Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station to reopen in 2026!

Well, well, well. We were adamant it wouldn’t happen, but it will. Belgium‘s national train operator NMBS / SNCB and rail infrastructure manager Infrabel are going to refurbish Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station. The Belgian Railways sent out a press release.

Due to the planned decommissioning of the premetro tunnel under the Scheldt in Antwerp, no trams will run between the Left and Right Banks for six months starting in May 2026. To mitigate the impact, accessibility solutions have been developed to continue providing sufficient capacity for passengers through a range of alternatives. NMBS /SNCB and Infrabel will take the following measures during the construction period to offer alternatives for affected tram passengers:

In cooperation with railway infrastructure manager Infrabel, a temporary stop will be set up at Antwerp-Left Bank, with parking facilities. On weekdays, two trains per hour will stop here in each direction—one S34 train and one InterCity (IC) train coming from De Panne (La Panne) via Ghent to Antwerp. On weekends, there will be one S34 train per hour in each direction. During weekdays in the summer holiday of 2026, there will be one IC train per hour.
During peak hours in the morning and evening, the capacity of S34 trains between Dendermonde (Termonde) and Antwerp-Central Railway Station will be increased in both directions. S-train 560 will offer 560 seats instead of 280. These trains will stop in Dendermonde, Zele, Lokeren, Sinaai, Belsele, Sint-Niklaas (St. Nicholas), Nieuwkerken (Waas), Beveren (Waas), Melsele, Zwijndrecht, Antwerp-South, Antwerp-Berchem, and Antwerp-Central. From Melsele station onwards, the train will follow almost the same route as tram line 3, which will not operate during the works. Tram users can therefore easily switch to the train.
On weekdays, the service span will be extended from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM to provide a train every half hour between 6:00 AM and 11:00 AM on the S34 line, one of which will stop at the temporary Antwerp-Left Bank stop. The IC service span will be extended on weekdays during the 2026 summer holiday to run past 10:00 PM.

NMBS / SNCB and Infrabel will now submit permit applications to the appropriate authorities for this temporary stop, aiming to start construction in January 2026 and complete it on time.

All levels of government are committed to providing solutions for passengers in the Antwerp region.

Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés), Federal Minister of Mobility: “With this initiative, NMBS and Infrabel once again prove to be reliable partners in tackling major mobility challenges. By offering a concrete and comfortable alternative in a short timeframe for the thousands of travellers affected by this project, we manage to turn disruption into an opportunity. This is a great example of how cooperation and forward thinking can lead to smart and sustainable solutions. In my policy, I always strive to find solutions that consider every traveller, no matter how or from where they travel. Today, we have found a solution for Antwerp, but I’m confident that, depending on local issues, similar solutions can be found for other cities in the country. At the same time, I continue to advocate for effective cooperation between the federal government and the regions on matters of public interest—because only together can we make real progress.”

Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA), who is also titular Mayor of Antwerp: “I’m glad to see such constructive collaboration to resolve longstanding issues in the interest of the Antwerp region and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.”

Annick De Ridder (N-VA), Flemish Minister for Mobility: “In anticipation of the upcoming work on the premetro tunnel, I took the initiative some time ago to bring all involved parties together and develop a package of well-considered transport alternatives and accessibility measures. We’re increasing the capacity of the ferries, deploying extra shuttle buses, and keeping the St. Anne’s Pedestrian Tunnel as accessible as possible. Thanks to this constructive cooperation, a temporary train stop will also be provided at Antwerp-Left Bank. Together, these measures will enable us to accommodate up to 2,220 passengers per peak hour, significantly more than the usual 1,700 premetro passengers per peak hour. I sincerely thank all involved partners for their constructive cooperation in keeping mobility running smoothly for residents of Waasland and Antwerp during the works.”

Koen Kennis (N-VA), Antwerp Alderman for Mobility, acting Mayor of Antwerp, and Chair of the Antwerp Transport Region: “Fantastic news for the people of Antwerp! I’m very grateful that our proposal to reintroduce a train stop on the Left Bank has been taken up so effectively. This stop with regular connections gives a solid boost to the link between the Right and Left Banks. Thanks to strong cooperation across all levels of government—who, with the new legislative terms, also understand the complexity of Antwerp’s mobility challenges—so much is possible.”

Past, future and future past Linkeroever station.

Working together for an accessible and liveable Antwerp

In the Antwerp region, developers, mobility partners, and authorities are working together to modernise infrastructure and improve mobility. By coordinating construction projects and offering smart transport alternatives, we reduce disruption and promote sustainable mobility. Through platforms like Smart ways to Antwerp, we inform travellers and focus on multimodality and smart traffic management.

“This broad collaboration between De Lijn, NMBS / SNCB, Infrabel, the Agency for Roads and Traffic, Lantis, the Department of Mobility and Public Works, the City of Antwerp, the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services, De Vlaamse Waterweg NV, and other (mobility) partners keeps Antwerp accessible, liveable, and ready for the future”, the press release concludes.

Train, Tram, Bus

The passenger organisation TreinTramBus (TTB) has expressed strong support for this mitigation measure. According to TTB, NMBS / SNCB and Infrabel are demonstrating that effective mobility solutions are achievable when there is genuine commitment.

Replacing the premetro service, which normally carries around 1,700 passengers per hour, would be nearly impossible without rail alternatives.

TTB emphasises the importance of ensuring that the temporary station on Antwerp’s Left Bank is well connected to bus services from the Waasland region.

Seamless transfers between buses from the Left Bank and Waasland, and the trains at the temporary stop, should be a priority. TTB is also calling for half-hourly train services at the temporary station on Saturdays and during school holidays, in line with weekday frequency.

History of two Left Bank stations

Antwerpen-Linkeroever was the name of two different historical railway stations located on railway line 59 Antwerp-Ghent, in the Linkeroever area, Antwerp. The station was finally closed in 1984.

The oldest station to be constructed at the location was opened on 3 November 1844 as station Vlaams Hoofd (Flemish Head). After the annexation of the village of Vlaams-Hoofd by Antwerp in the name changed to station Antwerp-West.

There was also a ferry connection available to Antwerp-Waas station on the right bank side of the Scheldt. Waasland is a region of Belgium. It is part of the provinces of East Flanders and Antwerp. The other borders of the Land van Waas are with the Scheldt and Durme rivers. The (informal) capital and major city of the region is Saint Nicholas (Sint-Niklaas).

Tunnel

After the opening of the Sint-Annatunnel (St. Anne’s Pedestrian Tunnel) in 1933, the station was renovated in 1935 and renamed station Antwerpen-Linkeroever.

When the railway section of the J.F. Kennedy Tunnel under the Scheldt was finished in 1970, the station on Linkeroever became obsolete.

This station at the Beatrijslaan was ultimately closed on 1 February 1970, being replaced by a new station located more to the West at the Katwilgweg.

This second station was finally taken out of service on June 3, 1984 due to low ridership. Of the newer station, some remnants still remain in the form of two low-lying and non-maintained platforms located near the present building of the Gazet van Antwerpen.

Trip By Trip

Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station to reopen in 2026!