Antwerpen-Centraal

Antwerpen-Centraal, opened in 1905, is widely regarded as one of Europe's finest railway stations and is protected as Belgian heritage. Architect Louis Delacenserie designed the original terminus as a monumental Art Nouveau showpiece, pairing a soaring steel-and-glass dome — which floods the concourse with daylight — with a neo-baroque natural stone facade that anchors the Koningin Astridplein. In the early 2000s the station underwent a remarkable transformation: three stacked track levels were tunnelled beneath the historic hall to accommodate high-speed services including the Thalys, converting the old terminus into a through-station without touching the landmark interior above. Today around 540 trains a day pass through, with direct connections to Rotterdam, Brussels, Ghent, and Paris; the Antwerp Zoo sits immediately adjacent, making the station a natural starting point for a day in the city.