Hotel Antwerp City Centre: the Real Distances
VIA Antwerp is a six-minute walk from Antwerpen-Centraal and twelve minutes by bike from Grote Markt. The hotel is not in the old town but in Zurenborg, a residential Art Nouveau quarter on the other side of the station. If you are weighing up a hotel in Antwerp city centre, these are the distances that tell you whether Zurenborg works for your trip.
What counts as the centre of Antwerp?
The centre of Antwerp is compact, but it is not one single spot. The old town gathers around Grote Markt and the Cathedral of Our Lady, close to the river Scheldt. The Meir, the main shopping street, runs from there towards the station. Around Antwerpen-Centraal lies the station district, with Antwerp Zoo beside it.
Zurenborg starts just behind the railway, on the far side of the station from the old town. It is quieter and greener, and the streets around the Cogels-Osylei are some of the most beautiful in Antwerp.
How far is the centre from VIA Antwerp?
- Antwerpen-Centraal: a six-minute walk.
- Antwerp Zoo: a twenty minute walk through Zurenborg, or ten minutes by tram.
- The head of the Meir: a twenty-five minute walk through Zurenborg, or eight minutes by bike.
- Grote Markt and the cathedral: twelve minutes by bike, about 25 minutes by tram 11 from door to door, or around forty minutes on foot.
Why stay just outside the old town
From Zurenborg the city is close and the evenings are quieter than in the old town. The Art Nouveau houses of the Cogels-Osylei are a few minutes from the hotel on foot, a walk other visitors make a special trip for.
VIA Antwerp has 176 rooms in seven types, from the Standard Twin Room to the Junior Suite of 30 m². MEA, the restaurant on the ground floor, serves breakfast every day from 07:00 and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, so after a day in the old town you eat downstairs. For a wider look at the neighbourhoods, read where to stay in Antwerp without staying in the old town.
Getting around without a car
Tram 24 stops at Joe English - Collegelaan, and tram 11 takes you to Grote Markt. The hotel rents bikes for €12 for three hours or €16 for 24 hours, and your own bike is stored for free on level -1.
Arriving by train? Direct trains run from Brussels Airport to Antwerpen-Centraal in 34 to 37 minutes, and from the station you walk to the hotel.
Coming by car
The hotel garage costs €25 per day, first come, first served. BePark, a three-minute walk from the hotel, costs €13.60 per 24 hours and can be reserved in advance. Street parking behind the hotel costs €10 per 24 hours.
Book your stay
Rooms at VIA Antwerp start from €94 per night, taxes and fees included. Newsletter subscribers get 10% off the Best Available Rate when they book direct. See all rooms or book your stay.
Frequently asked questions
Is VIA Antwerp in the old town?
No. The hotel is in Zurenborg, on the other side of Antwerpen-Centraal. Grote Markt is twelve minutes away by bike, or about 25 minutes by tram 11.
What is the quickest way to the Meir?
By bike. The head of the Meir is eight minutes away on a bike that you can rent at the hotel.
Can I leave my luggage after check-out?
Yes. Luggage storage is free, so you can spend a last afternoon in the old town without your bags. Check-out is at 11:00.
