Eurostar will add Antwerpen-Centraal as an extra stop on selected London–Amsterdam services from December 14, 2026, creating new direct journeys from London St Pancras to Antwerp. The direct outbound trip is reported at around 2 hours 40–45 minutes (approximately 2h41), with up to four services per day planned. Evening Standard; Euronews; Visit Antwerp – official press release; Eurostar – Antwerp destination page.

Return journeys from Antwerp to London will still require a change in Brussels to complete UK border, customs and security checks, as Antwerpen-Centraal does not have the facilities needed to process London-bound passengers. You can book Antwerp→Brussels (SNCB) + Brussels→London (Eurostar) on one itinerary on eurostar.com. Eurostar – Antwerp to London page; Eurostar – Connecting trains.

Key Details of the New Service

• Launch date: December 14, 2026. Evening Standard; Travel Weekly (UK); Eurostar – Antwerp destination page (confirms direct from December 2026).
• Frequency: Up to four London→Antwerp direct services daily (as an added stop on selected London–Amsterdam trains). Evening Standard; Travel Weekly (UK).
• Typical journey time (London→Antwerp): about 2 hours 40–45 minutes (reported as ~2h41). Visit Antwerp – official press release; Euronews.
• Return to London: Antwerp→London remains a one‑change journey via Brussels (UK exit/entry checks are completed at Brussels‑Midi/Zuid). Eurostar – Antwerp to London page.

Implications for Travellers

The added Antwerp stop streamlines outbound trips from London for both leisure and business travellers by removing the Brussels change. For the return, plan time to connect at Brussels‑Midi/Zuid for border and security formalities before boarding the London service. Monitor Eurostar’s site for timetables and ticket availability as December 14, 2026 approaches. Eurostar – Antwerp destination page.

Brand note: Thalys services were rebranded under the single Eurostar name in 2023, which is why Antwerp now appears within Eurostar’s unified network. Eurostar – Thalys joins Eurostar.

Sources

• Evening Standard: Eurostar route from London to new European destination to launch in December (published July 28, 2026).
• Euronews: Eurostar is launching a new direct route from London to Antwerp this December (published July 26, 2026).
• Travel Weekly (UK): Eurostar to add additional stop in Belgium before Christmas (published September 1, 2026).
• Aviation24.be: Eurostar to launch direct London–Antwerp services from December 2026 (published July 25, 2026).
• Visit Antwerp – official press release: New direct rail links to/from Antwerp from December 14, 2026; London–Antwerp in 2h41 (published September 24, 2026).
• Eurostar official – Antwerp destination page (confirms direct from December 2026).
• Eurostar official – Antwerp to London (via Brussels) page.
• Eurostar official – Thalys joins Eurostar (brand context).