Eurostar launches direct London-Amsterdam route, 3h41m, 2x daily from 4 Apr 2018
Feb 10, 2018, 2:42 am
#1
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Eurostar launches direct London-Amsterdam route, 3h41m, 2x daily from 4 Apr 2018
Eurostar has finally announced the launch of twice daily direct services to Amsterdam from 4 April 2018. Tickets go on sale 20 Feb 2018.
Unfortunately it will initially only be direct to Amsterdam - passengers will still have to change at Brussels on the way to London, until at least 2019. The timings also aren't great for business travellers from London, with the morning 08.31 departure not arriving in Amsterdam until after 1pm. However it's hopefully a step towards better and more frequent direct service in both directions. It also shaves 17m off the journey to Brussels, with the quickest trains now only 1h48m. ^
Information below is from the full press release here.
Amsterdam->London connection options as follows:
Unfortunately it will initially only be direct to Amsterdam - passengers will still have to change at Brussels on the way to London, until at least 2019. The timings also aren't great for business travellers from London, with the morning 08.31 departure not arriving in Amsterdam until after 1pm. However it's hopefully a step towards better and more frequent direct service in both directions. It also shaves 17m off the journey to Brussels, with the quickest trains now only 1h48m. ^
Information below is from the full press release here.
Originally Posted by Eurostar
After extensive preparation, a comprehensive programme of testing on the Dutch high speed network and the building of Eurostar terminals in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Eurostar’s new route to the Netherlands will start on 4 April 2018 with one-way fares from £35. The new service will be launched with two trains a day departing at 08.31 and 17.31 respectively.
During the initial period, passengers will travel direct from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam and on the return journey will connect through Brussels1 where passport controls and security screening will be carried out.
This connecting return journey will be a temporary measure whilst the governments in the UK and The Netherlands complete an agreement which will enable passport checks to be conducted on departure in The Netherlands as in other key Eurostar destinations. The governments have committed to putting this agreement in place by the end of 2019 so that Eurostar travellers can then enjoy a direct service in both directions.
During the initial period, passengers will travel direct from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam and on the return journey will connect through Brussels1 where passport controls and security screening will be carried out.
This connecting return journey will be a temporary measure whilst the governments in the UK and The Netherlands complete an agreement which will enable passport checks to be conducted on departure in The Netherlands as in other key Eurostar destinations. The governments have committed to putting this agreement in place by the end of 2019 so that Eurostar travellers can then enjoy a direct service in both directions.
Last edited by Ldnn1; Feb 10, 2018 at 3:08 am Reason: Corrected start date
Feb 10, 2018, 2:48 am
#2
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Eurostar has finally announced the launch of twice daily direct services to Amsterdam from 20 April 2018. Tickets go on sale 20 Feb 2018.
Unfortunately it will initially only be direct to Amsterdam - passengers will still have to change at Brussels on the way to London, until at least 2019. The timings also aren't great for business travellers from London, with the morning 08.31 departure not arriving in Amsterdam until after 1pm. However it's hopefully a step towards better and more frequent direct service in both directions. It also shaves 17m off the journey to Brussels, with the quickest trains now only 1h48m. ^
Information below is from the full press release here.
[B]
Amsterdam->London connection options as follows:
Unfortunately it will initially only be direct to Amsterdam - passengers will still have to change at Brussels on the way to London, until at least 2019. The timings also aren't great for business travellers from London, with the morning 08.31 departure not arriving in Amsterdam until after 1pm. However it's hopefully a step towards better and more frequent direct service in both directions. It also shaves 17m off the journey to Brussels, with the quickest trains now only 1h48m. ^
Information below is from the full press release here.
[B]
Amsterdam->London connection options as follows:
Feb 10, 2018, 2:56 am
#3
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Direct services from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal are:
Dep 08.31; Arr 13.12
Dep 17.31; Arr 22.12
These trains will also stop at Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam Schipol, although I can't see a precise timetable for the stops.
Feb 10, 2018, 5:58 am
#5
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The connecting trains from Amsterdam to Brussels are Thalys, which suggests the Eurostars will run empty back from Amsterdam to Brussels, which is mildly ridiculous.
Non-stop departures from Brussels to London will be at 10:08 and 19:02, which will presumably be the future Amsterdam-originating trains.
Non-stop departures from Brussels to London will be at 10:08 and 19:02, which will presumably be the future Amsterdam-originating trains.
Feb 10, 2018, 6:11 am
#6
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Originally Posted by Eurostar
1 Customers will travel on a Thalys service from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Brussels, where passport and security checks will take place before boarding a Eurostar to London
Feb 10, 2018, 7:10 am
#7
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According to the railforums thread you will be able to ride the Eurostar set from Amsterdam to Brussels, but will not be sold a Eurostar through ticket where you get back onto the same train, as it departs after 28 minutes in Brussels, and Eurostar's MCT for the Brussels checks is 30 mins.
If you buy separate tickets (assuming they can be bought in the first place), you should be able to make the "reconnection" in Business Premier and may be able to make it in Standard on a good day.
If you buy separate tickets (assuming they can be bought in the first place), you should be able to make the "reconnection" in Business Premier and may be able to make it in Standard on a good day.
Feb 11, 2018, 3:23 am
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Feb 11, 2018, 3:47 am
#9
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Although, as you say, because of the time zone change, it actually seems like the journey to London only takes just under 4 hours anyway... but if you think like this, then the journey to Amsterdam seems like it takes 5 hours
(That is kind of the problem with flights too, earliest you can arrive in Amsterdam is nearly 1000 even if you depart LON at 0600 - but you can arrive in London before 0800 if you fly out of AMS at 0600)
See https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-ro...-amsterdam.htm for the timetable of the through services.
Apr 4, 2018, 1:03 pm
#12
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You can buy it all through Eurostar, just do a simple search for London to Amsterdam return on the website.
May 22, 2018, 9:35 am
#14
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I did London to Rotterdam yesterday. The trains are a lot nicer than the old ones, but the Wi-Fi was very poor. I also seemed to get upgraded from Standard Premier to Business Premier (Coach 1), but I think it was still the Standard Premier food.
The London to Brussels leg was on time, but it then took about 1h40m to get to Rotterdam, so arrived about 20 minutes late. It just crawled along to Antwerp before speeding up again - I assume we were stuck behind a local train.
Quite a long way round to do Manchester-Eindhoven, but enjoyable
The London to Brussels leg was on time, but it then took about 1h40m to get to Rotterdam, so arrived about 20 minutes late. It just crawled along to Antwerp before speeding up again - I assume we were stuck behind a local train.
Quite a long way round to do Manchester-Eindhoven, but enjoyable
May 26, 2018, 9:37 am
#15
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I watched a video of this trip (it might even be the one directly above, you never know) which indicates that Brussels-Antwerp isn't high speed line