Eurostar has announced an agreement with the Dutch railways to launch a direct service between London and Amsterdam beginning in December 2016, according to a press release.

The secretary of state for infrastructure and the environment made the announcement as a group of measures made to enhance the services on the high-speed line that will be ratified by the Dutch Parliament during the coming months.

The new service will feature the new e320 trains that will be interoperable and will also be compatible with the Dutch high-speed signaling systems.

Eurostar became a standalone corporate entity in September 2010. The company wanted to expand its business beyond the existing destinations and encourage passengers to choose high-speed rail over planes for short-haul trips through Europe.

As part of the recent expansion, the company has also introduced new services to the Swiss Alps and Provence, an area in the south of France.

The new London to Amsterdam route is the largest international airline market in Europe, attracting over three million business and leisure passengers.

There will be two high-speed rail services a day between the U.K. and the Netherlands. The travel time is projected to be approximately four hours. The service will run via Brussels to Amsterdam, stopping at Antwerp, Rotterdam, Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Centraal.

"We have long been ambitious for expansion to new destinations so today's announcement marks a major advance in our growth plans," Nicolas Petrovic, the chief executive of Eurostar. "With over three million passengers traveling by air between London and Amsterdam, this is one of Europe's most popular routes.

"Our fast, comfortable, point-to-point service will greatly enhance the links between the U.K. and the near continent, revolutionizing travel between these important financial and tourist hubs," Petrovic continued.

Currently, the Eurostar is best known for its route between London and Paris.

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