In Antwerp, national rail company NMBS and rail manager Infrabel have begun work to enable a temporary reopening of the Antwerp-Linkeroever station. Due to major renovation work on the premetro between Linkeroever and Antwerp Central Station, thousands of tram passengers will soon have to find an alternative.
De Lijn provides shuttle buses, but they have to travel a long distance through the Kennedy Tunnel in traffic. There is also the Waasland and Kennedy bicycle tunnel, the ferry service across the Scheldt, and, in the worst case, the car.
Because the tram connection is a crucial axis between Linkeroever/Waasland and the center of Antwerp, NMBS and Infrabel have decided to temporarily reactivate the old station on the Left Bank at the Katwilgweg.
Renovation required
The old station, which closed in 1984, will reopen temporarily, and the existing infrastructure will be partially reused, although thorough renovation is required first to meet current safety and comfort standards.
Both platforms will be renovated and raised to make boarding easy. New lighting and cameras will be installed. Facilities for the blind and visually impaired will be provided, along with shelters, benches, and signage.
There will also be a bicycle parking facility for about 200 bicycles, and an access road with a ticket machine and digital information screens. The pedestrian bridge over the tracks will also be renovated. The new temporary station is expected to be ready by the end of April.
Essential alternative
The stop on Katwilgweg is intended to serve as an important alternative to the at least 11-month closure of the pre-metro tunnel between the two banks of the Scheldt, which starts May 4.
De Lijn also provides a bus stop at the temporary station, where bus line 36 will stop. On the other side of Katwilgweg, an existing car park will be expanded to 200 parking spaces. The Park&Ride Linkeroever is within walking distance of the station.
On weekdays, two trains per hour will stop at Antwerp-Linkeroever station in both directions. These are the IC train between De Panne, Ghent-Sint-Pieters, and Antwerp-Central Station, and the S34 train between Dendermonde and Antwerp-Central Station. During the weekend, one S34 train will run every hour in both directions.
The Flemish government, the city council, and De Lijn will communicate sufficiently about the progress and any (temporary) adjustments during the works.
Permanent reopening?
Normally, the ‘temporary’ station being prepared should disappear after the work, but if it proves successful, it could ultimately lead to a permanent reopening.
The Antwerp-Linkeroever station is not a standalone project. It fits perfectly within three major pillars of Antwerp’s mobility policy: the Oosterweel project, the modal shift (more public transport, cycling, and water), and the S-net around Antwerp (suburban trains).
The Oosterweel project aims to close and partially cover the Ring Road, remove through traffic from residential areas, and make the city more livable. The city of Antwerp aims to achieve a 50/50 modal shift, with half of transport using sustainable modes.
The temporary station is only a small part of a major transformation: from a city with a single major mobility axis to one with a mobile network of alternatives.
