Eurostar train at St Pancras Station

The first ever direct train from London to Amsterdam to be open to the public departs from London St Pancras on 3 April 2018 at 8.31am – and The Independent has a bagged a seat on the historic service.

In just three hours and 41 minutes, bar any hiccups, the Eurostar will make its way to Amsterdam station and arrive at 1.12pm (Amsterdam is one hour ahead of the UK).

The much-anticipated service has a limited number of seats left for its inaugural journey, with business class seats costing up to £260. However, there is still no direct return leg; a deal between the UK and the Netherlands on “juxtaposed border controls”, allowing British officials to check passports of passengers at Amsterdam and the intermediate step of Rotterdam, has not yet been finalised.

This means passengers have to take a Thalys high-speed train to Brussels and connect there for Eurostar for the foreseeable.

Follow all the latest from The Independent's journey below