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Want to travel from London to Amsterdam Centraal by train? You’ve come to the right place!
On the fastest Eurostar trains from London to Amsterdam Centraal, the journey takes 3 hours and 57 minutes to get from one city centre to the other. Plus, with direct services running on this route, you don’t need to worry about making any changes along the way. Travelling from London to Amsterdam Centraal by train has never been simpler.
Once you’ve arrived at Amsterdam Centraal station, you can start to explore the city’s unique beauty and fascinating history. Unsure where to start? Here are some of our favourite things to do in Amsterdam:
Ready to book? Start your search for cheap train tickets from London to Amsterdam Centraal now. If you’re looking for more information, keep reading to learn more about the following:
First train | 06:04 | |
---|---|---|
Last train | 19:31 | |
Departure station | London | |
Arrival station | Amsterdam-Centraal | |
Journey time | From 4h 11m | |
Distance | 220 miles (355 km) | |
Frequency | 10 trains per day | |
Changes | Direct trains available | |
Price | From £51 | |
Train and bus operators |
Eurostar is the exclusive high-speed train service that links London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and the rest of Europe at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 km/h). All Eurostar trains have modern, comfortable facilities, plenty of room for luggage, and onboard food and beverage carriage. There are three comfort classes on offer – Standard, Standard Premier (equivalent to Premium Economy, with light refreshments served), and Business Premier (equivalent to First or Business Class, with flexible travel options, priority boarding, lounge access and delicious food and drink included). On 1st October, 2023, Eurostar and Thalys joined forces and are now united under the Eurostar name. Eurostar now runs trains on more routes between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. These trains, with their distinctive red colour scheme, have three classes: Standard, Comfort and Premium (equivalent to First Class, with lounge access included).
In Standard class, you'll find comfortable seats, free WiFi and a large selection of drinks and snacks for sale in the onboard café-bar.
As well as all the facilities you'll find in Standard Class, in Eurostar Standard Premier you'll also get a light meal served at your seat for trips to and from London. Instead of Standard Premier, Red trains travelling around Europe have Comfort Class. Though you won't get a meal at your seat for trips solely in Europe, you'll get to sit back and relax in comfier seats.
For trains to and from London, Business Premier gives you the freedom to travel in your own time, with speedy boarding and Eurostar's exclusive Business Premier lounges where you can relax before your trip. In Premium Class, exclusively on trains in Europe, you'll benefit from complete comfort, including a free meal and free drinks at your seat.
From 4th November 2024: In Eurostar Standard, you'll find comfortable seats, free WiFi and a large selection of drinks and snacks for sale in the onboard café-bar.
From 4th November 2024: As well as all the facilities you'll find in Eurostar Standard, in Eurostar Plus you'll also get a light meal served at your seat for trips to and from London. Though you won't get a meal at your seat for trips solely in Europe, you'll get to sit back and relax in comfier seats.
From 4th November 2024: Eurostar Premier gives you the freedom to travel in your own time, with same-day boarding guaranteed and Eurostar's exclusive lounges (where available) where you can relax before your trip. In Premier Class, you'll also benefit from complete comfort, including a free meal and free drinks at your seat.
Although there's no weight limit for your luggage on Eurostar trains, you must be able to carry your bags safely by yourself.
Each bag must be clearly labelled and must be no longer than 85 cm (for trains to and from the United Kingdom) or no larger than 75 x 53 x 30 cm (for trains in Europe).
Are you travelling to or from the United Kingdom? In Eurostar Standard Class, choose from a wide selection of drinks and snacks at the Eurostar Café, the onboard café-bar in the middle of the train. Cards and cash (Euros or pounds) are accepted. If you're travelling in Standard Premier, a light meal and a drink will be served at your seat.
Travel in Business Premier and you'll be treated to a gourmet meal, as well as a continuous drinks service throughout your journey.
For all other Eurostar trains (red trains, formerly Thalys), head to the bar car and choose from a wide range of hot and cold drinks as well as sweet and savoury snacks.
In Premium class, you'll get a free meal served directly to your seat.
Eurostar doesn't have an onboard entertainment portal. However, there is free WiFi available, as well as UK and EU plug sockets at your seat so you can charge your devices while travelling.
Children under 4 can travel free on Eurostar trains, as long as they're sitting on an accompanying adult's lap. Alternatively, buying a child ticket guarantees them their own seat.
You'll find changing tables on all Eurostar trains, as well as family-oriented seating (4 seats facing one another) where available.
Currently, only certain Eurostar trains running between London and Brussels can transport fully assembled bikes - contact Eurostar for more information. You can, however, take a foldable bike on board Eurostar trains to and from the UK provided that it's no more than 85 cm long and it fits in a protective bag that covers the whole bicycle. Folded bikes are treated as standard luggage.
For all other Eurostar trains in Europe, a limited number of non-foldable bikes can be brought on board, provided that the wheels are taken off and the whole bicycle is stored in a suitable cover (max. size 135 x 85 x 30 cm). Foldable bicycles are also allowed and count towards standard luggage limits.
The rules around travelling with your pets depend on whether you're travelling across the Channel or not, so check before you travel:
Eurostar trains to and from the United Kingdom:
Trains in the rest of Europe:
If you need help getting on or off the train, you should contact Eurostar directly before your trip. To use Eurostar's special assistance program, fill in the contact form at least 48 hours before your journey so that the team can help you.
If you're travelling to/from the United Kingdom:
If you're travelling on red trains in the rest of Europe:
Specific restrictions for trains to/from the United Kingdom:
Liquids:
Sports equipment:
Most of the train companies across Europe release their tickets around three to six months in advance, many of which can be cheaper the earlier you book. If you know the dates you want to travel, you may be able to find some cheaper train tickets from London to Amsterdam-Centraal by booking early.§
Many of the train services in Europe are also popular commuter services, lots of train companies increase ticket prices during “peak hours” (generally between 06:00 – 10:00 and 15:00 – 19:00 on weekdays). If you can, consider travelling outside of peak hours to find lower priced tickets.
On some of the busier routes, you might also have the option to take a slower or connecting train. It may take a little longer than some high-speed or direct services, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, you might find a cheaper fare. Plus, you'll have more time to enjoy the view of the countryside!
Take a look at our handy guides to find out when train operators release their special deals and offers to see if you can find cheap European train tickets for your journey.
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
Your Eurostar train to Amsterdam will depart from London St Pancras International station. Keep reading for more information on how to get there.
London St. Pancras International station is conveniently located in central London in the King’s Cross area and can be easily reached by National Rail, London Underground, bus services and car:
Once you arrive at London St Pancras International station, you’ll need to check-in. Read on for more information on checking in, station facilities and First Class lounges.
When travelling with Eurostar, your train will arrive at Amsterdam Centraal station, right in the heart of the Dutch capital.
As soon as you’ve stepped off the train, you can make your way out of Amsterdam Centraal station. You won’t need to go through passport checks again. You’ll just need to scan the barcode on your ticket to pass through NS ticket gates and exit the platform area at Amsterdam Centraal station, so make sure you keep your ticket handy when you arrive.
Please note that if you store your bank card in your phone wallet, you'll need to save your Eurostar ticket to your Google/Apple Wallet or print it out before travelling. We advise you to do so because the station’s ticket gates are set up to read both ticket barcodes and digital bank cards, enabling commuters to tap in and out. Occasionally, these gates may read a bank card stored on a phone rather than an on-screen image of your ticket’s barcode. This will result in an incorrect payment of up to €20 (around £17).
Saving your ticket to your Google/Apple Wallet or printing it out will help ensure that your ticket is scanned correctly and prevent undue charges.
If you’re looking for local information, head to the Amsterdam Tourist Office outside the main entrance – you’ll find it in a traditional white wooden Dutch coffee house.
From the city’s most popular neighbourhoods, Amsterdam Centraal station is easy to get to on foot, or by using the local tram, metro and bus networks.
Yes, trains from London to Amsterdam Centraal do go underwater. In fact, the Channel Tunnel (or “Chunnel” if you prefer its nickname) is just over 31 miles (50 km) in length and is the longest continuous underwater tunnel in the world. At a maximum speed of 100 mph (160 km/h) in the Chunnel, it takes a Eurostar train around 35 minutes to travel this underwater stretch.
In length, the Channel Tunnel is 31.3 miles (50.56 km) and it takes a Eurostar train approximately 35 minutes to travel its full length. In total, the fastest journey time from London to Amsterdam Centraal is 3 hours and 57 minutes.
Boasting fascinating museums, charming canals and historic architecture, Amsterdam is the perfect city for a short break. With so many things to see and do, planning an itinerary can be a little overwhelming! To help you narrow it down, here are some ideas for things to do when visiting Amsterdam:
Once you’ve finished exploring Amsterdam, why not continue exploring Europe by train? With an Interrail Pass, you can travel across 33 European countries as much as you want on participating European train networks for a set amount of travel days.
If you're a European citizen or a non-European who is an official legal resident of a European country, you can use an Interrail Pass. If you’re not a European citizen or resident, you can use a Eurail Pass instead.
If you’ve enjoyed your time in Amsterdam and want to explore more of the Netherlands and Europe, you can easily reach nearby towns and cities by train. To inspire your next trip, we’ve picked some of the most popular train journeys from Amsterdam for you to choose from:
The average journey time by train between London and Amsterdam-Centraal is 6 hours and 6 minutes, with around 10 trains per day. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays, so use our Journey Planner on this page to search for a specific travel date.
The fastest journey time by train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal is 4 hours and 11 minutes.
Train ticket prices from London to Amsterdam-Centraal can start from as little as £51 when you book in advance. The cost of tickets can vary depending on the time of day, route and class you book and are usually more expensive if you book on the day.
Yes, it is possible to travel from London to Amsterdam-Centraal without having to change trains. There are 3 direct trains from London to Amsterdam-Centraal each day. Though there may be fewer direct services available depending on your exact departure date.
The first train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal leaves at 06:04. Times and services may vary during weekends and holidays.
The last train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal leaves at 19:31. Trains that depart in the early morning hours or very late evening may be sleeper services, time and services may also vary during weekends and holidays.
Trains travelling from London to Amsterdam-Centraal cover a distance of around 220 miles (355 km) during the journey.
If you’re looking for the return train journey, check out trains from Amsterdam-Centraal to London.