DeWaterbus Schedules 2026

De Waterbus is public transport that happens to float. Launched in 2017 and run by Braxo for the Flemish maritime agency, it moves commuters, cyclists and dock workers along the Scheldt at Antwerp — not a tourist cruise but a bus route on water, with the first boat leaving at 04:30 for the morning shift in the port.

Two lines, eight stops

The north line runs from Steenplein in the city centre out through Sint Anna on the left bank, Zwijndrecht, Kallosluis and Liefkenshoek to Lillo, deep inside the docks — about an hour end to end, with boats every thirty minutes. The south line goes the other way, Steenplein to Kruibeke and Hemiksem, roughly half an hour and hourly. The city crossing between Steenplein and Sint Anna is the busiest single hop: seven minutes, forty sailings a day, from 04:30 until 23:00.

Fares by zone

Four zones. Zone 2 (city) — Steenplein to Sint Anna — and Zone 4 (harbour crossing) — Liefkenshoek to Lillo — cost €1 single or return. Zone 1 (south, Hemiksem–Sint Anna) and Zone 3 (north, Steenplein–Lillo) are €4 single, €6 return, with a reduced €3.50 for under-25s, over-65s and disabled passengers. Children up to five travel free. A ten-trip card is €24, a day pass €15, an annual pass €685. Tickets are bought on board by card or phone, or online in advance.

Bikes, and the peak-hour rule

Bicycles and scooters travel free, which is the point of the service for a lot of its users — the left bank and the port are awkward to reach by bike any other way. The published timetable marks peak departures in red: those sailings give priority to commuters, and the operator asks leisure travellers to avoid them. Boats are catamarans designated D1 to D6, and the schedule differs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.