Antwerp Cruise Port: Berths, Old Town and Getting There

Antwerp lies on the Scheldt and is an important stop for river cruises in Belgium. The city lists two areas for river cruise ships: Scheldekaaien zone Stad and Kattendijkdok. They are in different parts of the port and are not interchangeable names for the same quay. The ship’s assigned berth is stated in the travel documents.

The two berthing areas

Scheldekaaien zone Stad runs along the eastern bank of the Scheldt, immediately west of the historic city centre. Kattendijkdok is a separate harbour basin farther northeast, east of the river. The two areas therefore differ not only in name but also in their location relative to the city centre. Grote Markt is a central landmark in the old town; it lies east of Scheldekaaien, while Kattendijkdok is farther north.

On its passenger ship page, dated 28 October 2026, the City of Antwerp describes restricted access to Kattendijkdok because of the Oosterweel works and construction of the Kanaaltunnel. According to the notice, hotel ships up to 90 metres long can still berth there; larger vessels are assigned a berth at Scheldekaaien zone Stad. This is a time-specific municipal statement, not a general guarantee for any particular ship or future trip. For your own stay, the confirmed berth remains decisive.

Finding your way around the city

Grote Markt is in the historic centre, east of the Scheldt. Antwerpen-Centraal is farther east and slightly south of it. The long-distance bus stop at Rooseveltplaats is also in the eastern city centre, northwest of the railway station; it is a separate arrival point and should not be confused with Antwerpen-Centraal. FlixBus lists stand B5 at Rooseveltplaats and gives the distance to the main railway station as 400 metres. The airport express operator places its stop there on the Opera side.

Antwerp Airport at Deurne is southeast of the city centre and inland, not at the river quay. Brussels Airport is also a separate regional arrival point south of the city.

River travel in Belgium

Antwerp is one of the country’s river cruise destinations. Other Belgian port cities and their varying locations are covered in the Belgium port overview, the river cruise overview and the port directory.