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By Train from London (United Kingdom) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) - Option 2: travel direct
Journey Summary
Depart London (United Kingdom)
London St Pancras International
Arrive Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Amsterdam Centraal
Sat/Sun = 2 x trains per day
Journey information
Train
Eurostar has expanded its service of London to Amstedam direct trains.
The timetable now comprises departures from St. Panrcras International at:
07:16 on Mon-Saturday
11:04 daily
17:16 on Mon-Friday
17:19 on Sundays
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
Final Destination: Amsterdam Centraal/CS
All trains also call at: Bruxelles - Midi and Rotterdam Centraal
These trains do not call at Ebbsfleet International or Ashford International.
These trains also don't call at Antwerpen-Centraal or Schiphol Airport
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
Our guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
If the timings of these direct trains don't suit, you can travel on one of the much more frequent alternative journey options, which involve changing trains in Bruxelles/Brussels.
THE JOURNEY:
It's not a particularly scenic journey, but it is a journey with distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: The train will then travel on a high speed line between the tunnel and Bruxelles - the best views over Bruxelles/Brussels can be seen from the right of the train.
7: The train will then travel on conventional tracks between Bruxelles and Antwerpen.
8: The train will then be back on high-speed tracks between Antwerpen and Schiphol and around 15 mins after leaving Antwerpen behind, look out for the crossing of the Rhine River.
Windmillls can also be spotted between Rotterdam and Schiphol.
This journey is featured on the The Daily Telegraph's list of Best Rail Journeys to take in 2018.
TRAVELLING FROM AMSTERDAM TO LONDON:
For the time being the direct train service between London and Amsterdam only operates in this direction - TO The Netherlands
Direct Eurostar trains back to London can't be put into service until the passport and check-in facilities are ready at Amsterdam Centraal station.
So until they do begin operating, at a date still to be confirmed, the only option for the return journey is to make a straightforward connection between trains at Bruxelles-Midi station.
More details of how to do this are available HERE.
The QE II bridge over the Thames can be seen on the right
Around 5 mins after racing through Ebbsfleet the trains will cross the Medway River
The landscape on the way to Lille
Windmills north of Rotterdam from the Dutch high speed line
Ticket information
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: Between 138 and 190 days ahead of the travel date.
Seats are assigned when booking tickets.
The prices shown below are the most heavily discounted, one way, Standard Class prices
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The booking path on the Eurostar website is comparatively straightforward and an advantage of booking direct with Eurostar, is that it offers its ticket purchasers the ability to choose specific seats from a seating plan (after the booking has been made).
If you're new to using the other ticket booking services, which have availability for the London to Amsterdam route, these booking guides should be of use.
Booking with NS International (NS is the Dutch national rail operator)
Booking with B-Europe (B-Europe is a service provided by Belgium's national rail operator)
What to look out for when booking with the alternative ticket services
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Also worth knowing is that when travelling by Eurostar you can choose between three classes of service, but it isn't possible to select different types of ticket.
So there isn't an option to pay a higher price for a less restrictive type of ticket, which can be refunded etc - all tickets are non-refundable if you subsequently need to cancel your travel plans.
If you book Standard or Standard Premier tickets, you can exchange them if need be, to an alternative departure on your booked route - but you will need to pay an admin fee of £30 for Standard Class tickets, £40 for Standard Premier tickets PLUS the price difference with the new ticket you will be booking - and prices will probably have increased since making your original booking.
Business Premier tickets are less restrictive, they can't be refunded, but they can be exchanged to alternative departures without paying the admin fee, or the price difference.
Business Premier tickets can also be exchanged to the alternative journey options with a connection in Bruxelles - but if you booked Standard or Standard Premier tickets, they can only be exchanged to alternative direct trains.
Eurostar's full ticket terms and conditions are here
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Using Eurail and InterRail Passes:
If you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail 'Global Pass' you will need to book a rail pass reservation to travel by these trains.
You can purchase these online with no booking fees via B-Europe - or they ARE now available on the Eurostar website.
Booking in advance is recommended as it's not unknown for rail pass reservations on Eurostar services to sell out days or weeks in advance - there is evidently limited availability per departure.
It is worth targeting these direct Eurostar services from London to Amsterdam, the reservation fees of - from €35 if you will be using a 2nd class pass and from €43 if you will be using a First Class pass - are similarly priced as the London to Bruxelles journey.
So by taking these direct trains with a Eurail or InterRail pass, you will;
- save money compared to the alternative journey option of taking a Eurostar from London to Bruxelles and then a Thalys train to Amsterdam from Bruxelles
- save time compared to taking a Eurostar to Bruxelles and then an IC train from Bruxelles to Amsterdam.
If you are a UK resident, worth knowing is your rail pass + reservation will only be valid if you take a train back to UK on the final day that you will be using your pass.
You cannot use an InterRail Pass to return to the UK by another route and then travel between the UK and Amsterdam.
