Eurostar is launching direct trains from London St Pancras to Antwerp, cutting the journey to Belgium’s second-largest city to two hours and 45 minutes.
The new service starts on 14 December, running five times a day. It will be 30 minutes quicker than the current journey, which takes around three hours and 15 minutes and requires a change of trains at Brussels-Midi.
There is, however, a catch travellers need to know about: the direct service runs one way only.
Key facts
- Route: London St Pancras to Antwerpen-Centraal, direct
- Starts: 14 December 2026
- Frequency: Five services a day
- Journey time: Two hours 45 minutes — 30 minutes faster than today
- Tickets: Already on sale
- The catch: Direct trains run to Antwerp only — the return journey goes via Brussels-Midi
Why the return is different
Eurostar said: “Adding Antwerp as a direct stop on our London–Amsterdam services will make journeys to the city quicker and more convenient, providing customers with a more comfortable city-centre-to-city-centre travel experience.”
But the direct service is one-way only. Eurostar said: “There are no UK border and customs facilities at Antwerpen-Centraal, so to return to London, you’ll have to book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket connecting via Brussels-Midi.”
That means the outward journey is now a simple direct ride, while the way home still involves changing at Brussels-Midi onto a Belgian National Rail Company (SNCB) service — the same transfer Antwerp-bound passengers have to make today.
Currently, passengers travelling to Antwerp must change trains at Brussels-Midi and continue on an SNCB service, which brings the journey to around three hours and 15 minutes.
What Antwerp offers
Antwerp is Belgium’s second-largest city, known for its style, a strong dining scene and museums packed with medieval and gothic masterpieces.
Popular attractions include the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum aan de Stroom, and the city’s historic Grote Markt.
But visitors are encouraged to explore beyond the city centre. Borgerhout, a district in Antwerp, was named the coolest neighbourhood in Europe last year.
Debbie Pappyn, a local writer, said: “While most visitors will stick to the city centre, it’s neighbourhoods like Borgerhout where you’ll find real local flavour and some of the coolest places to eat, drink and shop.”
She described Borgerhout as “a true cultural melting pot” and recommended stopping by Café Mombasa, Boulot Bakery, Bakkerij Roma, Base-Alpha gallery, DMW gallery, and the shops Wilder, Coup de Chocolat, and BorGerHub.
Part of a bigger network
The Antwerp stop is being added to Eurostar’s London–Amsterdam services, so the trains calling at Antwerp are the same ones that already run between St Pancras and Amsterdam. For London travellers, that means the new route slots into a network they already know, rather than being a standalone service.
It is also the latest step in Eurostar’s expansion from St Pancras, where the operator has been adding destinations and capacity since the merger of Eurostar and Thalys. Eurostar services from St Pancras have faced disruption before, most recently when trains were cancelled during strike action — a reminder that the new route will still depend on the same busy international terminal.
Tickets for the direct service from London St Pancras to Antwerpen-Centraal are already on sale. Anyone booking should check the return journey carefully: the direct train gets you there in two hours and 45 minutes, but the way home still goes through Brussels.
