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Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station to reopen after all?

Posted by Timothy on

Belgium‘s train operator NMBS / SNCB and and rail infrastructure manager Infrabel are examining the feasibility of reopening a train station on Linkeroever (Left Bank) in Antwerp. Koen Kennis (N-VA), alderman for Mobility, expressed cautious optimism about the idea during a recent city council meeting.

Flemish Minister for Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) and alderman Kennis support the plan, which would play a key role in maintaining accessibility to both the city and Linkeroever during major infrastructure works scheduled to start in May 2026. 

At that time, tram services between Antwerp-Central Railway Station and Frederik van Eedenplein will be suspended for six to six-and-a-half months due to renovation works on the premetro tunnel.

The proposed reopening of Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station could accommodate up to 170 additional passengers. The passenger advocacy group TreinTramBus has also underlined the importance of train services and the benefits of establishing a station in this area.

According to Kennis, discussions with NMBS / SNCB and federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) have progressed significantly since early 2023. He believes the talks are now in their final stages and remains cautiously positive about the outcome.

No firm plans

NMBS /SNCB has not yet provided any concrete information regarding the possible opening of the Linkeroever station or a timeline for a decision. NMBS / SCNB spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman stated to Gazet van Antwerpen that rail transport plays a vital role in public mobility, which is why NMBS and Infrabel are reviewing ways to optimise railway capacity and make better use of existing capacity on lines running from the Waasland region in East Flanders.

Temmerman confirmed that the city’s request for a temporary reopening of the Linkeroever station is being analysed. This evaluation takes into account several factors, including the availability of capacity on what is already a heavily used railway line, and the required station infrastructure and accessibility.

Two options

Both the reopening of the former Regatta station and the installation of a temporary station near the Park-and-Ride facility are under consideration.

Just a month ago, there appeared to be little momentum on the issue. In April, Temmerman noted that reopening the station on Linkeroever was not feasible in the short term. 

One key reason, he said, was the limited remaining capacity on a line that is already busy with both passenger and freight trains. He also pointed out that the station’s location is difficult to reach and lies at a considerable distance from residential areas.

Antwerp-Linkeroever? 

Antwerp-Linkeroever station was the name given to two different stations located on railway line 59 between Antwerp and Ghent. The earliest of these was established in 1844 under the name Flemish Head Railway Station (Vlaams Hoofd). 

At that time, it operated on a narrow-gauge track measuring 1,151 mm rather than the standard gauge, a situation that persisted until 1897. 

Following the annexation of Vlaams Hoofd by the City of Antwerp, the station was renamed Antwerp-West and carried that name from 1923 to 1935. 

Between 1844 and 1933, a ferry service connected the station to Antwerp-Waas station on the right bank of the Scheldt.

After the opening of the St. Anne’s Pedestrian Tunnel in 1933, the station underwent renovations and was renamed Antwerp-Linkeroever in 1935. 

This station remained in service until 1 February 1970, when it was closed and replaced by a new stop on Katwilgweg. 

During construction, this newer stop was referred to as Linkeroever-West Railway Station. Although it was operational for only 14 years before closing in 1984, remnants of the site—such as low, overgrown platforms and a concrete footbridge—remained visible on Katwilgweg near the offices of the Gazet van Antwerpen until 2021.

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