Antwerp / The verdict
Brussels airport to Antwerp: which way?
The airport train is the pick for most arrivals: direct trains leave Brussels Airport-Zaventem for Antwerpen-Centraal about twice an hour and take around 35 minutes, for roughly 15 EUR including the airport supplement. The Flibco shuttle is the budget backup on a fixed timetable, and a car runs 85 EUR or more.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Antwerp story
Arrive under the stone dome of Centraal station, the railway cathedral commuters rush through without looking up, and you land inside the argument for Antwerp already made. This is Belgium's coolest city in the specific sense: Rubens' Descent from the Cross hangs in the cathedral spot it was painted for, fashion students sharpen themselves on Nationalestraat, the diamond quarter trades billions by the station, and the MAS tower hands you a free rooftop panorama over the Scheldt and the biggest port after Rotterdam. It is a working city with taste, busy being itself rather than posing as a museum set.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: SNCB airport train (runner-up: Flibco airport shuttle)
The airport train is the pick for most arrivals: direct trains leave Brussels Airport-Zaventem for Antwerpen-Centraal about twice an hour and take around 35 minutes, for roughly 15 EUR including the airport supplement. The Flibco shuttle is the budget backup on a fixed timetable, and a car runs 85 EUR or more.
Go if
- You want the fastest straightforward ride into Antwerp
- You are one or two people landing in normal service hours
- Your lodging sits anywhere near Centraal, which is where the train lands
Skip if
- You land after the trains thin out late in the evening
- You are three or four splitting one car door to door
- A scheduled shuttle departure happens to line up with your landing
The options
SNCB airport train Go
Most arrivals: you want the fastest simple ride and it lands you inside Antwerpen-Centraal itself.
Good
- Direct trains run about twice an hour and cover the run in around 35 minutes, with extra connections via Berchem or Brussels Nord.
- The single costs roughly 15 EUR including the airport supplement, a fraction of any car option.
- The station sits on level -1 under the terminal with machines, a staffed desk and English signage.
- Arrival is inside Antwerpen-Centraal, the landmark hall that doubles as a first sight of the city.
Watch out
- Passes, multi-trip tickets and international tickets still owe the 7.10 EUR supplement at the access gates.
- Planned track works around Zaventem periodically reduce service, and rush-hour trains can be standing-room.
- Trains thin out late in the evening, so arrivals after roughly 23:00 can strand you.
SNCB fares and train timesAntwerpen-Centraal station details
Flibco airport shuttle It depends
You are on a tight budget and a scheduled departure lines up with your landing time.
Good
- Online singles start at 4.99 EUR, the cheapest seat on this corridor by a wide margin.
- The shuttle lands at Rooseveltplaats next to the opera, about 400 meters from Centraal.
- Flexible tickets allow a free move to the next departure, which softens a delayed flight.
- Direct ride of about 50 minutes with onboard wifi.
Watch out
- Departures come only every one to two hours, so the timetable decides whether it beats the train.
- Road traffic on the Antwerp Ring can stretch the 50-minute headline figure.
- Late-evening service ends before the last airport trains, so night arrivals cannot rely on it.
Taxi or private transfer It depends
You are three or four splitting one car, carry heavy luggage, or land after the trains thin out.
Good
- Door to door in about 40 to 50 minutes with no platforms, gates or ticket rules.
- Pre-booked transfer operators publish fixed fares, so the price is settled before you land.
- For a group of three or four the per-head cost narrows the gap with train-plus-taxi money.
Watch out
- The run leaves the Brussels Region, so it is negotiated rather than metered; reports span 85 to 120 EUR.
- Even a good quote is six to eight times the train fare for a journey the train often matches.
- Ring road traffic around Antwerp can stretch the drive past an hour at peak times.
Official taxis and transfers at the airportCompare fixed transfer pricespartner site
Rental car Skip
Only if Antwerp is one stop on a longer Flanders road trip that needs a car anyway.
Good
- The highway run takes about 40 minutes with no timetable to watch.
- Handy if Mechelen, Lier or countryside hops follow in the same trip.
Watch out
- Antwerp's center is a 24/7 low-emission zone: foreign-plate cars must register first and a day pass alone is 35 EUR.
- City parking runs several euros an hour, so rental plus parking dwarfs the 15 EUR train fare.
- A car is useless overhead inside the compact center once you arrive.
| Criterion | SNCB airport train | Flibco airport shuttle | Taxi or private transfer | Rental car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey time | About 35 minutes direct | About 50 minutes, traffic dependent | About 40 to 50 minutes, traffic dependent | About 40 minutes |
| Official one-way price | About 15 EUR single incl supplement | From 4.99 EUR online | Fixed fare around 85 to 120 EUR | Rental fee plus fuel, parking and a 35 EUR day LEZ pass |
| Where it lands in Antwerp | Antwerpen-Centraal, at the edge of the center | Rooseveltplaats, 400 meters from Centraal | Your door | City-edge car parks only |
| Frequency | About twice an hour direct, more with a change | Every one to two hours on a fixed timetable | On demand | On demand |
| Late-evening arrival | Last useful departures around 23:00 | Mostly finished before midnight | Works, at a premium | Works if the desk is staffed |
| What reports flag | Easy under-terminal station; the supplement catches pass holders | Cheapest seat but a schedule lottery around your landing | Fixed quotes vary by tens of euros for the same run | Low-emission registration and parking costs pile up |
What it costs
- SNCB standard single, Brussels Airport-Zaventem to Antwerpen-Centraal: €15.50 (distance-based fare since the 2025 reform, airport supplement included; the planner or app shows the exact figure for your train, reports put it around 14 to 17 EUR). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Brussels Airport Supplement: €7.10 (built into ordinary airport tickets; charged separately to rail passes, multi-trip tickets and international tickets at the access gates). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Flibco airport shuttle single to Rooseveltplaats: €4.99 (from-price booked online; flexible tickets allow a free move to the next departure). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Pre-booked transfer or rank taxi, per car: €90 (the 42 km run is not metered inside the region; reports and operator pages put fixed quotes around 85 to 120 EUR one way). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 12 traveler reports (Nov 2024 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- The under-terminal station is repeatedly described as easy to find: escalators down from arrivals, machines, a desk and clear signage.
- Direct trains reach Antwerpen-Centraal in about 35 minutes, arriving inside one of Europe's most photographed station halls.
- The same airport platforms serve Antwerp directly, so no Brussels detour is needed.
- The Flibco shuttle's flexible ticket lets a late passenger take the next departure at no extra cost.
What people complain about
- The 7.10 EUR airport supplement sits on top of every ticket, and pass or multi-trip holders pay it again at the gates.
- Track works around Zaventem periodically cut or slow airport trains, so checking live departures matters.
- The shuttle runs only every one to two hours, which makes it a timetable lottery around your landing.
- Walk-up taxi quotes for this fixed 42 km run swing widely, with reports spanning roughly 85 to 120 EUR.
How to do it right
- Follow the train signs in arrivals down to level -1, where the station sits directly under the terminal with machines and a staffed desk.
- Buy the ticket to Antwerpen-Centraal before the access gates: at the machines, the counter or in the SNCB app, since onboard sales carry a surcharge.
- Take a direct train in about 35 minutes; if none is soon, connections via Antwerpen-Berchem or Brussels Nord add roughly 15 to 25 minutes.
- Scan the ticket at the platform gates and watch the boards for track changes; some departures detour through Brussels Nord.
- For the Flibco shuttle, find the airport bus platforms and ride to Rooseveltplaats near the opera, about 400 meters from Centraal.
- For a car, use the official taxi rank outside arrivals or a pre-booked transfer, and agree a fixed price before departure.
The trap to avoid
Boarding a Brussels-bound train out of habit. Direct services run from the airport to Antwerpen-Centraal without touching a Brussels station; routing through the capital adds roughly half an hour for nothing.
Why this verdict
The train wins on the fundamentals: it is the only option that is both fast and cheap. Direct services cover the 42 km in about 35 minutes for around 15 EUR, supplement included, and they leave from a station directly under the terminal on level -1. Nothing else on this corridor comes close to that combination.
The shuttle bus is the real budget challenger. Flibco runs Rooseveltplaats to Zaventem platform 16 in about 50 minutes from 4.99 EUR online, and its flexible ticket lets a delayed passenger board the next departure. Reports call it the obvious pick when a scheduled run lines up with your landing, and an easy skip when it does not: departures come only every one to two hours, while trains go about twice an hour.
Cars answer a narrower question. A pre-booked transfer makes sense for a group of three or four, heavy luggage, or a landing after the last useful train, and published fixed fares run roughly 85 to 120 EUR. What it never makes sense as is the default: one or two travelers pay six to eight times the train fare to arrive at the same time or later. Renting a car only for the airport leg is the weakest option of all, because Antwerp’s center is a low-emission zone where foreign plates need free registration or a 35 EUR day pass, and parking costs several euros an hour.
Two details are worth carrying out of this page. The airport supplement of 7.10 EUR is built into ordinary tickets but charged again at the gates to pass and multi-trip holders, which still surprises regulars. And track works around Zaventem periodically thin the airport service, so the live departure board matters more than the timetable printed anywhere.
Book or check times
SNCB fares and train timesAntwerpen-Centraal station detailsFlibco shuttle Antwerp to ZaventemOfficial taxis and transfers at the airport
We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works
Compare fixed transfer pricespartner site
Questions
Is there a direct train from Brussels Airport to Antwerp?
Yes. Direct trains run about twice an hour from the under-terminal station to Antwerpen-Centraal in around 35 minutes, and many more connections go via Antwerpen-Berchem or Brussels Nord.
How much is the train from Brussels Airport to Antwerp?
Around 15 EUR one way including the mandatory 7.10 EUR airport supplement. Domestic fares are distance-based since late 2025, so the SNCB planner or app shows the exact figure for your train.
Is the shuttle bus cheaper than the train?
Yes on paper. The Flibco shuttle from the airport bus platforms to Rooseveltplaats starts at 4.99 EUR online and takes about 50 minutes, but it only runs every one to two hours, so it wins when a departure matches your arrival.
How much is a taxi from Brussels Airport to Antwerp?
Plan on roughly 85 to 120 EUR for the 42 km ride, which takes 40 to 50 minutes in normal traffic. The run leaves the Brussels Region so prices are negotiated rather than metered; pre-booking fixes the figure.
Where does the bus land in Antwerp?
The airport shuttle terminates at Rooseveltplaats next to the opera house, about a five-minute walk from Antwerpen-Centraal and the start of the Meir shopping axis.
What if my flight lands late?
Trains thin out late in the evening and the last shuttle leaves before midnight. After the usable departures end, a pre-booked fixed-price transfer or an airport taxi is the realistic option, which is when the 90-plus EUR spend makes sense.
Pack for it
Gear verdicts from our sister site, Real Buyer Experiences: