Hot damn, Amsterdam! Eurostar are bringing back their route from London to Amsterdam, and this time it’s direct.
Eurostar’s route from London to Amsterdam has proved a popular one in the years it’s been running, and whilst the coronavirus pandemic briefly shut down the service, better news is on the horizon. The Amsterdam trains have been running since early July, but a long-awaited development will arrive on October 26, as you’ll be able to get direct to Amsterdam and back from the capital.
SEE ALSO: Eurostar is aiming to introduce passport-free travel next year.
Previously, the London-Amsterdam route had required a connecting service through Brussels on the return leg, which added time to the return journey. Happily, from October 26, that becomes a thing of the past, with those screamingly fast 300kph Eurostar trains getting you to Amsterdam in a shade over five hours, and back in a tad over four. Tickets for the new return journeys go on sale from September 1, with prices starting from a wallet-friendly £40 each way – and since the booking period covers December, it might be just the chance you need to check out the continental Christmas markets or plan a memorable New Year’s Eve!
Although flights are quicker on paper, you only need to check in with Eurostar thirty minutes before departure. Factor in your arrival right in the heart of the city and it compares pretty favourably, not to mention you’ll be emitting 80% less carbon into the poor atmosphere. What a hero you are! In other good news, Eurostar have also bolstered their health and safety measures, with social distancing measures in place, deep cleaning of all public areas, and mandated the wearing of face coverings on trains and in stations.
Planning a jaunt to the Dutch capital (or onwards to Rotterdam) has also been made a tad easier with Eurostar’s flexible fares, which let you exhange your tickets for free, up to two weeks before your departure. Oh, and if you didn’t fancy Amsterdam, you could always check out Eurostar’s direct route to Disneyland, as services from London to Marne-la-Vallée – on the outskirts of Paris, and close to Disneyland – are also available. That’s two and a half hours from Central London to the happiest place on Earth, which I think we could all use after the year we’re having…