Under the Scheldt and across the Scheldt – on the road in Antwerp

Tunnels often have an attraction for people. And if they run deep under a river, they are a real magnet. The Sint-Annatunnel in Antwerp is certainly one of the most interesting tunnels in the city.

Bridge or tunnel?

As early as 1874, discussions began in the city about the best way to connect the left and right banks of the Scheldt. There were numerous ideas for building a bridge, but they were all rejected. Navigation should not be restricted as much as possible and a bridge would have done this.

After the First World War, the problem became more urgent. Numerous high-rise buildings and terraced housing estates were built on the left bank. More and more residents moved from the historic old town on the right bank to the modern apartments on the left bank. Residents commuted to work every day. The Waasland Tunnel (1933) was built, which was intended for car traffic.

There was initially no pedestrian tunnel. In 1931, construction work began on the Sint-Annatunnel, which was planned as a pedestrian tunnel. This tunnel was completed in 1933 and made it easier for residents to get to the other side of the river.

German troops damaged the tunnel during their retreat from the city, so that it could not be used for several years. In 1949, the doors of the entrance houses opened again. Following restoration work and the installation of a large freight elevator, it is now also possible to cycle through the tunnel.

The Sint-Annatunnel has been a listed building since 1997.

Come with us through the tunnel

Coming from the old town, we reached the Sint-Jansvliet. The entrance building with its yellow bricks barely stands out among the rather tall old town buildings. The doors to the building were closed and everything looked a bit run-down. It was only when a cyclist rode briskly into the building that we were sure we could actually enter the tunnel.

Many parts of the building are still in their original condition. Old information boards, barriers and the floor took us back in time. When we discover the carting and jolting escalator, everything is clear – we simply have to go through the tunnel. Cyclists don’t have to use the escalator, there is a freight elevator for them!

Two wooden escalators from the 1930s lead down into the tunnel tube. We stand carefully on the steps, preferring to hold on tightly, and then it jolts down into the depths. The stairs do not glide as smoothly as the ultra-modern escalators in department stores or train stations. This makes the ride an experience.

We descend 31 meters until we reach the tunnel tube. And tube is exactly the right word for the tunnel, which has a diameter of just 4.30 meters. A 572-metre-long path opens up in front of us, which pedestrians and cyclists have to share in both directions.

The end of the brightly lit tunnel is nowhere to be seen, so we simply set off. The floor was slightly damp but not slippery, the walls were tiled in the lower area and painted white in the upper area. There are no hidden corners to be seen, just a straight tube.

It is actually quite monotonous to get to the other side of the river this way. Every now and then a bicycle whizzes past us and in total we encountered maybe 5 pedestrians. The thought of the vast amounts of water and the numerous ships above us doesn’t exactly make me dawdle and so we reach the end of the Sint-Annatunnel quite quickly.

Here too, the old wooden escalators await us, slowly taking us to the top. Once at the top, we discover a photo exhibition. It shows pictures of the construction phase and reconstruction after the Second World War.

On the other side of the river

So now we are in Linkeroever. The yellow building is located in a green area by a parking lot and not directly on the riverbank. In just a few steps, we reach the bank of the river and are rewarded with a fantastic view.

From here, the Antwerp skyline rises up in all its beauty. You can see the tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady, Steen Castle and even the characteristic Museum aan de Stroom.

It was worth going through the tunnel for this view.

Back by ferry

Our tip for the way back – the ferry! Not far from the tunnel, pedestrians and cyclists can take a ferry to the other side of the river. Two boats travel back and forth between the piers. So the wait until the boat departs is quite short.

We arrived at the pier shortly after the ferry had left. While we waited, we tried to find out how much the trip would cost. Now we know: The ferry can be used free of charge!

On weekdays, the ferry runs from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., at weekends from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every 15 minutes.

As soon as the ferry had docked, we made our way onto the ship via the jetty. There is an area that is sheltered from the weather and equipped with benches. We preferred to be on the outside deck. Here there are bicycle racks and plenty of space for passengers. Unfortunately, the trip was far too short to be able to enjoy all the impressions in peace. There was the oncoming ferry, the shipping traffic on the Scheldt and, of course, the view on both sides of the river. We loved it and the service of being able to enjoy this experience free of charge is just great!

Once you arrive on the other side of the river, you are right next to Steen Castle, from where it is not far to the old town of Antwerp on foot. What a lovely excursion!

Visitor information

Address

The tunnel begins and ends on both banks of the Scheldt:

Frederik van Eedenplein,
2050 Antwerpen

Sint-Jansvliet,
2000 Antwerpen

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