EUROSTAR train from London to Amsterdam - is it better than flying?
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- We start our Eurostar journey at St Pancras and take the train to Amsterdam via Brussels. The outbound journey was indirect requiring a change at Brussels, but the return was direct station-to-station. This was our first time on the Eurostar, so what did we think?
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We are Sarah and Andy. Welcome to our travel channel. We met late in life and so are making sure that we maximise on every hour of the present and future. We used to live to work, but now we work to live. We both have full time jobs so we fit our love for travel and adventures around our daily lives of sitting behind a computer (Andy) and teaching music and organising music events (Sarah). We live in the stunning Lake District of England, but have a love affair with warmer countries.
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Went from Germany to Aberdeen by train a few weeks ago. Took the Eurostar from Paris. Really enjoyed it
Now that is a proper rail trip! Thanks for watching.
The Eurostar is a great success in Amsterdam, but a size too big for Amsterdam Central Station. Eurostar wants to run more and longer trains to Amsterdam, but the temporary Eurostar building cannot handle large numbers of passengers. There is no large space at Amsterdam Central Station to create a separate customs area.
Worse still, this year large-scale renovations began on the east side of the station where the current Eurostar terminal is located. This means that from 2024 there will temporarily no Eurostar trains running to Amsterdam. Amsterdam Zuid Station is also currently being renovated, where all international trains such as the Benelux train, Eurostar, Thalys, ICE and IC will soon depart for Berlin, Copenhagen and Eastern Europe. However, it is expected that this station will be ready in 2028.
Rotterdam Central Station has offered itself as a future Eurostar terminal, it has the space to create a large customs area in the large modern station. However, Eurostar rejected this.
Schiphol Airport Station will also be renovated and there are plans to create a special customs zone for the Eurostar.
Thank you. Great information.
More trains, yes. But not longer trains as the present Siemens units already 16 cars and if longer they wouldn't fit into StPancras ! Yes the Amesterdam departure terminal is too small ... it handles around 250 pax max so the train departs with many 100s of empty seats. Note that from summer 2024 there will be engineering works at Amsterdam Centraal and, at time of writing, it's unclear what will happen to Eurostar's services. Check online for the news.
Thanks for the UA-cam. I must point out that the Siemens units which serve Netherlands accommodate 900 pax. The 750 you mention applies only to the older (and original) Alstom sets which are not cleared to run between Brussels and Amsterdam (different signalling systems and power supply in the Netherlands). The Amsterdam and Rotterdam terminals are small so the 900-seat train leaves Netherlands with many empty seats and becomes full only after Brussels.
If your particular carriage was full then it's because of the booking system (controlled by France's SNCF) which fills one carriage and then another etc.
Eurostar's fares to Netherlands are high because of infrastructure costs ... in other words toll fees for using four high-speed lines (UK/France/Belgium/Netherlands) plus the transit fees for the Tunnel. The previous Eurostar CEO said that these charges inflate its farea and means the train cannot compete on price with the low-cost airlines like Easyjet.
If visitors are staying in central London and Amsterdam then Eurostar is a good choice. But here in the UK so many people live outside the centre (because of high property prices) and find airports more convenient. There are flights to Amsterdam from *five* London airports: Heathrow/Luton/Stansted/City/Gatwick/Southend.
Lastly yes StPancras can get crowded at certain time and especially when there are delays. But that's what you get when making a Grade 1 listed terminus in London. It's the same with Paris Gare du Nord which has similar listing.
Below I noted that *direct* London-Amsterdam services are in doubt from summer 2024. Eurostar management have been in discussions with gov't officials in Netherlands but, as yet, no decision has been taken.
Great information. Thanks for the clarification and for taking time to watch the video.
I've fancied going on Eurostar for a while but for me the plane seems better
I think Paris or Brussels would be a closer call, but the Amsterdam journey is the same price as a plane, just as much hassle, and takes longer. The jury remains out for us.