Moving to Aalst: Costs Process & Districts

Aalst is a merged municipality: since 1977, besides the town centre, it has included eight sub-municipalities – Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade, Meldert, Moorsel and Nieuwerkerken. The town centre with the Grote Markt, belfry and station lies largely in the Dender valley; the town hall with the belfry is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Belfries of Belgium and France.

Four of the sub-municipalities – Baardegem, Herdersem, Meldert and Moorsel – are known in the region as the “Faluintjes”. Baardegem and Meldert belonged to the Duchy of Brabant until 1795, while Herdersem and Moorsel were always part of Flanders. If you want short distances to the station, look in the town centre; the sub-municipalities are more village-like. It is best to visit the area yourself before deciding.

The housing market in Aalst differs between the town centre and the sub-municipalities; current rents and purchase prices can be found on Belgian property portals. According to Wikipedia, the most important economic sector is the textile and footwear industry; Aalst is also the centre of Belgian cut-flower growing and a hop market with breweries. Around 240 trains stop at Aalst station every day, with InterCity connections to Brussels and Ghent and regional trains to Geraardsbergen and Zottegem.

The city is known for the Aalst carnival. The street carnival was on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage until UNESCO removed it in December 2019 at the city's request. For your move, this mainly means that the days before Ash Wednesday are not a good date for a move into the city centre. You can read more about everyday life in the guide for newcomers.

Your exact price is determined after a free survey.

Besides the actual moving volume, the distance in kilometres (from €3.95/km) has a considerable influence on the final price. The floor, lift and setting up a parking restriction zone also have an effect. If you wish, you can also add furniture assembly or a shared load.

Whether a large office move or a small shared load – we have the right solution for every situation.

• Shared load: Shared load – the smart solution for smaller transports.
• Furniture transport: Furniture transport – reliably from door to door.
• Private move: Private move – your new home is waiting.
• House clearance: House clearance – making space made easy.
• Office move: Office move – with the shortest possible downtime.
• Moving with assembly: Moving with assembly – everything from a single source.

We plan the return journey from Aalst to Berlin in the same way – our base is Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21). More routes can be found under Long-distance moves, places with their own pages via the locations overview. Ask during the survey if you need to store furniture temporarily.

If the removal van or furniture lift in Aalst stands on the pavement, a parking space or the road, according to aalst.be you need a permit for the use of public space (Vergunning voor een verhuis en korte levering). The city describes the process as follows:

• Apply via the city's online portal at least 7 calendar days in advance.
• The city reviews the application and gives advice. If there is no obstruction to traffic, you receive the permit.
• If traffic is obstructed, the city requires a signage plan; you provide and place the signs yourself.
• The permit is valid for one day and, according to the city, is free of charge.
• If the parking spot is in a car-free zone, a separate permit is required; weight restrictions must also be observed in the city centre.

Only apply for the permit once the moving date and street are fixed, so that the details are correct. According to the city, the same permit also applies to large deliveries such as furniture or household appliances that stop briefly on public land. Plan for the deadline early, ideally right after the survey. We agree vehicle size, parking spot and process with you. Detailed information on the route from Berlin can be found in the guide Long-distance move to Aalst, and on border formalities in the article Moving to Belgium: customs and process.

Anyone moving to Aalst from within Belgium or from abroad must, according to aalst.be, register the new address “within 8 working days”. This also applies to a move within the city. The city names these options:

• Online via the city's digital counter portal (aalst.egovflow.be).
• By email to [email protected], or for non-Belgians with a Belgian residence card to [email protected].
• In person with the Burgerzaken team at the Administratief centrum, Werf 9, 9300 Aalst, phone 053 77 9300. Belgians need an appointment to update their identity card.

For the registration, have your national register number, the names of family members moving with you, the new address and your phone number and email address ready. After registering, link your waste bill (IlvA) to the new address. According to the city, this is possible even before the change of address is completed, so that you can use the waste container. It does not replace registration with the population register, and only addresses within the Greater Aalst area are processed.

New to Belgium? The city points out that the residence procedure depends on nationality, duration and purpose of the stay. Details on life locally can be found in our guide for newcomers; for the route across the border, see Long-distance move to Belgium.