There’s finally an easier way to travel direct between London and Amsterdam that doesn’t involve boarding a plane or extensive passport checks. From 30 April 2020, Eurostar will operate its first direct return train journey between the two capital cities, making the journey a whole lot swifter.
Tickets for the new high-speed train will be available from 11 February 2020 with prices starting from £35 (A$67) one way.
Eurostar plans to run two trains per day from Amsterdam to London (only one-daily on weekends) and up to three per day from London to Amsterdam (two-daily on weekends). These will gradually increase over time. The journey will take about four hours and nine minutes.
Train travel between London and Amsterdam was initially launched in 2018, however, it’s never been quite so smooth. Previously, passengers going from Amsterdam to London were required to get off in Brussels to go through passport control and board a new train to London. Now, travellers will now be able to clear all passport controls in Amsterdam prior to boarding and be able to remain on the train while it passes through Rotterdam, Brussels, Lille and London St Pancras. As of May 18 2020, this will also be the case for passengers travelling direct from Rotterdam to London. At London’s St Pancras International station, EU passport control is already handled before boarding the train so it will remain the same.
Trains vs. planes
As we move towards being more conscious travellers in the era of climate change it seems travel operators like Eurostar are following suit. The company estimate that their trains will produce between 80 and 90 per cent fewer emissions than the equivalent short-haul flight.
“Our fully direct service marks an exciting advance for high-speed rail and provides consumers with a comfortable, environmentally friendly alternative to the airlines on one of Europe’s busiest leisure and business routes,” said Eurostar company’s chief executive Mike Cooper.
There are also some other advantages that come with choosing train travel over plane travel. Gone is the hassle of getting to and from the airport as the trains begin and end pretty much in the centre of the city; luggage can be kept in sight, with no need to check it in or wait for it upon arrival; and the extra hours it takes to travel by train can in some cases be more comfortable and productive as you can work on a laptop easily, enjoy a good view and move around more freely.
Find out more: eurostar.com/rw-en/train/netherlands/amsterdam
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