Bike - Most recommended
The bicycle is handsdown the best way to navigate through Antwerp. You can get anywhere within 20 minutes! Some former Erasmus students have taken it on themselves to start Uni-Cycle. They rent bikes to Erasmus and exchange students at the lowest tarrif available for one semester! On top of that, you get an additional 10% discount with your ESNcard! You can find out everything about them on their website: http://www.uni-cycle.eu/
Having your bike marked is one of the most efficient ways to prevent theft. You can have your bike marked at the Oudaan (police tower) on Mondays between 9 am and 5 pm. You can make an appointment (till 7 pm) by telephone 03 202 57 33. Students from Wilrijk can have their bikes marked on Fridays between 10 am and 3 pm at the district office (Doornstraat).
In 2011, Antwerp launched a new biking project called "Velo Antwerp". Across the whole city Antwerp, there are stations with bikes which allow you to easily transport around the city. There are in total 85 velo stations which are spread out all over Antwerp. If you buy a season pass you can use them to bike from one station to another. The bikes are meant for short distances so if you cycle for more than half an hour you have to pay extra on top of the basic fee which are:
For more information and to subscribe go to: www.velo-antwerpen.be
Where can you get cycle routes?
You can find a lot of cycle routes in and around Antwerp in the ‘met de fiets op weg’-brochure. The brochure and several walking itineraries are available at the tourist office, 15, Grote Markt, Antwerpen or at the district office: Lange Gasthuisstraat 21.
Trams - Highly recommended
A tram is a trolley. Some stay inside the city, others go to the suburbs. Both buses and trams are operated by the same company "De Lijn" and use the same city passes and cards. Within the hour you can go from bus to tram or otherwise only paying once, but don't forget to introduce the ticket in the machine every time.
Fore more information and to purchase tickets you go to the office on the Rooseveltplaats or to the subway office at the Groenplaats.
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 7.00h - 19.00h
Saturday: 8.00h - 11.30h and 12.00h - 16.00h
Sunday: closed
Tel. 03/218.14.06
Trams can always be counted on and allow for fast & easy transport through Antwerp.
Buses - Not recommended
City buses
If you travel through the city and suburbs you can buy a one way ticket on the bus. This will cost you €3. Put this ticket in the yellow "ticket-machines" located near the doors. It's valid for one hour and you are allowed to change busses/trams. Nevertheless put the ticket back into the ticket-machine every time you enter another bus/ tram. It's a lot cheaper though to buy a city pass (stadskaart). Most city passes cost € 12 You can buy such a card on the bus (but not on the tram!) or at the main stop in Antwerp (Rooseveltplaats). This is valid for 10 rides. Simply put it into the ticket-machine when you get in. Could it be easier?!
Regional buses
Here you need a regular card, called a "lijnkaart". It works a bit like a credit card. You decide how much money you want to put on the card and every time you take a bus, a certain amount is deducted. Put it in the ticket-machine and indicate how many zones you will travel through. Ask the conductor the exact number of zones if you're not sure. You can also use the "lijnkaart" on the city buses. The number of zones is then 1. It will cost you as much as a city pass, € 2,00 a ride.
General
When you buy the bus ticket in advance (e.g. in a supermarket/newspaper store), you get 20% discount! Take also a look at the site: www.delijn.be.
As all locals will tell you, the busses are either late or the drivers are on strike.
Train - Recommended
There are two major train stations in Antwerp: Antwerpen Centraal and Berchem. If you are under 26 it is cheaper to buy a "GO-pass". It costs € 50 and allows you to travel ten times within Belgium. The card is not personal, so more than one person can use it at the same or different time. The GO-pass is valid for a year. You have to fill in the date and destination before you board the train and cannot interrupt your journey, this means you have to go straight to your destination. If you don't have to travel very far it is cheaper to buy a single ticket.
In the weekend you can ask for a weekend ticket which means you pay half of the price for al destinations in Belgium.
Train schedules can be checked on the website: http://www.b-rail.be
Taxi - Not recommended
Taxis are quite expensive, a short ride between Wilrijk and Antwerp for example will cost you about € 20. Try to find some friends to share a cab so it will be cheaper!
Antwerp Taxi 03/238.38.38
Star Taxi 03/216.16.16
Taxi Verboven 03/324.24.24
ATM 03/216.01.60