Antwerp to Brussels by train

Antwerp and Brussels are about 45 minutes apart by direct SNCB InterCity train, with services running throughout the day and no seat reservation to book.

Antwerp to Brussels by train at a glance

These are indicative figures from SNCB's own route information for this corridor. Check the exact departure time and platform for your train before you travel, since the Belgian timetable changes each December.

Choosing your Brussels station

Most direct Antwerp trains cross Brussels on the North-South Junction, calling first at Brussels-Noord, then Brussels-Centraal about eight minutes later, then Brussels-Zuid/Midi a further four minutes after that, all on the same train. You are not choosing between different trains here, only between which stop to get off at.

Get off at Brussels-Noord for the northern business district around the WTC towers. Get off at Brussels-Centraal for the historic centre; it is a few minutes' walk from the Grand-Place. Get off at Brussels-Zuid/Midi if you are continuing onto Eurostar, TGV, or another international service, or if your destination is in the south of the city.

Booking tools sometimes just show "Brussels" as the destination. Open the train details before you pay and confirm which of the three stations your ticket actually names, then get off there rather than riding on to the terminus out of habit.

The Antwerp end: Centraal or Berchem

Most travellers should board at Antwerpen-Centraal, Antwerp's main station and the stop closest to the city centre. The train's next stop after Centraal is Antwerpen-Berchem, a smaller station with fewer facilities; board there instead only if you are starting from southern Antwerp or already changing onto another line.

Eurostar and other international trains on this corridor

Eurostar, formerly Thalys, also runs through here on its Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and Paris route, but it stops only at Antwerpen-Centraal and Brussels-Zuid/Midi, not at Brussels-Centraal or Brussels-Noord. Eurostar needs a compulsory paid reservation that can sell out, and it costs more than the domestic InterCity. It also stops at just one of the three Brussels stations. The InterCity needs no reservation, runs far more often, and can put you closer to where you are actually going. For this hop alone, Eurostar is not worth choosing over the regular train.

Tickets and rail passes

SNCB's Standard fare for this route is calculated by distance, and tickets bought for travel on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays get an automatic 30% discount. If you make this trip often, the Train+ card is usually the better deal: it costs EUR 6 a month or EUR 48 a year, adds a 40% discount during off-peak hours plus a further 40% at weekends, and caps every 2nd class journey at EUR 14 regardless of distance or time of day.

Interrail and Eurail pass holders can use domestic SNCB InterCity trains on this route on any travel day of their pass, with no seat reservation and no extra fee.