Day trips · Antwerp · Belgium
7 best day trips from Antwerp
Where to go when you want a day away from Antwerp, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
The classic day trip from Antwerp is Brussels (About 40–50 minutes by train). The closest option is Lier, about 15 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 7
- Closest
- Lier (15 km)
- Most popular
- Brussels
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels | 45 km | About 40–50 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central | First-timers, Culture, Food lovers |
| Ghent | 60 km | About 50 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central or Berchem | Culture, Couples, Food lovers |
| Bruges | 90 km | About 1 hour 20 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central, sometimes with a change in Ghent | First-timers, Couples, Culture |
| Mechelen | 25 km | About 15–20 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central or Berchem | Culture, Quiet stays, Families |
| Lier | 15 km | About 15 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central | Quiet stays, Couples, Families |
| Rotterdam | 100 km | About 1 hour by train | Direct train from Antwerp Central | Culture, Food lovers |
| Leuven | 50 km | About 45–60 minutes by train | Train from Antwerp Central, often via Mechelen | Culture, Nightlife, Food lovers |
The day trips
45 km · About 40–50 minutes by train
1.Brussels
Belgium's capital has the Grand-Place, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Atomium and the Art Nouveau Horta Museum, plus its comic-strip murals.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central
- Best for
- First-timers, Culture, Food lovers
60 km · About 50 minutes by train
2.Ghent
Ghent has the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral, the Gravensteen castle and the medieval Graslei and Korenlei quays along the Leie.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central or Berchem
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, Food lovers
90 km · About 1 hour 20 minutes by train
3.Bruges
Bruges's UNESCO-listed medieval centre has canals, the Markt with its belfry, the Groeninge Museum's Flemish Primitives and the Begijnhof.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central, sometimes with a change in Ghent
- Best for
- First-timers, Couples, Culture
25 km · About 15–20 minutes by train
4.Mechelen
Mechelen's St. Rumbold's Tower can be climbed for views over Flanders, and the town has Rubens altarpieces, the Kazerne Dossin memorial and a lively Grote Markt.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central or Berchem
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, Families
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15 km · About 15 minutes by train
5.Lier
A small town with a beguinage, the Gothic St. Gummarus church and the Zimmer Tower with its astronomical clock.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Couples, Families
100 km · About 1 hour by train
6.Rotterdam
Rotterdam's modern architecture, the Markthal, the Cube Houses and harbour tours offer a contrast to Antwerp's historic centre.
- Getting there
- Direct train from Antwerp Central
- Best for
- Culture, Food lovers
50 km · About 45–60 minutes by train
7.Leuven
Belgium's old university town has the Gothic Town Hall, the M Leuven museum, the Groot Begijnhof and the long bar-lined Oude Markt.
- Getting there
- Train from Antwerp Central, often via Mechelen
- Best for
- Culture, Nightlife, Food lovers
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Antwerp Central has fast trains to Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and Mechelen and international trains to Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Antwerp?
Brussels. Belgium's capital has the Grand-Place, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Atomium and the Art Nouveau Horta Museum, plus its comic-strip murals.
+How long does it take to get from Antwerp to Brussels?
About 40–50 minutes by train — Train from Antwerp Central, about 45 km.
+How long does it take to get from Antwerp to Ghent?
About 50 minutes by train — Train from Antwerp Central or Berchem, about 60 km.