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Eurostar will launch direct trains from Amsterdam to London this April, the cross-Channel rail operator has announced.

Having launched a direct service from London to both Amsterdam and Rotterdam back in 2018, passengers wishing to travel back to London from the Netherlands with the service have had to change trains in Brussels to go through passport control and security screening.

This was a "temporary measure" while the UK and Dutch governments completed an agreement which was due to be in place by the end of 2019, but progressed slower than expected.

The new commercial route from Amsterdam Centraal to London St Pancras will begin on April 30, and will not only save travellers the hassle of swapping trains, it'll also cut the journey time down by around an hour, with the new route expected to take four hours and nine minutes.

A direct service from Rotterdam will follow on May 18, and tickets for both are due to go on sale from February 11, with fares starting at £35 each way.

There are currently three outbound services a day from the UK to the Netherlands. The direct inbound journey from Amsterdam to London will kick off with two services, with the idea being to increase this to a third, and then a fourth.

The Eurostar offers a more sustainable way to travel to Europe, with a journey between London and Amsterdam resulting in 80 per cent less carbon per passenger than the equivalent flight, according to the company.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport in the UK, said: "We’re continuing to invest in modern, efficient transport links with the continent so our businesses and tourism industry can flourish. The days of passengers being forced to decamp from the train at Brussels to file through passport control will soon be over, as we look forward to direct, return, high-speed services to Amsterdam and beyond."

Eurostar 25th Anniversary - In pictures 39 show all Eurostar 25th Anniversary - In pictures 1/39 2004 Queen Elizabeth II steps out of a Eurostar train as she arrives at the Gare du Nord station in Paris for the start of a three-day state visit AFP/Getty Images 2/39 2003 Billboard advertising Eurostar's rail service showing British Queen Elizabeth II holding her dress in a Marilyn Monroe pose, in central Brussels, October 3, 2003 Eurostar 3/39 1993 Eurostar Channel Tunnel train on lorry trailer on M25 Junction A3 Rex 4/39 2001 Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was unveiled as the new face of Channel Tunnel train operator Eurostar in 2001 PA 5/39 2012 The London 2012 Olympic Rings on the Eurotunnel entrance in Calais, France. PA 6/39 1994 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelling on the new Eurostar train in May 1994 PA 7/39 1994 Channel Tunnel Inauguration and Opening on May 6, 1994. Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterand sit in her Rolls Royce on board the Eurostar PA 8/39 1994 The first Eurostar commercial train leaves the Chunnel en route to Paris AFP 9/39 1996 French President Jacques Chirac and his wife Bernadette in the Eurostar high speed train to London's Waterloo station at the start of their official visit to Britain AFP via Getty Images 10/39 1997 All female crew of Eurostar Train, Fiona Johns (pictured) as Driver Evening Standard 11/39 1998 Eric Cantona the former footballer turned actor in a scene from a television commercial for Eurostar Business Campaign 12/39 1999 Clubbers enjoy themselves on a Eurostar train to Paris for a fare of £29 13/39 2000 102 Dalmatians Eurostar launch at St Pancras Evening Standard 14/39 2003 A Eurostar attendant serves passengers travelling between London and Paris . A new time of 2h35' between London and Paris was set 27 September AFP 15/39 2007 A man attempts to catch the last Eurostar rail service to Paris as it departs from Waterloo International to Continental Europe before the overnight move to the St Pancras International in London November 13, 2007 Evening Standard 16/39 2007 British pop star Lily Allen performs at the Eurostar concourse at London's Waterloo Station.The last Eurostar high-speed train was set to arrive at Waterloo station Tuesday evening, before the service transfers on Wednesday morning to a freshly renovated new terminus at St Pancras, north of the Thames AFP/Getty Images 17/39 2007 Eurostar staff celebrate the opening of the new terminal at St Pancras station this morning PA 18/39 2007 Eurostar staff wave off the first high speed train to Paris at the new terminal at St Pancras station PA 19/39 2007 A screen in St Pancras train station shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II officially opening St Pancras International station, Euston Road, London PA 20/39 2007 Eurostar Trains in the station after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II officially opened St Pancras International station, Euston Road, London 21/39 2007 The champagne bar beside a Eurostar train in the Eurostar terminal of St Pancras International station Getty Images 22/39 2007 History was made at the new St Pancras International when the first Eurostar train left for Brussels Jeremy Selwyn 23/39 2007 England rugby fans at Waterloo Station get ready to board the Eurostar to Paris, for the World Cup Final Daily Mail 24/39 2007 A general view of the first trains to leave from the Eurostar platform of St Pancras International station in London Getty Images 25/39 2008 Members of the British pop band 'Take That' board the Eurostar train at London's St. Pancras station on their way to Paris, France, December 1 2008 26/39 2010 Steven Gerrard of Liverpool travels on the Eurostar from London to Paris Liverpool FC via Getty Images 27/39 2010 A man walks past an Eurostar train, emblazoned with images of Charles De Gaulle and other wartime French figures AFP 28/39 2012 Athletes from the Belgian Olympic Team pose at St Pancras International Train Station as they depart on the Eurostar after the London 2012 Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images 29/39 2013 Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall traveling to Paris on the Eurostar for a two day visit to the French capital, speaks with Mary Rigg from Hastings, Rob Daines from Coventry and Scott Alvey, residents of the charity, Emmaus at St Pancras International Getty Images 30/39 2014 Eurostar trains in 2014 exceeded 10 million for the first time, while Eurotunnel's shuttle services carried 2.5 million passenger vehicles and 1.4 million trucks Reuters 31/39 2014 Man taking a 'selfie' during Eurostar Channel Tunnel evacuation. 382 passengers and four dogs have had to be evacuated from a broken-down train in the Channel Tunnel. The French-bound Eurotunnel passenger shuttle train came to a halt about a quarter of the way through the tunnel after a problem with the overhead power line. Those evacuated were taken to the French terminal Danny Boyle 32/39 2014 Raymond Blanc attends the unveiling Eurostar's brand new e320 fleet Getty Images 33/39 2014 Queen Elizabeth II and Clare Hollingworth, Chairwoman of Eurostar, board the Eurostar train during a ceremony to mark the 20th Anniversary of the opening of the Eurotunnel as she departs for a State visit to France at St Pancras Station Getty Images 34/39 2014 Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Calum Chambers on the Eurostar as the squad travel to Brussels Arsenal FC via Getty Images 35/39 2014 Eurostar celebrated the opening of ticket sales for its new year-round service to Lyon and the South of France by converting one of its carriages into a Provencal lavender field at St Pancras Station Getty Images 36/39 2015 Passengers waiting for Eurostar services at St Pancras station, London, England. Eurostar passengers vented their anger after spending the night sleeping at St Pancras station as the rail service battled to clear a massive backlog caused by strikes in France Jeremy Selwyn 37/39 2016 Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (R) greets her counterpart from London, Sadiq Khan after he arrived by Eurostar at the Gare du Nord railway station AFP via Getty Images 38/39 2018 Eurostar team prepare to welcome travellers to London to celebrate Pride 2018 with a rainbow carpet on the platforms at St Pancras International Getty Images 39/39 2019 Undated handout photo issued by Eurostar of passengers using Eurostar's 'press for champagne' button which has been launched to mark 100 days until its 25th anniversary. The button is available on the rail operator's smartphone app and a free glass of champagne will be served to the first 25 passengers on selected trains who activate the feature PA 1/39 2004 Queen Elizabeth II steps out of a Eurostar train as she arrives at the Gare du Nord station in Paris for the start of a three-day state visit AFP/Getty Images 2/39 2003 Billboard advertising Eurostar's rail service showing British Queen Elizabeth II holding her dress in a Marilyn Monroe pose, in central Brussels, October 3, 2003 Eurostar 3/39 1993 Eurostar Channel Tunnel train on lorry trailer on M25 Junction A3 Rex 4/39 2001 Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was unveiled as the new face of Channel Tunnel train operator Eurostar in 2001 PA 5/39 2012 The London 2012 Olympic Rings on the Eurotunnel entrance in Calais, France. PA 6/39 1994 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelling on the new Eurostar train in May 1994 PA 7/39 1994 Channel Tunnel Inauguration and Opening on May 6, 1994. Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterand sit in her Rolls Royce on board the Eurostar PA 8/39 1994 The first Eurostar commercial train leaves the Chunnel en route to Paris AFP 9/39 1996 French President Jacques Chirac and his wife Bernadette in the Eurostar high speed train to London's Waterloo station at the start of their official visit to Britain AFP via Getty Images 10/39 1997 All female crew of Eurostar Train, Fiona Johns (pictured) as Driver Evening Standard 11/39 1998 Eric Cantona the former footballer turned actor in a scene from a television commercial for Eurostar Business Campaign 12/39 1999 Clubbers enjoy themselves on a Eurostar train to Paris for a fare of £29 13/39 2000 102 Dalmatians Eurostar launch at St Pancras Evening Standard 14/39 2003 A Eurostar attendant serves passengers travelling between London and Paris . A new time of 2h35' between London and Paris was set 27 September AFP 15/39 2007 A man attempts to catch the last Eurostar rail service to Paris as it departs from Waterloo International to Continental Europe before the overnight move to the St Pancras International in London November 13, 2007 Evening Standard 16/39 2007 British pop star Lily Allen performs at the Eurostar concourse at London's Waterloo Station.The last Eurostar high-speed train was set to arrive at Waterloo station Tuesday evening, before the service transfers on Wednesday morning to a freshly renovated new terminus at St Pancras, north of the Thames AFP/Getty Images 17/39 2007 Eurostar staff celebrate the opening of the new terminal at St Pancras station this morning PA 18/39 2007 Eurostar staff wave off the first high speed train to Paris at the new terminal at St Pancras station PA 19/39 2007 A screen in St Pancras train station shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II officially opening St Pancras International station, Euston Road, London PA 20/39 2007 Eurostar Trains in the station after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II officially opened St Pancras International station, Euston Road, London 21/39 2007 The champagne bar beside a Eurostar train in the Eurostar terminal of St Pancras International station Getty Images 22/39 2007 History was made at the new St Pancras International when the first Eurostar train left for Brussels Jeremy Selwyn 23/39 2007 England rugby fans at Waterloo Station get ready to board the Eurostar to Paris, for the World Cup Final Daily Mail 24/39 2007 A general view of the first trains to leave from the Eurostar platform of St Pancras International station in London Getty Images 25/39 2008 Members of the British pop band 'Take That' board the Eurostar train at London's St. Pancras station on their way to Paris, France, December 1 2008 26/39 2010 Steven Gerrard of Liverpool travels on the Eurostar from London to Paris Liverpool FC via Getty Images 27/39 2010 A man walks past an Eurostar train, emblazoned with images of Charles De Gaulle and other wartime French figures AFP 28/39 2012 Athletes from the Belgian Olympic Team pose at St Pancras International Train Station as they depart on the Eurostar after the London 2012 Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images 29/39 2013 Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall traveling to Paris on the Eurostar for a two day visit to the French capital, speaks with Mary Rigg from Hastings, Rob Daines from Coventry and Scott Alvey, residents of the charity, Emmaus at St Pancras International Getty Images 30/39 2014 Eurostar trains in 2014 exceeded 10 million for the first time, while Eurotunnel's shuttle services carried 2.5 million passenger vehicles and 1.4 million trucks Reuters 31/39 2014 Man taking a 'selfie' during Eurostar Channel Tunnel evacuation. 382 passengers and four dogs have had to be evacuated from a broken-down train in the Channel Tunnel. The French-bound Eurotunnel passenger shuttle train came to a halt about a quarter of the way through the tunnel after a problem with the overhead power line. Those evacuated were taken to the French terminal Danny Boyle 32/39 2014 Raymond Blanc attends the unveiling Eurostar's brand new e320 fleet Getty Images 33/39 2014 Queen Elizabeth II and Clare Hollingworth, Chairwoman of Eurostar, board the Eurostar train during a ceremony to mark the 20th Anniversary of the opening of the Eurotunnel as she departs for a State visit to France at St Pancras Station Getty Images 34/39 2014 Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Calum Chambers on the Eurostar as the squad travel to Brussels Arsenal FC via Getty Images 35/39 2014 Eurostar celebrated the opening of ticket sales for its new year-round service to Lyon and the South of France by converting one of its carriages into a Provencal lavender field at St Pancras Station Getty Images 36/39 2015 Passengers waiting for Eurostar services at St Pancras station, London, England. Eurostar passengers vented their anger after spending the night sleeping at St Pancras station as the rail service battled to clear a massive backlog caused by strikes in France Jeremy Selwyn 37/39 2016 Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (R) greets her counterpart from London, Sadiq Khan after he arrived by Eurostar at the Gare du Nord railway station AFP via Getty Images 38/39 2018 Eurostar team prepare to welcome travellers to London to celebrate Pride 2018 with a rainbow carpet on the platforms at St Pancras International Getty Images 39/39 2019 Undated handout photo issued by Eurostar of passengers using Eurostar's 'press for champagne' button which has been launched to mark 100 days until its 25th anniversary. The button is available on the rail operator's smartphone app and a free glass of champagne will be served to the first 25 passengers on selected trains who activate the feature PA

Meanwhile, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands, said: "The direct connection makes the train journey to London easier and faster. Checks in Brussels will no longer be necessary, saving travellers an hour of travel time. This way the train really becomes a fully-fledged alternative to the plane."

So far over half a million travellers have taken the direct journey from the UK to the Netherlands since it launched.