Antwerp Expo parking: how do you get there, and where do you park?

You have a stand to build, a fair to visit or a team arriving for three days of meetings at Antwerp Expo. You want to know where the car goes, which tram to take and how to avoid a parking ticket in the streets around the halls.

Where can you park at Antwerp Expo?

Antwerp Expo parking comes in three kinds, according to the venue itself. There are free spaces along Vogelzanglaan and a paid visitor car park that opens during events. Further out, lower-cost park and ride sites have a tram to the door. Which one suits you depends on how early you arrive and how long you stay.

Vogelzanglaan runs right next to the venue, so it is the first place drivers look. The paid visitor car park is the guarded Vogelzang car park, the alternative Antwerp Expo itself points to. If you arrive late on the opening day of a large fair, plan for the park and ride from the start. Antwerp Expo keeps its accessibility and parking page up to date, so check it the day before.

Antwerp Expo parking and transport options at a glance

What are the parking rules in the streets around Antwerp Expo?

The streets around Antwerp Expo, the Tentoonstellingswijk, became a paid event zone on 1 October 2025. The city then adjusted the rules on 22 December 2025. Since that change, paid parking applies Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 19:00. The first two hours are free and there is no maximum stay.

To use the free first two hours you must register your parking, as Antwerp Expo explains in its news item on the new parking rules. VRT reported the December change after complaints from residents and businesses. The rules have changed twice in a short time, so read the street signs when you park. Vogelzanglaan stays free.

Note

Antwerp Expo lies outside the Antwerp low-emission zone (LEZ). You only enter the LEZ if you drive on into the centre inside the Ring. Our guide to parking and the LEZ in Antwerp explains how registration works.

How do you get to Antwerp Expo by tram or train?

Antwerp Expo is served by tram 2 (Merksem to Hoboken) and tram 6 (Luchtbal to Olympiade) from Antwerpen-Centraal station. Buses 17 and 22 also run from Centraal towards the venue. If you come by train from the south, you can also get off at Antwerpen-Zuid and walk.

Tram 6 is the useful one if you drive in from the south. It starts at P+R Olympiade on the south side of the city and runs north towards Luchtbal. De Lijn itself sends event visitors from that P+R onto tram 6. So you can leave the car at the edge of the city and ride the last stretch to the halls. For tickets and the network, see our guide to getting around Antwerp by tram.

Tip

On the busiest fair days, the tram is often the calmest choice. Antwerp Expo links to De Lijn’s route planner on its parking page for current departures.

Accommodation near Antwerp Expo: why Antwerp South works

Accommodation near Antwerp Expo is easiest in Antwerp South, the district around the venue, Middelheim Park and the Olympic Stadium. Hoost’s four furnished apartments are in one building at VIIde-Olympiadelaan 19, about 1.2 km from Antwerp Expo and about 0.5 km from the Olympic Stadium.

That location solves the parking question for a multi-day fair. Trams 2 and 6 stop near the building. Both are the lines Antwerp Expo recommends. P+R Olympiade is about 0.2 km from the building. There is no parking on site, but there is paid parking nearby. The building is outside the LEZ, so you can drive to it without LEZ registration.

For exhibitors and visiting teams, the practical details matter:

• Arrival after build-up: self check-in with a lockbox, from 15:00, so a late arrival is no problem.
• Work in the evening: every apartment has a dedicated workspace with Wi-Fi and an Ethernet connection.
• A team under one roof: the building sleeps up to 14 guests, with up to 7 people in their own bedroom.
• Invoicing: stays can be invoiced to your company.

If you are comparing areas for a longer work trip, our pillar on where to stay in Antwerp for work sets out the options. Teams booking for several fairs a year can also look at our corporate housing in Antwerp.

What is on at Antwerp Expo, and how do you plan around it?

The Antwerp Expo calendar lists the trade fairs, consumer shows and events coming up at the venue. We do not copy it here, because organisers add and change dates. The Antwerp Expo events calendar is the place to check, followed by the website of your own fair for opening hours.

Plan the stay around the busiest days. Build-up and opening days are usually the busiest for parking and trams. A stay from the evening before the opening means you can take the tram in the morning and skip the queue for the car park. A stay at Hoost starts at 2 nights, which fits a typical fair visit with a travel day on either side.

When Hoost is not the right choice

Hoost is not the right choice for every Expo visit. Choose a hotel if you need one night only, because a stay with us starts at 2 nights. A hotel also suits you better if you want daily housekeeping or a reception desk, which we do not offer.

We also have no parking on site. If a car park at the door matters more than a short tram ride, look elsewhere. And if you want to spend your evenings in the historic centre, a place near the Grote Markt will feel closer. For everything else about business trips to the city, see our guide to business stays in Antwerp.