BY PLANE
If you are looking for cheap tickets to and from Belgium, take a look at
ANTWERP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
This small airport only has regular connections with the UK. Many business flights, but also low-cost flights during the week and on Saturday. Short check-in times.
Busses 21 and 32 or tram 9 and 11 will go to Rooseveltplaats (Roosevelt Square), near Antwerp-Central railway station.
BRUSSELS AIRPORT (ZAVENTEM)
The national airport of Belgium lies just outside of Brussels. You can easily get to Antwerp, either by bus or by train.
• By train :
The railway station is located under the airport (level -1).
A direct train takes you from this station to Antwerp Central Station ('Antwerpen-Centraal') in about 35 minutes.
1 train per hour
First direct train at 05:41, last direct train at 23:41 (on Sat and Sun first train at 05:52, last train at 23:52)
→ Website of the Belgian railways: www.belgiantrain.be/en (for real-time departure and arrival times, enter “Brussels Airport” as station and choose “departure” of “arrival”).
You can also take a train to Brussels-North (Bruxelles-Nord) or Brussels-Central or Mechelen. There you can take a direct train to Antwerp-Central Station ('Antwerpen-Centraal').
Extensive work was done during the last years to improve access to Brussels airport by train. A new rail line between Brussels and Antwerp was completed mid 2012. As a consequence, you are obliged to pay €5,50 in addition to the regular ticket fee. Also, you are obliged to pay this extra fee if you are going to Brussels airport by train from Antwerp.
To buy your train ticket from the airport to Antwerp, you can only pay at the vending machines with Bancontact, Visa, Mastercard or AmericanExpress, or you can buy your ticket online at www.belgiantrain.be/en.
• By bus :
The Airport Express takes you directly from Brussels Airport to Antwerp Central Station (Astridplein - Astrid Square). In the airport, follow the signs for the bus terminal (level 0).
1 bus per hour / about 45 minutes / €10
First departure from the airport (direction Antwerp) at 04:00, last bus at 00:00.
First departure from Antwerp (direction airport) at 03:00, last bus at 23:00. .
From September 5th, 2020 onwards, the Airport Express will temporarily not be available.
BlaBlaBus travels to several destinations, including Antwerp. buses depart from the bus station located in P16.
for more information, fares and timetables, visit www.blablacar.co.uk
BRUSSELS SOUTH AIRPORT (CHARLEROI)
• This small low-cost airport is further away from Brussels. There are no direct connections to Antwerp, so you have to take the shuttle bus to the railway station of Charleroi South first. It takes about 20 minutes and busses leave from the airport every 30 minutes. At the airport, look for the bus terminal and take shuttle bus A with direction 'Charleroi Sud' (= Charleroi South).
• From the railway station of Charleroi South:
Take a train with direction Antwerp Central Station. It takes about one hour and a half. First direct train leaves at 04:26, last direct one at 21:54.
For real-time departure and arrival times, visit www.belgiantrain.be
NOTE: You can buy a "bulk ticket" at the airport for both the shuttle bus and your train ticket (By train + bus shuttle: Charleroi Airport Ticket)
BY BUS
EUROLINES
The international Eurolines bus stops in Antwerp at Van Stralenstraat 8, not far from the Rooseveltplaats (between the Central Station and the city centre). However, depending on your country of departure, some busses only stop in Brussels, and not in Antwerp - but it's easy to get from Brussels to Antwerp by train.
OMIO
Another site we’d like to recommend is Omio , here you’ll find travels with several companies, all at one place.
BY TRAIN
ANTWERP
Antwerp lies in the middle between Paris Nord and Amsterdam (two hours from Paris and two hours from Amsterdam with Thalys).
Antwerp has three main train stations: 'Antwerpen-Centraal' (Central Station - 15 minutes on foot to the cathedral), 'Antwerpen Berchem' (take tram 9 to the city centre) and ‘Antwerpen-Zuid’ (take tram 10 or 4 to the city centre, or bus 180-182-183 to Universiteitsplein - Campus Drie Eiken).
Two important international trains stop in Antwerp:
Thalys = international high-speed train between France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Thalys stops in 'Antwerpen-Centraal' station. www.thalys.com
Eurostar = international high-speed train between the UK, France and Belgium. Does not stop in Antwerp, but in Brussels 'Zuid / Midi' station (with many direct connections to Antwerp). www.eurostar.com
NOTE: if you have another connection in Belgium before or after your journey with Thalys or Eurostar, you’ll need a specific ticket for this connection. we advise you to buy the ‘connection’ ticket in addition to your international ticket at a fixed price of €7,60 in second class (or €11,60 in first class). To buy your 'Connection' ticket online at https://www.b-europe.com/EN, simply select your actual station of departure or arrival (e.g. Bruges, Namur or Antwerp instead of Brussels-Midi) when you book your international journey.
BRUSSELS
Brussels has three main stations: Brussels 'Zuid / Midi', Brussels 'Centraal / Central' and Brussels 'Noord / Nord'. All Belgian trains stop at the three stations, so you’re free to choose. Brussels 'Noord / Nord' is the closest one to Antwerp.
For timetables and prices, take a look at the website of the Belgian railways:
https://www.belgiantrain.be/en
IC-trains (InterCity) go faster than IR-trains (Inter-Regional). Don't take the slow L-trains (local). TIP: If you're travelling with friends and you plan to see more than one city in Belgium, it's cheapest to buy ‘Youth Multi (Go Pass 10)’ with ten tickets for €55 (€53 in the app). If you're older than 26, you can buy ‘Standard Multi (Rail pass) with ten single, 2nd class journeys for €86 (€83 in the app).