Eurostar to add additional stop in Belgium before Christmas

Eurostar plans a new direct connection between the UK and Belgium before Christmas.

Direct journeys will be available between London St Pancras and Antwerp from December 14.

Up to four trains a day, which already run between London and Amsterdam, will introduce Antwerp alongside existing stops at Lille-Europe, Brussels-Midi, Rotterdam-Centraal and Amsterdam-Centraal. 

However, the route will only be direct on the outward leg from London. 

There are no current plans to introduce a direct return service from Antwerp to London as “this would require dedicated UK border and customs facilities at Antwerp-Centraal,” according to the high-speed Channel Tunnel passenger rail service.

Passengers can instead book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket connecting via Brussels-Midi, where UK border and security checks take place.

Eurostar told The Independent on Saturday: “Adding Antwerp as a direct stop on our London-Amsterdam services will make journeys to the city quicker and more convenient, providing customers with a more comfortable city centre to city centre travel experience.”