There are quite a few options available to get to Belgium and Antwerp.
Plane
The most likely place to end up if you’re flying into Belgium is Brussels International Airport at Zaventem. The airport is located some 45 kilometres south of Antwerp. There are flights from all major European cities as well as from the most important overseas metropolises. Various airlines fly into Brussels airport. If you fly Ryanair, you’ll probably arrive probably at Charleroi airport, dubbed ‘Brussels South’, some 90 kilometres away from Antwerp.
From Brussels Airport, Belgian Railways is arguably the most convenient way to get to Antwerp. There is an underground station under the airport terminal. The train to Antwerp takes about half an hour. Prices and timetables of the train are on www.b-rail.be.
The Antwerp Shuttle Service is another option. The bus station is located outside the ground floor of the airport terminal. The bus reaches the centre of Antwerp (De Keyserlei - close to the Central Station) in approximately 45 minutes.
From Charleroi Airport you can get a ‘bulk’ ticket at the Ryanair desk. It includes a bus ride to Charleroi-Sud train station and a train trip to any station in Belgium. There’s a direct link to Antwerp, which takes about 1,5 hours.
mysupershuttle.be also provides a direct shuttle service between Charleroi Airport and Antwerp city. You have to book your ticket in advance via their website.
Bus
If you are looking for a cheap way to get to Antwerp from within Europe, you could travel with Eurolines. The Eurolines bus goes to the centre of the city - Van Stralenstraat 8, 2060 Antwerp.
Train
Antwerp is easy to reach by train. International railway lines link Brussels and Antwerp to several other major European cities. The European high-speed train project includes the Thalys, the Eurostar and the Eurotunnel. There are direct rail links with different cities in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Antwerp can be reached from the UK by Eurostar via Brussels, or by taking the ferry-rail link via Ostend (Ramsgate/Ostend) or Zeebrugge (Hull/Zeebrugge). Antwerp has two main stations: Central Station and Berchem station.
Car
All destinations are within easy reach by car. The city of Antwerp lies at the crossroads of the E17, E19, E34 and E313 motorways. Be warned though, negotiating the city centre by car isn’t always easy, especially during rush hour. The ringroad around Antwerp is always busy, but during rush hour it gets congested. It can sometimes be difficult to park your car in town - and it will nearly always cost you money. Tip: free parking is available on the Gedempte Zuiderdokken, a square between Vlaamse Kaai and Waalse Kaai in ‘t Zuid area.
As of 1 February 2017, the entire city centre of Antwerp and part of Linkeroever will become a Low Emission Zone (LEZ). The most polluting cars will no longer be welcome in the city as of this date. In 2020 and 2025, the LEZ requirements will become more stringent, to ensure that air in the city becomes even cleaner.
Check here if your car is welcome.