STIB bus 12, the Airport LineorDe Lijn bus 91 to Leuven?
The short answer
For one traveler the De Lijn bus 91 to Leuven is cheaper by €4.90. That does not change up to 8 travelers.
The STIB bus 12, the Airport Line is quicker: 27 min against 1 h 09. The De Lijn bus 91 to Leuven varies between 59 and 85 minutes.
STIB bus 12, the Airport Line: 05:08–00:30. De Lijn bus 91 to Leuven: 05:16–21:17.
Priced against each other
Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
Travelers
STIB bus 12, the Airport Line
De Lijn bus 91 to Leuven
Difference
1
€7.90
€3
€4.90
2
€15.80
€6
€9.80
3
€23.70
€9
€14.70
4
€31.60
€12
€19.60
5
€39.50
€15
€24.50
6
€47.40
€18
€29.40
7
€55.30
€21
€34.30
8
€58
€22
€36
Side by side
Where each one leaves you
12 · STIB-MIVBSTIB bus 12, the Airport Line
From
Platform D of the bus station — since 7 May 2026 a temporary one, about 100 m from the terminal on level 0, under a covered walkway
To
Schuman (metro 1 and 5), then Luxembourg and Trone (metro 2 and 6)
Luggage
A city bus with a luggage area, since the route exists for this traffic.
Runs
05:08–00:30
Journey
27–52 min
You are paying EUR 7.90 for a journey that costs EUR 2.40 in the other direction. That is not a mistake on the fare machine — every ordinary STIB ticket is written to be void leaving this airport.
It is the best option for the European quarter: Schuman in about 27 minutes puts you where neither the cheap bus nor the train leaves you.
Paper costs EUR 0.50 more than contactless or a card.
Seven of you should still buy singles. The 10-journey card only wins from eight once the EUR 6.00 MOBIB card is counted, and from seven if you already have one.
Peak traffic nearly doubles it — 52 minutes to Trone against 38 off-peak.
Platform B of the De Lijn bus station — since 7 May 2026 a temporary one, about 100 m from the terminal on level 0, under a covered walkway
To
Leuven Station, platform 1, via Kortenberg and Everberg
Luggage
An ordinary regional bus with no racks; a big case sits with you.
Runs
05:16–21:17
Journey
59–85 min
EUR 3.00 against EUR 11.90 on the train, and the only direct way to Leuven at weekends, when the base rail timetable has no Leuven train.
It takes about an hour against the train's 13 minutes, and up to 85 in the morning peak.
The ticket is valid 60 minutes and the ride can take longer; De Lijn lets you finish the ride you are on, so a single bus is fine. Do not plan a change on the same ticket.
The last weekday bus is 21:17, well before the last train; on Saturday it is 22:18 and on Sunday 22:21.
Eight or more of you should buy one EUR 22 ten-ride card and scan it once per person.
The guides still name buses 651 and 652: De Lijn closed both on 6 January 2024. Line 91 from platform B is the bus.
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