A Eurostar at Amsterdam Centraal. This is the very first public Eurostar arrived on 4 April 2018 with me on board - and in seat 61, of course. Eurostar's new e320 trains have the necessary signalling systems & electric traction voltages to operate to Amsterdam. For tickets between London & other destinations such as Utrecht, Den Haag. Leiden, Arnhem, Groningen, use www.nsinternational.nl .

London to Amsterdam in 3h55...

Eurostar now runs direct trains from London to Rotterdam & Amsterdam, taking 3h16 to Rotterdam & 3h55 to Amsterdam. These London-Amsterdam trains started on 4 April 2018, and when COVID-19 is behind us Eurostar expect to be running up to 5 trains a day each way.

The Man in Seat 61 says, "London to Amsterdam is one of the world's busiest air routes. Eurostar is now running direct London-Amsterdam trains in an airline-competitive 3h55, cutting your CO2 emissions by around 80% compared to flying. It's city centre to city centre, hassle-free with room to work, power sockets, free WiFi and (in 1st class) a meal & wine served at your seat. Eurostar has already captured 70% of the London-Paris market, and this new service is a game-changer for London-Amsterdam."

COVID-19 update: Direct London-Amsterdam Eurostars were suspended during lockdown in March, but resumed from 9 July. The timetable below now shows what Eurostar actually expects to run from now until March 2021 given the COVID-19 situation. Masks must be worn, on-board catering was restored from 7 September. You can still use the Harwich-Hoek ferry, see here. More COVID-19 travel info. See Eurostar.com COVID-19 advice page.

Train times outward London to Amsterdam

Train times inward Amsterdam to London

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

Through tickets starting from 100+ UK towns & cities

Through tickets to Any Dutch Station

Check-in procedure

On board classes, facilities & luggage

About the journey

London St Pancras station guide

Amsterdam Centraal station guide

Suggested hotels in Amsterdam & Rotterdam

London to Amsterdam by Stena Line Rail & Sail

For Eurostar services from London to Amsterdam with a change at Brussels, click here.

Timetable outward

London ► Amsterdam Until 25 October 2020 Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday London St Pancras dep. 11:04 11:04 11:04 Brussels Midi arr. 14:05 14:05 14:05 dep. 14:22 14:22 14:22 Rotterdam Centraal arr. 15:32 15:32 15:32 Amsterdam Centraal arr. 16:11 16:11 16:11

London ► Amsterdam 26 Oct to 11 Dec 2020 Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday London St Pancras dep. 08:16 17:16 - - Brussels Midi arr. 11:12 20:12 - - dep. 11:22 20:22 - - Rotterdam Centraal arr. 12:32 21:32 - - Amsterdam Centraal arr. 13:11 22:11 - -

London ► Amsterdam 13 Dec 2020 to 27 March 2021 Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday London St Pancras dep. 08:16 18:16 08:16 18:16 Brussels Midi arr. 11:12 21:12 11:12 21:12 dep. 11:22 21:22 11:22 21:22 Rotterdam Centraal arr. 12:32 22:32 12:32 22:32 Amsterdam Centraal arr. 13:11 23:11 13:11 23:11

Until 25 October: No direct Eurostar service in this direction, as arrangements for border controls in Amsterdam & Rotterdam are not yet in place. Direct westbound Eurostars from Amsterdam & Rotterdam to London will start from 26 October.

Amsterdam ► London 26 Oct to 11 Dec 2020 Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday Amsterdam Centraal dep. 07:47 16:47 - - Rotterdam Centraal dep. 08:28 17:28 - - Brussels Midi arr. 09:38 18:38 - - dep. 10:05 19:05 - - London St Pancras arr. 10:57 19:57 - -

Amsterdam ► London 13 Dec 2020 to 27 March 2021 Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday Amsterdam Centraal dep. 07:47 16:47 07:47 16:47 Rotterdam Centraal dep. 08:28 17:28 08:28 17:28 Brussels Midi arr. 09:38 18:38 09:38 18:38 dep. 10:05 19:05 10:05 19:05 London St Pancras arr. 10:57 19:57 10:57 19:57

You can check times online at www.nsinternational.nl or eurostar.com. There is a 30-minute check-in at London St Pancras.

London to Amsterdam is 581 km (361 miles). London to Rotterdam is 513 km (318 miles).

Direct westbound Eurostars from Amsterdam to London start from 26 October...

Eurostar started running direct eastbound trains from London to Rotterdam & Amsterdam in April 2018. However, trains have only been running direct in this direction because the necessary agreements are not yet in place to carry out passport & security checks at Amsterdam or Rotterdam for direct westbound trains. So in the Amsterdam & Rotterdam to London direction, passengers must travel from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Brussels by Thalys high-speed train and then from Brussels to London by Eurostar, as shown in the Thalys + Eurostar timetable here (although a reduced timetable is running due to COVID-19). Passports & security checks for the Eurostar are done in Brussels, as for any normal Brussels to London Eurostar. On the plus side, there is no check-in for the Thalys at Amsterdam or Rotterdam, just board the Thalys any time before the doors close and it leaves.

Direct eastbound Eurostars from Amsterdam & Rotterdam to London will now start from 26 October 2020, with border formalities undertaken in the new Eurostar terminals at Amsterdam Centraal & Rotterdam Centraal. This was postponed from 30 April 2020 because of the COVID-19 situation.

From 26 October you'll need check in at least 30 minutes before departure at the Eurostar terminal located on the far eastern end of platform 15 at Amsterdam Centraal, where passports will be checked and security checks carried out. You can still use a Thalys-Eurostar combo with a change of train in Brussels if you like, giving a wide choice of daily departure times, see the Thalys + Eurostar timetable here (although a reduced timetable is running due to COVID-19).

London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam starts at: £40 each way in Standard class. £79 each way in Standard Premier with a light meal & wine included. £260 one-way in Business Premier with a hot meal, wine & champagne included. Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days or dates.

How to buy tickets...

Through tickets from 100+ British towns & cities...

It's possible to buy through tickets from 100+ UK towns & cities to Amsterdam, including Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Reading, Oxford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes & so on. For example, Manchester depart 05:05, Leeds depart 05:05 or Birmingham depart 06:10, Amsterdam arrive 13:12.

Start typing the station name into the journey planner at www.eurostar.com to see if your station is recognised. Eurostar have negotiated special rates with UK train operators for the domestic part of the journey.

Through tickets to Any Dutch Station: Utrecht, Den Haag, Leiden, Arnhem...

You can book from London to anywhere in the Netherlands via this new service using www.nsinternational.nl. One simple change at Rotterdam for Utrecht, Eindhoven, Den Haag, Leiden, Groningen for example.

Eurostar eventually plan to offer special fares from the UK to Any Dutch Station using these trains, changing to Dutch domestic trains at Rotterdam or Amsterdam, but they will only do so when the border control & security issues are resolved and passengers can start travelling from the Netherlands to London by direct Eurostar in the inwards as well as outwards direction. Details will be posted here as & when available.

A Eurostar at Amsterdam Centraal...

The morning Eurostar from London arrived at Amsterdam Centraal, 3h55 from central London.

How to check in...

In the eastbound direction from London , you must check-in at London St Pancras at least 30 minutes before departure , simply by placing the barcode on your ticket over the barcode reader on the automatic ticket gates (pictured below left) or you can use the staffed kiosks (kiosk 5 is visible in the photo below left). Check in opens an hour or two before departure. This video shows the Eurostar check-in & boarding process .

Immediately after the ticket gates there's a simple baggage X-ray and metal detector check, simpler than at airports, usually with no need to remove shoes or belts and no nonsense about liquids - although you can't carry an open cup of coffee through!

In just a few minutes you're in the departure lounge directly under the tracks, with seating, cafe, bar, phone recharging points, toilets, shop and Eurostar information desk. Business Premier passengers can use the Business Lounge with complimentary snacks & drinks including spirits, beer & wine. When departure is announced, you go up the travelators to the platform to board your train...

In the westbound direction to London until 29 April 2020 you'll be using a Thalys from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Brussels. There's no check-in at Rotterdam or Amsterdam, just board the Thalys any time before the doors close and it leaves. You get off at Brussels Midi and go to the Channel Terminal at the platform 1 end of the main concourse, where you go through the normal Eurostar check-in, passport & security checks to board a Eurostar for London. This is only temporary, Eurostar terminal facilities have been built in Rotterdam & Amsterdam and the Dutch government has committed to allowing Eurostar to check passengers in at Rotterdam & Amsterdam by the end of 2019 or earlier.

In the westbound direction to London from 30 April 2020 you must check in at the Eurostar terminal at least 30 minutes before departure for a security check and passport control. At Amsterdam Centraal, the Eurostar terminal is on the far eastern end of platform 15. There is also a Eurostar terminal at Rotterdam, follow the signs.

What's it like on board the Eurostar?

Eurostar has three classes, Standard, Standard Premier & Business Premier. See a full explanation of these classes here.

You take your luggage with you onto the train and place it on the racks inside the entrance to each car or above your seat. More about luggage on Eurostar.

There's free WiFi in all classes, and free TV & movies to stream. All seats have power sockets, either UK 3-pin or European 2-pin type. Standard Premier & Business Premier seats also have USB charging ports.

Eurostars have wheelchair spaces, accessible toilets, and toilets with baby-changing tables.

There are two cafe-bars in cars 8 & 9 serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, champagne, sandwiches, snacks, and several hot dishes.

All aboard for Rotterdam & Amsterdam! 1st class: Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Standard class. Sockets & free WiFi at all seats. One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9...

Baby-changing facilities in all toilets... Plenty of luggage space at the end of each car.

Seat 61? A table for two in 1st class, easily the nicest seating arrangement for couples... Boarding at St Pancras. This is the very first public Eurostar to Amsterdam on 4 April 2018...

Meals & drinks are included in Standard Premier & Business Premier...

A light breakfast or cold light meal is served in Standard Premier, included in the fare. A cooked breakfast or hot meal is served in Business Premier, with menus designed by Eurostar's culinary director, master chef Raymond Blanc. Examples of each are shown below...

Standard Premier light breakfast... Standard Premier light meal...

Business Premier cooked breakfast... Business Premier lunch or dinner...

After leaving St Pancras the train tunnels through north London and emerges on the north bank of the Thames. Look out for the impressive QE2 road suspension bridge on your right, carrying the M25 across the Thames. The Eurostar then tunnels briefly under the Thames to reach Kent, speeding past Kentish woods and fields. The Eurostar crosses the River Medway on a high viaduct, on your left is the M2 motorway bridge but over the top of that you can make out Rochester Castle and Cathedral in the distance. On your right is the nicest view, the River Medway and its muddy banks dotted with small boats. The train passes Ashford station non-stop over a dramatic flyover and just half an hour from London it slows slightly and enters the Channel Tunnel. The tunnel transit takes just 20 minutes, but your phone reception and Eurostar's WiFi still work even deep under the Channel and regular Eurostar travellers hardly notice the tunnel these days. When you burst back into daylight, you're in France. You can just see the tower of Calais town hall on the skyline to your left as the train begins its race past the fields and villages of Northern France at 300 km/h, 186 mph. The lights of Lille Europe station flash past (the trains is non-stop to Brussels) and shortly afterwards it enters Belgium. The train stops at Brussels Midi for several minutes. The Eurostar speeds through Antwerp Central non-stop and crosses into the Netherlands, where there are several wide river crossings including the Moerdijk bridge over the Hollands Diep at the mouth of the River Maas. The train stops at Rotterdam Centraal then 40 minutes later rolls into Amsterdam Centraal, a mere stroll from Amsterdam's famous canals.

Yup, this Eurostar is now in Holland! North & South Holland are two provinces of the 12 that make up the Netherlands. To understand the difference between Holland and The Netherlands, watch this nifty video...

Returning south across the Moerdijk Bridge over the Hollands Diep in early evening, between Rotterdam & Antwerp.

The Eurostar terminal at Amsterdam Centraal...

The Eurostar terminal at Amsterdam Centraal is on the far eastern end of platform 15. A similar terminal is being built on platform 1 at Rotterdam Central. When direct westbound Eurostars start running from 30 April 2020, you must check-in for Eurostar at least 30 minutes before departure.

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Suggested hotels in Amsterdam...

Cheapies: There are many cheap hotels, including many near the station, but very few get outstanding reviews. For ones that do, try the floating boat hotel AmiciA (formerly Friesland), around €45 per night 15 minutes walk from the station or the Rembrandt Hotel from €80, 10 min walk from Dam Square though 20 minutes walk from the station.

Suggested hotels in Rotterdam...

The SS Rotterdam: Easily the most original place to stay in Rotterdam is aboard the moored 1959 transatlantic liner, the SS Rotterdam. It's a taxi ride or 50 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal Station.

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