4 February 2020

Eurostar transforms link between London and Amsterdam with services now direct both to and from the Netherlands

• Inaugural service at 07:48 direct from Amsterdam to London
• Tickets from £35 each way on sale from 11^th February
• Commercial services start 30^th April from Amsterdam and 18^th May from Rotterdam
• Photo call and media briefing with Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, on arrival of inaugural service at St Pancras International

Eurostar, the high-speed rail link between the UK and mainland Europe, today announces that from the 30^th April its London-Amsterdam service will operate fully direct both to and from the Netherlands. Tickets for the direct return journey will be on sale from 11^th February 2020.

Since 2018, Eurostar has provided a seamless journey from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The new connection – direct both ways – will offer hassle-free travel between these iconic European cities and a compelling reason for travellers to switch from plane to train.

With competitive fares from just £35 each way, tickets are available from 11^th February, for travel from Amsterdam starting on 30^th April and from Rotterdam on 18^th May 2020.

There are currently three outbound services a day from the UK to the Netherlands. The direct inbound journey from Amsterdam to London will start with two services, with the aim of increasing to a third, and then a fourth. 

The inaugural service will depart Amsterdam Centraal this morning at 07:48, with Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management and Ankie Broekers-Knol, Secretary of State for Security and Justice in the Netherlands, at the station to mark the departure of the first direct Eurostar train from the centre of Amsterdam to the heart of London. The service will arrive just over four hours (4h 9m) later at St Pancras International to be welcomed by Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport in the UK.

Eurostar offers the most sustainable choice for short-haul European travel, with a journey between London and Amsterdam resulting in 80%¹ less carbon per passenger than the equivalent flight. By choosing Eurostar, customers are also actively supporting the reforestation of woodland in Europe with a tree planted for every service that it operates across its routes.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport in the UK, said: “We’re continuing to invest in modern, efficient transport links with the continent so our businesses and tourism industry can flourish. The days of passengers being forced to decamp from the train at Brussels to file through passport control will soon be over, as we look forward to direct, return, high-speed services to Amsterdam and beyond.”

Mike Cooper, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said: “Our services from the UK to the Netherlands have proved very popular with over half a million travellers since launch. 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.”

Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands, said: “The direct connection makes the train journey to London easier and faster. Checks in Brussels will no longer be necessary, saving travellers an hour of travel time. This way the train really becomes a fully-fledged alternative to the plane.”

Roger van Boxtel, Chief Executive, NS, said: “Brexit or not, London will be closer from 30^th April. Eurostar will take travellers from the centre of Amsterdam to the heart of London in four hours. The international services to Brussels and Paris are already a success, and from today we can now add London: the sustainable train is the future and brings Europeans together.”

For more information or to book Eurostar tickets visit www.eurostar.com or call the Eurostar contact centre on 03432 186 186.

-ends-

¹Calculations carried out for Eurostar by Paul Watkiss Associates in 2017, based on DEFRA methodology.



Notes to editors

1. Eurostar launched a direct service from London to Rotterdam and Amsterdam in April 2018, with a return journey connecting through Brussels where passport controls and security screening are carried out. This connecting journey was a temporary measure whilst the governments of the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands completed an agreement to enable passport checks to be conducted on departure in the Netherlands as in other key Eurostar destinations. The agreement is now in place to allow direct return journeys from Amsterdam from 30^th April 2020 and Rotterdam from 18^th May 2020.

2. Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon, the French Alps, Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

3. Eurostar was established in 1994 as a partnership between three railway companies: SNCF, SNCB and LCR (London and Continental Railways). On 1 September 2010, Eurostar became a single, unified corporate entity owned by three shareholders: SNCF, SNCB and LCR. LCR’s holding was transferred to the Treasury in 2014, and sold by the UK government to a consortium comprising Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Hermes Infrastructure on 28th May 2015.

4. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.

For more information:
Eurostar Press Office 
020 7843 5500
press.office@eurostar.co.uk