Train services between Antwerp and Sint-Niklaas are suspended for the entirety of the February 2026 school holiday, known as the *krokusvakantie*, due to renovation work at the Antwerpen-Linkeroever station. The disruption, beginning February 16th, impacts direct connections between Antwerp Central Station and Sint-Niklaas.
The National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS) is deploying replacement buses to mitigate the impact on commuters and travelers. These buses will operate between the Waasland region and Antwerp, providing an alternative, albeit slower, transportation option during the railway closure. The renovation focuses on the temporary Antwerpen-Linkeroever station, a recent facility established to maintain service whereas the metro tunnel undergoes extensive repairs.
According to De Lijn, the temporary station currently handles between one and two trains per hour in each direction, connecting passengers to destinations including Dendermonde, Ghent (via Sint-Niklaas and Lokeren), and Antwerp-Zuid, Antwerp-Berchem, and Antwerp-Centraal. Passengers arriving at Antwerpen-Linkeroever can transfer to buses, trams, and bicycle-sharing services like Blue-bike, Velo Antwerpen, and Donkey Republic to reach their final destinations.
The station at Katwilgweg requires an NMBS ticket for travel. De Lijn and NMBS are collaborating to develop a discounted fare formula for De Lijn season ticket holders. The Antwerpen-Linkeroever station falls within the NMBS Antwerp Zone, aligning it with other Antwerp stations like Antwerpen-Zuid, -Berchem, Centraal, -Luchtbal, and -Noorderdokken. Travel within this zone requires a specific Antwerp Zone ticket, and the station is similarly included in the City Pass.
For journeys originating at Antwerpen-Linkeroever and extending beyond the NMBS Antwerp Zone, passengers will be charged the same fare as those departing from other stations within the zone. The establishment of the station on Linkeroever aims to provide a direct connection to the Right Bank of Antwerp and the Waasland region, improving connectivity with existing bus lines serving Beveren, Kruibeke, and Zwijndrecht.
The current station at Katwilgweg is not the first to bear the name Antwerpen-Linkeroever. A previous station, originally known as Vlaams Hoofd and later as Antwerpen-West, operated from 1844 until 1970. That station was replaced by a new halt at Katwilgweg in 1970, which itself closed in 1984. Traces of the 1984 station, including low, unmaintained platforms connected by a concrete footbridge, remained until 2021.
