Antwerp Gets Its First Direct Eurostar from London
Eurostar is adding Antwerp to its direct network from London, allowing passengers to reach the Belgian city without changing trains in Brussels. The service will operate only towards Antwerp because Antwerpen-Centraal lacks the UK border and customs facilities needed for departures to Britain. Return journeys will still connect through Brussels-Midi, where passengers complete the required security and passport checks before boarding Eurostar.
London–Antwerp Service Details
- Route: London St Pancras to Antwerpen-Centraal
- Operator: Eurostar
- Launch: 14 December 2026
- Frequency: Four direct services daily
- Journey time: 2 hours 41 minutes
- Current journey: About 3 hours 15 minutes with a change in Brussels
- Return journey: SNCB connection to Brussels-Midi, then Eurostar to London
- Seasonality: Daily scheduled service with no announced end date
- Tickets: Combined return journeys available through Eurostar
The current trip requires a Eurostar journey to Brussels followed by an SNCB train to Antwerp. Once the direct service begins, selected trains will continue to Antwerpen-Centraal, cutting the journey by 34 minutes. Travellers returning to London can book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket, but they should allow enough time at Brussels-Midi for the transfer and UK departure formalities.
Arriving directly at Antwerpen-Centraal places visitors beside the city’s diamond district and within easy reach of its fashion quarter. MoMu explores Antwerp’s design history, while Nationalestraat and Kammenstraat are known for independent labels and local designers. Other stops include the Sint-Anna pedestrian tunnel, the Scheldt waterfront, Het Zuid’s museum and cafés, and the illuminated station building after dark.
The simpler outbound journey makes Antwerp more practical for a weekend break, particularly for visitors carrying luggage or trying to avoid a station change. The return remains less convenient, so the route is not yet a fully direct round trip. Comparing connection times in Brussels will still matter, especially on short visits where a missed onward train could remove much of the time saved.