Travel Documents
Please check that you have a valid passport and if required a visa for the duration of your stay. In case of doubt, check with the Belgian embassy, consulate or representation in your area. According to Belgian law you must always have your passport or identity card with you; other documents are not valid to legitimate yourself. Visa information can be found at the following site: Immigration Office.
Belgium is a member of the Schengen Treaty, an alliance of European countries that have suppressed internal borders between them. That means that the same visa rules apply for any Schengen country and you can travel freely between Belgium and other Schengen countries. Note that Schengen does not exactly match EU: for example, UK and Ireland are out of Schengen whereas Switzerland and Norway are in. Further details can be found on the EUROPA portal.
By Airplane
The biggest airport close to Antwerp is Brussels Airport (Zaventem). Yet, depending on your point of departure, it might be more economical to fly to Charleroi Airport (Brussels South, Belgium), Paris Airport (Charles De Gaulle, France), or Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol, the Netherlands) and then travel by train to Antwerp. When coming from or via the UK, Malaga, Murcia, and Innsbruck, the smaller Antwerp airport (Deurne) could be an option.
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport (Zaventem) is the main international airport in Belgium. There is a shuttle bus to the south side, i.e., «Antwerpen Crowne Plaza,» or the city centre of Antwerp, i.e., «Antwerpen Centraal» railway station. The shuttle bus is especially useful for unusual arrival or departure times, as you can see on the timetable. You can also take a direct train to Brussels Airport. You can check the train connections, itineraries, and prices on the Belgian railways website.
Charleroi Airport
Charleroi Airport (Brussels South) is a central hub for several low-cost airlines. You need to take a shuttle bus from the airport to Charleroi railway station (bus A, 20 min), from there is a direct train to Antwerpen (2 trains per hour; 90-100min). You can get a combined shuttle+train «bulk» ticket one-way. Alternatively, you can take a shuttle bus from Charleroi Airport to the «Bruxelles Midi» train station, which has a good connection to Antwerpen. You can check the train connections, itineraries, and prices on the Belgian Railways website.
Paris Airport
Paris Airport (Charles de Gaulle) is also convenient. You can take the high-speed train from Charles de Gaulle to Antwerp (Thalys; you have to book in advance). Of course, you can also take the «normal» direct trains. You can check the train connections, itineraries, and prices on the Belgian Railways’ website.
Amsterdam Airport
Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol) is another convenient airport to fly to. You can take the train from Schiphol Airport to Antwerp. You can take either the high-speed trains (Thalys; you have to book in advance) or the «normal» direct trains. You can check the train connections, itineraries, and prices on the Belgian Railways’ website.
By Train
Antwerp is well-served by railways and is on the Thalys northern high-speed network. With trains cruising at up to 300 km/h, Thalys provides fast international connections to Amsterdam (1:12), Paris (2:07), London (3:30) and many other major cities in Europe. Bus services from and to the summer school location are available from both major Antwerp rail stations, Antwerpen-Centraal and Antwerpen-Berchem, as shown here.
Check SNCB Europe for information and reservation regarding international connections. Note that high-speed trains always require advanced reservation. Tickets for other trains can be bought online from the Belgian railways or in the railway station anytime before departure. You can also get tickets on-board the train, at a higher price, but in that case you should warn the train staff before you enter the train, otherwise you may be fined.
The BIP is located on campus in Groenenborger (Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen).
By Bus
Flixbus provides convenient and cheap bus connections between many major European cities and Antwerp.
Within Antwerp, you can also use De Lijn’s services to travel within the city or to connect to a nearby city (by bus or tram). All bus and tram lines can be found on the public transport map.
The BIP’s location is campus Groenenborger (busstop: Groenenborgerlaan Antwerp, Busline 21. You could also use line 32 to get close to the campus and walk the final part).
With De Lijn app, you’ll know when your bus or streetcar is coming. It is also convenient because you can use it to buy your tickets.
By Car
There are some shared car companies that you can easily use, like Poppy ( You need a valid driving license in Belgium)
Biking in the City of Antwerp
The city of Antwerp has many bike paths, ideal for biking. However, care must be taken when crossing the tramlines, as you might fall if your wheel gets stuck in the rail. The city offers a rental system for the short-term lease of bikes: Velo. There is a station close to the Groenenborger campus. However, when the slots are complete in the morning, you must find an alternative location for dropping the bike.