Belgium: the Rupel tunnel on the A12 will be closed at night. Truck drivers will be diverted
Truck drivers travelling at night through Belgium must prepare for diversions on the A12 between Brussels and Antwerp. From May 17, the Rupel tunnel will be closed in stages, and traffic will be redirected via the N177 road and the Rupelbrug bridge, among other routes. From mid-May, truck drivers using Belgium’s A12 motorway will face night-time disruptions due to works in the Rupel tunnel. The closures will be carried out in stages and will affect both directions of traffic between Brussels and Antwerp.
Works in the Rupel tunnel will begin on the evening of Sunday, May 17, 2026, and will continue until the morning of Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The works will be carried out exclusively at night, from Sunday evenings to Friday mornings, daily between 20:00 and 06:00.
The tunnel will be closed in only one direction at a time.
▶️ Stage 1 ➡ Antwerp direction
Until the morning of Friday, May 29, the carriageway towards Antwerp will remain closed. During this period, a diversion has been designated via the Rupel-Kanaalzone [8] exit (A12), the N177 road, and the Rupelbrug bridge.
▶️ Stage 2 ➡ Brussels direction
From the evening of Sunday, May 31, the carriageway towards Brussels will be closed. The traffic organisation will remain in place until the morning of Wednesday, June 10.
The diversion route will run via the Boom [9] exit (A12), the N177 road, and the Rupelbrug bridge.
The Rupel tunnel is an important section for road transport, as it is located on the A12 route connecting the Antwerp region with Brussels. This section is regularly used by heavy goods traffic, including ADR transport. Carriers carrying out night-time transport operations through Belgium should take into account possible delays on the diversion routes, particularly in the area of the Rupelbrug bridge and local exits from the A12 motorway.
