From 14 December, high speed rail operator Eurostar will run trains from London to the Netherlands that will also stop at Antwerp’s Central Station. Eurostar confirmed the news following a report in daily De Tijd. Eurostar trains travelling in the opposite direction, from the European mainland to London in the UK, will not stop at Antwerp.
Eurostar trains can only stop in Antwerp when travelling from London, as border and security checks cannot be carried out at Antwerp Central. Eurostar says there are currently no plans to introduce such checks in the northern port city.
The trains, which currently run up to four times a day from London to Amsterdam, already pass through Antwerp but do not stop there. From 14 December, however, they will do so. The trains will also continue to stop at Lille (France), Brussels-South and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The additional stop in Antwerp will not result in a longer journey time, Eurostar says.
To London via security checks in Brussels
On the Eurostar website, passengers can already buy a combined ticket, covering both the Eurostar and the domestic train journey from Antwerp to London, with a change at Brussels-South to undergo the necessary security and border checks there.
The direct London–Antwerp journey will take 2 hours 41 minutes, compared with the current 3.5 hours, including the change at Brussels-South.