Eurostar has announced the launch of a new direct route between London and Antwerp.From December 14, travellers will be able to book a direct journey from London St Pancras to Antwerpen-Centraal – just in time for the pre-Christmas period, when visitors can explore the Belgian city’s wonderful museums, markets and winding medieval streets.The route marks the second connection between the UK and Belgium serviced by Eurostar, which also runs between London’s St Pancras International and Brussels-Midi eight to ten times a day, seven days a week. This new direct route is estimated to take two hours and 41 minutes.At the moment, passengers wishing to travel to Antwerp with Eurostar are required to alight at Brussels-Midi/Zuid, and then take a SNCB train onwards to Antwerpen-Centraal. The current journey time is three hours and 30 minutes.Four of the ten daily Brussels-bound trains will continue on to Antwerp, stopping at Lille-Europe, Brussels-Midi and Rotterdam Central along the way. Eurostar have announced a new route between London St Pancras International and Antwerpen-Centraal (pictured) in Belgium There is ample for tourists to explore in Antwerp, including Renaissance architecture and excellent gastronomyThere is, however, a slight catch.Direct routes back from Antwerp will not be available. When returning to London, travellers will have to book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket, connecting via Brussels-Midi, where UK border and security checks can take place.There are no current plans to provide direct return routes.A spokesman for Eurostar said: ‘This would require a dedicated UK border and customs facilities at Antwerp-Centraal, something it looks like we’re not going to get in the near future.’For those who are still keen to try this one-way perk, tickets are already on sale, with fares as low as £51 one-way. Speaking about the announcement of the new route, a spokesman for Eurostar said: ‘This would require a dedicated UK border and customs facilities at Antwerp-Centraal, something it looks like we’re not going to get in the near future’Eurostar has emphasised the benefits of this new service, saying: ‘Adding Antwerp as a direct stop on our London-Amsterdam services will make journeys to the city quicker and more convenient, providing customers with a more comfortable city centre to city centre travel experience.’Plans have also been announced to offer additional direct services to Frankfurt and Geneva, rolling out a fleet of up to 50 trains to operate the routes. While an official date has not yet been released, these services are expected to be rolled out during the 2030s.