Top News

Eurostar is set to launch an incredible train journey later this year, taking UK travellers to a beautiful European city by the river. The destination, which is perfect for a festive break, will soon be available to travel to directly from London St Pancras, making it easier to get to than ever. From December 14, Eurostar’s new high-speed rail service will take travellers to Antwerp, Belgium.

Passengers will no longer have to rely on the Eurostar service from London to Brussels, then board another train to Antwerp, which can take around 3 hours and 15 minutes. The upcoming service will cut the journey time to just over 2 and a half hours, providing a smoother and time-efficient trip.

Antwerp, whilst stunning and holding historical significance which dates back to the Middle Ages, remains overlooked by holidaymakers who prefer visiting Belgium’s more well-known cities, including its capital, which welcomes 9.8 million visitors in 2025.

The city located on the River Scheldt is an abundant destination, being home to its charming Old Town, incredible architecture, and endless museums and exhibition spaces. The city is the perfect place for culture lovers.

The Plantin-Moretus Museum is one of the city’s most promiment museums, with it being a UNESCO World Heritage site that houses the world’s oldest printing presses.

The must-see spot is also one of the places featured in TripAdvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best awards for 2026.

One particularly impressed visitor wrote: “Outstanding! I was sceptical to this place fearing that it would be one of the rare ‘boring’ world heritage sites. I was SO wrong! This place was amazing and hugely interesting, highlighting how this printing firm actually changed all of Europe’s future, bringing science and literature to a broader audience in a faster way. The audio guide is very good.

“No long speeches but short and to the point descriptions using pads on the walls which you scan with your audio guide. To see the rare books printed here was also a treat and how they explained the greatness of each piece was done in an amazing way. A do not miss place once in Antwerp.”

Eurostar will operate four scheduled direct services from St.Pancras to Antwerp:

• 06:16 – 09:57
• 08:16 – 11:57
• 11:04 – 14:57
• 18:04 – 21:57

While the outbound journey will be direct to the Belgian city, it’s not quite the same for the inbound. Due to Antwerpen-Centraal having no dedicated UK border and customer facilities, a direct return route is not possible.

Therefore, passengers travelling from Antwerp to London can book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket on eurostar.com, allowing you to connect via Brussels-Midi, where UK border and security checks take place.

Tickets for the new service are currently available for purchase.