# BELGIUM | Photo Thread



## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

*Antwerp*, the second largest city in Belgium, located in the Flemish part of the country has one of the most beautiful and spectacular central stations you have ever seen! In 2007 big works will be finished and it will be no longer a terminal station like it used to be. 
The station is also called the 'Railwaycathedral'. Look at the pictures and you know why .


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## edubejar (Mar 16, 2003)

Oh wow, it is very nice. I particularly like the inside.


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## Quente (Jan 9, 2005)

I went to Antwerp in 1998 to visit my wife's cousin who was living there at the time. We took the train from Paris but I don't remember this station at all. Did the terminal look like this in 1998?


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## Daffy (Nov 29, 2002)

Wasn't the structure designed by Eifel?


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

No it's not designed by Eiffel. 
It was build between 1899 and 1905 and the building was also inspired by the Pantheon in Rome but it doesn't look like it at all .


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## eusebius (Jan 5, 2004)

By 1998, it saw just the start of this revamp. The opening of Anvers-Central </blokkiepesten> is what I anticipate most in the new year. It truly is a 'cathedral of transport'. Magnificent!!


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## Alargule (Feb 21, 2005)

> and it will be no longer a terminal station like it used to be.


That's only partially true. The present level as well as the new level below it will remain the 'end of the line'; only the tracks at the lowest level (-2) will provide through service for the HSL Amsterdam-Paris.


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

Yes idd so it will be no longer a terminal station . 
Not only trains for the HSL will go through the tunnel, also trains who go the other part of the city and the north of Belgium.


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## Alargule (Feb 21, 2005)

It will no longer be a terminal-only station - that would be a more appropiate description of the future layout of the tracks


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## SOLOMON (May 18, 2005)

really beatiful.


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## poller1 (Aug 27, 2003)

Wonderful renovation... 
did you know that in the late Seventies they wanted to demolish this building...hno:


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## sweek (Jan 30, 2006)

poller1 said:


> Wonderful renovation...
> did you know that in the late Seventies they wanted to demolish this building...hno:


The most beautiful station in the world has already been demolished... Penn Station in New York. I hope it doesn't happen again.
I'm glad to see the works going well in Antwerp, haven't been there in a while. It will be nice not to have to get off at Berchem (my god what an awful station) again and change for Antwerp Central.


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## De Snor (Jul 28, 2002)

a work of art !


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

The whole stations is beautiful, not just the main train shed.

Here are photos from inside the main waiting room.





















And behind those arched windows in the upper part of the photo is the main train shed you can see in the other posts photos


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## phubben (Aug 5, 2005)

The waiting room looks like Grand Central Station's main hall!
I really love this station!


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## groentje (Apr 15, 2006)

I do too.


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Can't wait till it's finished! Great station for an even greater city!


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## patroeski (Jul 8, 2005)

They just started working at the second entry in front of the main building. It will be finished at the end of this year.


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## Joba (Sep 2, 2006)

Several pictures of the recently finished lowest floor, which will handle HST traffic. Unlike in the past, international trains can now travel north through a tunnel beneath the city.


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## Fuss (Feb 9, 2007)

Discover the new part of the *Antwerp Central railwaycathedral* :


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2007)

Magnificent, seems similar to London St Pancras in that a grand railway cathedral is being revitalised thanks to the ever expanding European high speed railway network


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## meow (Mar 1, 2005)

beautiful:drool:
maybe i should visit


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## Fuss (Feb 9, 2007)

Yesterday I was in Antwerp. It was a historical moment for me: the first time that I entered the new part of the magnificent railwaycathedral where they worked on for about 8 years. It's realy impressive and the whole station isn't finished yet. At the end of this year floor 0 & -1 will open (floor +1 is already open since several years)! At the lowest floor -2 wich has just opened (about 20 meters underground) the trains can ride through a 3,8 km long tunnel under the city of Antwerp to the north of Belgium. Also high speed trains like Thalys will use the tunnel for travels to the Netherlands.


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## Trainman Dave (Mar 30, 2007)

When will the lower railway in the tuneel be opened?


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## Fuss (Feb 9, 2007)

Trainman Dave said:


> When will the lower railway in the tuneel be opened?


The railwaytunnel and the -2 floor of the Central Station opened at march 23 this year.
With the tunnel trains can travel to the north of Belgium and international trains can go to the Netherlands, without making a tour around the city wich cost much more time.












This part is open right now:


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## JohnD81 (Apr 16, 2007)

The lower tunnels may well be open but does anyone know when high speed trains will start running the Brussels/Amsterdam route via this station?


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## thtc (Jan 5, 2007)

JohnD81 said:


> The lower tunnels may well be open but does anyone know when high speed trains will start running the Brussels/Amsterdam route via this station?


NS Hispeed starts it's regional services from 09-12-2007 via the new highspeed-line. Though the maximum speed will be restricted to 160 km/h untill december 2008. From 12-2008 Thalys will run via the new line from Amsterdam to Brussels and Paris at 300 km/h.


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## patroeski (Jul 8, 2005)

Some more pics:


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## JohnD81 (Apr 16, 2007)

Thanks for the info thtc


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

Some other pictures of the Antwerp Central Station:

The lowest level: 20 meters underground:










Waiting room:


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## patroeski (Jul 8, 2005)

Encore said:


>


Is this the entrance at the Kievitstraat?


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

patroeski said:


> Is this the entrance at the Kievitstraat?


It's idd close to the new Kievit entrance but this is not the new entrance itself. It's the part on the picture below that is coverd with glass and it looks very nice if you walk there :


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## Insane alex (Aug 24, 2004)

This station is amazing!


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## Prestonian (Sep 11, 2002)

Wow! really cool design.


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

New pictures of the Antwerp Railwaycathedral thanks to member 'Da_Vinci'.




















































A second and spectacular entrance to the station is been built:


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Christmas-time! (pics made by Da Vinci)


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

New 'old' floor in the 'tickethall': (pics by De Snor)


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Extremely cool!


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## snot (May 12, 2004)

This station is so amazing! I can't wait to take the highspeed train Antwerp-Amsterdam next year!


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

More pics:


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## Andre_idol (Aug 6, 2008)

Thermo said:


> It's a real Youtube-hit!


It´s a favourite since i found it on youtube 

AMAZING station :drool: ...was love at first sight


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## timo9 (Oct 24, 2008)

the best rail station i've ever seen


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Damn sony music and copyright...

The station is a real landmark btw, maybe one of the most stunning ones in Europe. I have to see it myself one day...


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Some pictures I took last summer on the northern railway line from Brussels to Antwerp:

Brussels North Railway Station:



Siemens Desiro Commuter Train:



Benelux train with Traxx locomotive from Amsterdam arriving at Brussels:







Train with Vectron locomotive passing Haren South Railway Station:





^^ 'Desiro' commuter train, passing the brand new national railway museum 'Trainworld'. Opened at September this year.



Thalys train on its way to Brussels and Paris:



M6 double deck train from Brussels to Antwerp:



Old MS80 Break towards Brussels:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

In september the new railway museum Train world finally opened at the Schaarbeek train station. It's a brilliant, stunning, interactive and beautiful exhibition, situated along the first and one of the busiest continental railways between Amsterdam/Antwerp and Brussels/Paris. 

If ever in Brussels, go and visit it. Trains, buses or trams from the city center will bring you there.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Antwerp Central Station:







Brussels Central Station:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Liège-Guillemins railway station:







Kapellekerk Station, Brussels:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Bulevardi (Jul 19, 2007)

Brussels


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