Antwerp

Europe > Belgium > Antwerp (ANR)

The Car or no Car advice for  Antwerp can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Antwerp ;  is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).

🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Antwerp ?

These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.

🇧🇪 Mode

Score
🚆 Non-car score non-car score 8

💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Antwerp?

These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.

🇧🇪 Factor

Score
🚗 Car Score car rental availability score 7
🚗Do we need a car in Antwerp? Is it worth it? Should we rent one? | Comment
Antwerp is one of Europe’s great city-break destinations, and the train is unquestionably the best way to arrive. The airport is tiny, and it handles only a handful of regional flights, so most travellers reach the city by rail. High-speed trains link Antwerp directly with Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris, which makes onward travel effortless. So, should you rent a car in Antwerp? The answer depends on whether you plan to explore rural Flanders or simply enjoy one of Europe’s most walkable and culturally rich cities. Because Antwerp places the railway at its heart, a car-free trip is the natural fit.

🚆 Why the Train Is King in Antwerp

First of all, Antwerp has one of the most beautiful stations in the world: Antwerpen-Centraal. Its marble hall, iron-and-glass roof, and multilayered platforms turn your arrival into an architectural experience. Trains glide into the city centre, placing you within walking distance of shops, cafés, museums, and the old town.

You’ll Love Arriving by Train Because:

  • Thalys / Eurostar serve Antwerp directly from Amsterdam and Paris

  • Brussels Airport connects smoothly by rail

  • High-speed links make onward travel simple

  • The station itself feels like a cathedral of travel

Because the rail network is so strong and so central, most travellers never consider driving.

➡ In short: trains are the lifeblood of Antwerp.

✈️ Why Antwerp’s Airport Doesn’t Change Your Plans

Antwerp International Airport (ANR) is small, quiet, and limited. It usually offers a narrow set of regional flights, sometimes just one or two destinations depending on the season.

Most visitors therefore:

  • Fly into Amsterdam Schiphol, or

  • Fly into Brussels Airport, or

  • Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle

Then they take a direct high-speed train to Antwerpen-Centraal.

This is faster, easier, and far more pleasant than renting a car.

➡ The train remains the best arrival option, even if you fly.

🚶 Why You Don’t Need a Car in Antwerp

Antwerp’s historic centre is walkable. Streets wind through the old town, linking the Cathedral, the Grote Markt, the waterfront, and designer boutiques. Trams and buses cover the rest of the city effortlessly.

🌟 Go Car-Free If:

  • You’re staying near Meir, Old Town, or Het Zuid

  • You want to explore museums, galleries, and historic streets

  • You plan to use trams for longer trips

  • You prefer slow, stress-free city travel

Because parking is limited and expensive, a car adds more hassle than convenience.

➡ Antwerp works beautifully without a car.

🚍 You Can Still Explore Without Driving

Belgium’s regional transport is excellent. From Antwerp you can reach dozens of towns by train or bus.

The Belgian railway network is dense, frequent, and cheap.

➡ You can explore a huge amount of Flanders without touching a steering wheel.

🚗 When Renting a Car Makes Sense

However, some visitors want to explore the smaller villages and rural landscapes that lie between the main towns. A car becomes useful if you want to follow your own schedule or visit remote spots.

A car helps if you want to see:

  • Countryside around Kempen

  • Rural breweries

  • Out-of-the-way castles

  • Small coastal villages on the North Sea

Even then, you could still combine rail for main legs and local buses for the final stretch.

➡ A rental car is optional, not essential.

🧭 Quick Decision Table

Your Plan in Antwerp / Flanders Car Needed?
City break focusing on old town & museums ❌ No
Arriving by train from Amsterdam or Paris ❌ No
Short day trips across Flanders ❌ No
Staying near the Central Station ❌ No
Exploring small villages or rural breweries ⚠️ Helpful
Multi-stop countryside itinerary ⚠️ Helpful
Staying outside main cities ⚠️ Helpful

🎯 Conclusion: Should You Rent a Car in Antwerp?

  • 🚫 Skip the car if you’re planning a classic European city break, arriving by train, and enjoying Antwerp’s architecture, cafés, museums, and vibrant old town.

  • 🚗 Rent a car only if you want to explore rural Flanders and visit places outside the extensive train network, because almost everything else is reachable by rail or tram.

In the end…

Antwerp is one of Europe’s easiest cities to enjoy without a car — and its magnificent Central Station sets the tone the moment you arrive.

🚗Do we need a car in Antwerp? Is it worth it? Should we? Destinations | Comment

🚗 ✅ ❌ Summary Table

This summary score brings how much you really need a car, whether it’s worth it, driver options, local driving rules, and an overall recommendation.

🇧🇪 Factor

Score
🚗Should You Rent a Car in Antwerp?
 overall should you rent a car score 2
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