Antwerp premetro to be closed for renovation in 2026 and 2027
The Antwerp premetro will be shut down in stages in 2026 and 2027 for renovation, the director general of Flemish public transport operator De Lijn told the Flemish Parliament on Thursday.
In 2026, the underground tram line between Diamant and Meir will be closed for five to eight months and the line between Meir and the Left Bank for four months. The Diamant-Belgiëlei line will be out of service for nine to 12 months in 2027.
"A complete shutdown may hurt more than a partial shutdown," said Schoubs. "But if you work with partial operation, where work is done at night or on weekends, you always risk not being certain that the tracks can be cleared in the morning." Alternatives to the tram link will be in place.
Antwerp will also undergo major infrastructure work to close the ring road in the same years. Schoubs called it "unfortunate" that several major works will coincide, "but we don't think we can leave the premetro tunnel in its current state for a long time," she said.
The councils of Antwerp and the neighbouring municipality of Zwijndrecht were not involved in the decision, they said on Thursday. André Van de Vyver (Groen, Flemish greens), the mayor of Zwijndrecht, called the planned closure a "downright disgrace". "After years of disinvestment, this was bound to happen," he said.
Opposition parties in the Flemish Parliament also reacted strongly. "You are organising total chaos," Imade Annouri (Groen) told Mobility minister Lydia Peeters (Open VLD, Flemish liberals), denouncing in particular the coincidence with other major works in the city.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO ROB CLOOSTERMAN / HOLLANDSE HOOGTE
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