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Travelling by train from London to Amsterdam Centraal with Eurostar
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:
- Vondelpark – the largest city park in Amsterdam, with lots of beautiful trails, indoor and outdoor activities.
- Rijksmuseum – home to a collection of Dutch art and sculpture spanning more than 800 years.
- Anne Frank House – a museum dedicated to the Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank.
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:
- Eurostar classes
- Eurostar onboard services
- How to get to London St Pancras International
- Facilities available at London St Pancras
- Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal station
- Using public transport in Amsterdam
- Going through the Channel Tunnel
- Things to do in Amsterdam
- Exploring Europe with an Interrail Pass
- Popular train journeys from Amsterdam
- Review: Travelling from London to Amsterdam by train.
London to Amsterdam-Centraal by train
It takes an average of 5h 33m to travel from London to Amsterdam-Centraal by train, over a distance of around 220 miles (355 km). There are normally 11 trains per day travelling from London to Amsterdam-Centraal and tickets for this journey start from £51 when you book in advance.
| First train | 06:16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Last train | 19:34 | |
| Departure station | London | |
| Arrival station | Amsterdam-Centraal | |
| Journey time | From 4h 4m | |
| Distance | 220 miles (355 km) | |
| Frequency | 11 trains per day | |
| Changes | Direct trains available | |
| Price | From £51 | |
| Train and bus operators |
FAQs about the train journey from London to Amsterdam-Centraal
Want to know more about your journey from London to Amsterdam-Centraal? We've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions by our customers to help you plan your journey.
What is the fastest train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
Is there a direct train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
How far is Amsterdam-Centraal from London by train?
Which trains run from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
Can I get from London to Amsterdam-Centraal without flying?
What is the best way to get from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
When is the first train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
When is the last train from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
How often do trains run from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
How far in advance can I book tickets from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
Looking for a return trip from London to Amsterdam-Centraal?
Eurostar trains from London to Amsterdam-Centraal
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). Eurostar also runs trains on more routes between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. All Eurostar trains have modern, comfortable facilities, plenty of room for luggage, and onboard food and beverage car. There are three comfort classes on offer – Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus (equivalent to Premium Economy, with light refreshments served), and Eurostar Premier (equivalent to First or Business Class, with flexible travel options, priority boarding, lounge access and delicious food and drink included).
Eurostar classes from London to Amsterdam-Centraal
Compare the different travel classes offered by Eurostar when travelling from London to Amsterdam-Centraal.
Eurostar Standard
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.
- Free WiFi
- Bar/restaurant carriage
- Luggage storage
- Power sockets
- Complimentary meal at seat
- Catering at your seat
- Gourmet menu
- Lounge access
Eurostar Plus
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.
- Free WiFi
- Bar/restaurant carriage
- Luggage storage
- Power sockets
- Complimentary meal at seat (1)
- Catering at your seat
- Gourmet menu
- Lounge access
- (1) A meal at your seat is only provided on trains travelling to or from the United Kingdom.
Eurostar Premier
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 Eurostar Premier, you'll also benefit from complete comfort, including a free meal and free drinks at your seat.
- Free WiFi
- Bar/restaurant carriage
- Luggage storage
- Power sockets
- Complimentary meal at seat
- Catering at your seat
- Gourmet menu (1)
- Lounge access
- (1) A gourmet hot meal is exclusive to trains to and from the United Kingdom; on trains in Europe, you'll have a cold meal served at your seat.
Onboard services on Eurostar
Discover more about the onboard services offered on trains from London to Amsterdam-Centraal.
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, 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 Eurostar Plus, a light meal and a drink will be served at your seat.
Travel in Eurostar 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 Eurostar Premier on European routes, 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:
- Pets are not permitted on board.
- Guide dogs and assistance dogs can travel, but they must be accompanied by their owner. You must also reserve a ticket for your assistance dog at least 48 hours before travel, by filling out Eurostar's contact form.
Trains in the rest of Europe:
- Small dogs and other pets weighing less than 6 kg can travel for free. They must travel in a cage or carrier (max. dimensions 45 x 30 x 25 cm).
- If your dog is larger than this, you must buy them a dog ticket (generally the price is fixed at €30, around £26), and the dog must travel on your lap or on the ground, on a lead and with a muzzle.
- Guide dogs and assistance dogs, whatever their size, travel for free.
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:
- Arrive at least one hour before your train's scheduled departure time, then head to the Eurostar Assist desk or ask a member of staff.
- If you have a wheelchair, you must reserve a wheelchair space in either Eurostar Plus or Eurostar Premier - you'll only pay for a Eurostar Standard ticket. Someone can travel with you at a discounted rate.
If you're travelling on red trains in the rest of Europe:
- Wheelchair users travel in Eurostar Premier on routes in Europe.
- Wheelchairs can be transported as long as they're no bigger than 70 cm long and 120 cm high. The wheelchair's turning circle must be no larger than 150 cm in diameter. The combined weight of the wheelchair, passenger and any luggage must not exceed 300 kg.
- Please note that combustion engine-powered wheelchairs are not permitted on board. However, electric wheelchairs are allowed.
Specific restrictions for trains to/from the United Kingdom:
Liquids:
- There's no restriction on liquids. However, there are restrictions on alcohol: you can take 4 bottles/cans of beer or 1 bottle of wine per person to enjoy on the journey, but large bottles of spirits are not permitted. If you're travelling with large quantities of alcohol, you should contact a courier service.
Sports equipment:
- You can travel with a golf bag as long as it's no larger than 120 x 35 x 35 cm.
- You can bring tents or other shelters if they're stored in bags or cases less than 85 cm long.
- Camping gas or butane bottles are not permitted on board.
- Camping utensils or tools such as pocket knives and Swiss army knives are permitted provided the blades are less than 75 mm long. Folding knives where the blade locks into place are prohibited.
- You can bring bats, snooker or pool cues and darts on board if they're stored in a protective case.
Cheap train tickets from London to Amsterdam-Centraal
Book in advance
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.§
Be flexible with your travel times
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.
Choose a slower or connecting train
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!
Look out for special deals
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.
How many bags are allowed in the different Eurostar classes?
Standard/Plus
- 2 pieces of luggage up to 85cm long for rucksacks, suitcases, golf clubs or ski equipment
- 1 hand luggage, e.g. handbag, laptop bag or briefcase
Premier
- 3 pieces of luggage up to 85cm long for rucksacks, suitcases, golf clubs or ski equipment
- 1 hand luggage, e.g. handbag, laptop bag or briefcase
Children (for all classes)
- 1 piece of luggage up to 85cm long
- 1 hand luggage, e.g. backpack or laptop bag
How to get to London St Pancras International
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:
- Tube: King’s Cross St Pancras Underground station is served by 6 Tube lines, including the Hammersmith & City (pink line), Circle (yellow line), Metropolitan (purple line), Northern (black line), Piccadilly (dark blue line) and Victoria (light blue line).
- Train: If you’re travelling by train, you can get to London St Pancras from Euston, Victoria, and Paddington stations in around half an hour.
- Car: If you’re driving to St Pancras International, you’ll find a Click and Park car park at the station – it has 315 spaces and is always open, with staff on hand 24/7.
- Bike: If you’re cycling to the station, there are plenty of cycle spaces where you can store your bike too.
Arriving at London St Pancras International
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.
How far ahead of time do you need to arrive?
Where are Eurostar check-in gates?
How does Eurostar check-in work?
What’s on offer at London St Pancras International?
Which facilities are in the Eurostar Departure Lounge?
Which facilities are in the Premier Lounge?
Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal station from London
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.
Using public transport in Amsterdam
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.
Taking the tram in Amsterdam
Taking the metro in Amsterdam
Taking the bus in Amsterdam
Going through the Channel Tunnel
Does the train from London to Amsterdam Centraal go underwater?
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.
How long is the Chunnel?
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.
Things to see and do in Amsterdam
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:
Explore Europe by train with an Interrail Pass
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.
Popular train journeys from Amsterdam
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:
Tips and tricks from our Trainline team
We love helping our customers find inspiration for their next train journey. Discover some travel stories written based on our employees' experiences.
Travelling by train from London to Amsterdam Centraal
Going through security checks at London St Pancras International
Our journey began at London St. Pancras International, a large and impressive station adjacent to King’s Cross with excellent connections to the UK’s rail network and London Underground.
Before boarding our train, we had to go through security checks including a ticket check, bag scan and passport control. For this reason, I’d recommend arriving in good time, 30 minutes is the minimum but in peak hours you may want to arrive 45-60 minutes ahead of your departure time. This is significantly less time than when you’d be sat in an airport and unlike flying there is no restriction on the weight of your suitcase or taking liquids on board.
Boarding at London St Pancras International station
Once past security there are several cafés and a duty-free shop. Free WiFi is also provided to all travellers. We grabbed a coffee and some breakfast before boarding the 8:16 am Eurostar train heading for Amsterdam Centraal.
The platform was announced in good time to ensure all passengers can board promptly. Make sure you check the carriage number on your ticket as this will determine which escalator you should take to the train.
The train journey from London to Amsterdam Centraal
The seats are comfortable with enough legroom and storage for luggage. You can enjoy free WiFi on board during your journey. Plug sockets for both UK and European 2 Pin plugs are also located at every seat.
When booking your ticket, make sure you can secure yourself a window seat so you can see London and the countryside fly past as you pick up speed towards Kent and the Channel Tunnel. Some notable highlights as you fly through the UK include the QE2 suspension bridge carrying the M25 across the Thames. In no time at all you’ll be in the Kent countryside surrounded by woods and fields. To your left as you cross the River Medway on a clear day, you’ll make out Rochester Castle, but be quick to look right for what many see as the best view of this side of the Channel. The river is often busy with small boats as people go about their day.
In around 30 minutes you’ll approach the Channel Tunnel. This part of the journey takes 20 minutes and at its deepest point is 75 metres below the sea bed. Impressively the WiFi and even mobile phone reception continue throughout this entire stretch of what is the world’s longest undersea tunnel. Emerging from the tunnel near the French port town of Calais, you’ll need to wind your watch forward an hour as you continue at high speed (around 186 mph) towards Belgium and the first step on your journey.
Brussels Midi is the first stop where you’ll find many passengers alight for the Belgian capital or onward connections to much of Europe. Within a few minutes, the train begins to pull away and leave Brussels behind as you head towards the Netherlands. On the left of the train, the port of Antwerp rises impressively before calling at Rotterdam Centraal. Either side of the train track as you leave the station is Rotterdam Zoo – giving passengers glimpses of the animals living there and storks nesting high atop telegraph poles.
Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal station
Not long after leaving Rotterdam, you travel across the flat, never-ending countryside dotted with dykes, farms, windmills, and greenhouses full of tulips. Your destination, Amsterdam Centraal, is an impressive station perfectly positioned for beginning your Amsterdam adventure.
In total, this journey took just 3 hours and 55 minutes, arriving just in time for lunch at our new favourite – Vleminckx near Spui. It is famous for its incredible fries and huge range of toppings. I recommend the ketchup, mayonnaise, and onion ones!
About Richard
Richard, a Trainline employee, chose to share their experience of the journey between London and Amsterdam-Centraal.