Local papers and last-minute water stop near BRU gates
Relay at Brussels Airport in T (airside) leans heavily on Belgian and French newspapers and magazines, more like a local-press kiosk than a WHSmith clone. You’ll find Le Soir, De Standaard, Sudinfo and Paris titles stacked up alongside a small rack of English-language options. Stock skews print and basic travel add-ons rather than big book tables or electronics.
Most Relay branches here open from around 05:00 until late evening, timed to Schengen and non-Schengen bank departures. Expect standard airport pricing: a 50 cl bottle of water can run above €3, and basic snacks sit well higher than the Carrefour in the Brussels-Midi rail station. Payment is quick — cards and contactless are the norm, cash also taken.
Regulars in Google reviews say they mainly duck in to top up water and grab a newspaper before boarding. That lines up with the shelves: bottled drinks, a few soft drinks, small chocolate bars, gum, and some basic toiletries like travel-sized toothpaste and deodorant. If you want a book or broader English reading, FNAC in the city is better; this is more about a 2-minute pit stop by the gate.
Watch out for the price jump on multipacks of snacks and large bottled drinks compared with BRU’s landside supermarkets and the rail station downstairs. A quick check of the shelf labels helps, as similar items can differ by more than €1. One practical move: refill a reusable bottle at a terminal fountain and use Relay mainly for the local press fix.