, the beach and promenade beckon, as do the Mu.ZEE art museum, the James Ensor House, where the painter lived from 1917 to 1949, and the Wellington racecourse. The coast tram connects all Belgian coastal towns from De Panne to Knokke; from the station, IC trains run to Bruges, Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp. Our home removal service takes you to any district.
Guide Prices for the Move to Ostend
Whether you are moving into a small 1-room flat or a large 4-room flat – we have the right offer for every need. Prices start at €365 for 1 room, followed by €609 for 2 rooms, €884 for 3 rooms and €1,269 for 4 rooms. For houses or villas, you receive an individually calculated quote. If you are moving to another city, we charge from €3.90 per kilometre. It is best to find out more during a free survey.
What Determines the Price on the Coast
The price is always based on the volume of your belongings. Added to this is the distance, which we calculate from €3.90/km, as well as the floor and whether there is a lift. If a parking restriction zone is needed, further costs arise. If you would also like to book furniture assembly or a shared load, we are happy to include this in the calculation.
Services for your move to Belgium
Our services are as varied as your moving needs.
- Home removal: Home removal with all-round support
- Shared load: Shared load as an affordable solution
- Company relocation: Company relocation carried out professionally
- Move with assembly: Move with assembly including dismantling and reassembly
- House clearance: House clearance with no effort for you
- Furniture transport: Furniture transport safely to any location
From Berlin to the Belgian Coast
We come from Berlin-Moabit and handle moves within Germany and abroad. Destinations with their own page can be found in the locations overview, and more on long routes under long-distance moves.
Registering in Ostend: 8 Working Days, Residence Check and Identity Card
The city of Ostend requires you to report your new address to the Burgerzaken (civil affairs) department within 8 working days – even when moving within the city. You may only report once you have actually moved in. You can do this online via the city's digital counter portal, by phone on the freephone number 0800 1 8400 (Mon to Sat, 8 am to 7 pm) or by appointment at Burgerzaken.
- Documents: your electronic identity card or residence card. When minors move, a court order, a notarial deed or an agreement between the parents may be needed, depending on the situation.
- Residence check: about two weeks after you report, the neighbourhood police officer (wijkagent) calls by and checks whether you actually live there. Put your name on the doorbell. If you report late, a warning may follow.
- Identity card: after the check, you receive a letter of invitation with which you make an appointment to have the address on your eID changed. Bring your eID and PIN.
According to the city, your vehicle's registration document does not need to be changed. You change pet details via dogid.be (dogs), catid.be (cats) or your vet. According to the city, a separate procedure applies to people without Belgian nationality; for this, the city refers to its dedicated page on change of address for foreign nationals.
Further planning help is offered by our guide to moving to Ostend.
Parking, Moving Parking Ban and Contact Points in Ostend
The city of Ostend has its own moving guide with the sections “De zoektocht naar een woning” (finding a home), “Voor de verhuis” (before the move) and “Na de verhuis” (after the move). It includes pages on parking, waste collection and “Nieuw in Oostende”. The page also links to the application for a parking ban for the move. The overview page does not give deadlines or forms – so contact the city early, before you set your moving date.
The Parkeerloket (parking office) is responsible for parking: Gistelsesteenweg 1c, 8400 Oostende, phone 059 65 06 75, email [email protected]. The city's parking page explains parking zones, tariffs, short-stay parking and payment options, as well as resident's cards, cards for care services and the card for people with disabilities (handyPark).
- General information: 0800 1 8400 or [email protected].
- Housing questions: you can reach the Woonloket on 059 25 85 55 or [email protected].
- Childcare and school: the city refers to kinderopvang.oostende.be and naarschoolinoostende.be for enrolment.
The city page also lists a request for property information (vastgoedinformatie) and a fees page for issuing administrative documents; please check the amounts there. The city also offers an online form, “Meld iets online”, for issues in public spaces.
If you are moving from Germany, you can also use our articles on other Flemish cities for orientation, such as Living in Bruges and Living in Turnhout.
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