Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The 40th edition of Pukkelpop begins August 14th, 2025, in Hasselt, with Kempische Steenweg closed for 4 days, Tulpinstraat restricted, free shuttles/night buses, detours via Corda Campus/Ranonkelstraat, advised by Dorien Bans.
As VRT News reported, the 40th edition of Pukkelpop begins tomorrow, Aug 14, 2025. in Hasselt. Thousands of festival-goers are expected near the festival grounds. To manage the crowds, the city has set up special traffic rules.
Kempische Steenweg, the road behind the Festival site, will be closed to all motorised traffic overnight from Wednesday 13th to Thursday 14th August. Residents and their vehicles will not be able to pass or go through this street during the closure.
How is Hasselt managing traffic and transport for Pukkelpop’s 40th edition?
Other streets near the festival are divided into zones. Access is limited to people with a special permit and a parking pass for residents. Vehicles without these documents cannot enter the zones.
Tulpinstraat will stay closed to all traffic until August 27th, 2025, during the festival and the dismantling of the site afterwards. The city says these rules are necessary to keep residents safe, maintain order, and manage the flow of thousands of visitors to one of Belgium’s largest music events.
Festivalgoers attending Pukkelpop in Hasselt have access to free shuttle and night bus services from De Lijn. The city is running shuttles between Hasselt train station and the festival grounds. In addition, a network of night buses transports festivalgoers to nearly all municipalities in Limburg.
“We recommend following the local signage; everything is very well marked. You can also listen to the latest traffic information on the radio,”
says Dorien Bans of the Limburg Capital Region Police Zone.
Drivers can expect several detours around Hasselt while the festival is underway. Traffic from Hasselt to Zonhoven is redirected via a detour near the Corda Campus. Vehicles travelling in the opposite direction are sent through Ranonkelstraat. There are also alternatives.
The city advises all drivers to follow the detours and consult the full mobility plan on the Hasselt website. The plan provides detailed maps, schedules, and guidance for both public transport users and motorists to ensure safety during the festival.
Pukkelpop takes place every year in mid-August, and the 2025 edition starts tomorrow, August 14th, in Hasselt. The festival was first held in 1985, originally as a small local event, and has since grown into one of Belgium’s largest music festivals, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. Over the decades, it has expanded its lineup to include international and local artists across multiple genres.
