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Back in 2018, Eurostar went Dutch and opened a much-hyped rail link to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. For the first time you could board a train in St Pancras and get off at Amsterdam Centraal, delivering you to the city’s scenic canals and ridiculously good art within four sustainable hours. Joy!
But there was a catch. Though trains from London to Amsterdam ran direct, on the return journey passengers had to disembark at Brussels and get their passports checked. So we welcomed the news that Eurostar was finally going to start running its long-promised direct trains back from Amsterdam to London.
Unfortunately, these plans were put on hold thanks to – you guessed it – global lockdowns. But as of October 26, the route has finally begun. No more changing trains in Brussels: the new direct service will deliver you from Amsterdam to London in around four hours, much the same time as flying.
There is one last snag: due to weekend engineering works, the new direct service won’t run on Saturdays and Sundays until mid-December. And for now, of course, you’ll need to isolate for ten days on arrival in the Netherlands… and again for two weeks on your return to London.
However, tickets are now on sale through to 2021, and booking is pretty flexible: you will be able to exchange your tickets for free up to 14 days before departure. So once travel opens up again, why not treat yourself to a hassle-free and environmentally-friendly escape? You definitely deserve it.
Here’s what you need to know about travel to the Netherlands.
Did you know? Amsterdam is getting a ‘Willy Wonka-style’ chocolate factory, complete with a roller coaster.