Eurostar temporarily restarts its Amsterdam to London service amid station renovations
- Direct Eurostar service from Amsterdam to London will resume temporarily on February 10, 2025.
- Passengers have had to use Brussels as a transfer point since direct services were halted in June 2024.
- The temporary service will end on March 29, 2025, but is expected to resume again at the end of April 2025.
The Eurostar train service from Amsterdam to London is set to temporarily resume beginning on February 10, 2025, after being suspended for several months. This resumption of direct service is particularly significant for travelers who have been forced to circumvent Brussels, experiencing additional travel time and complexity by transferring to other trains to reach London from the Netherlands. Prior to this development, passengers using the Eurostar to travel from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to London were required to change trains at Brussels-Midi/Zuid station and clear border controls, resulting in longer travel times and inconvenience. The restoration of direct service comes after Dutch rail company Nederlandse Spoorwegen announced in November 2023 that Amsterdam Centraal station would not be able to process cross-Channel passengers for an extended period. The station is undergoing significant renovations, which prompted the halt of direct Eurostar services in June 2024. The renovations are expected to improve passenger capacity, increasing from 250 to up to 650 passengers per train by the end of 2025, but have temporarily disrupted direct links to London. Eurostar, known for providing convenient high-speed rail travel between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, has experienced substantial changes in its operations due to the pandemic and other infrastructural challenges. The current temporary resumption of the service will end on March 29, 2025, allowing time for essential works at Amsterdam Centraal station. The service is anticipated to resume again at the end of April 2025, making it a crucial aspect of travel planning for commuters and tourists alike. Passengers travelling from the Netherlands to London will need to remember to bring their passports as border checks are still enforced. The average travel time from Amsterdam via the Eurostar to Brussels has been around two hours, with additional time required for the transfer. The challenges encountered by Eurostar and its travelers reflect ongoing adjustments to international travel in Europe, as many services are grappling with the effects of renovation projects, demand fluctuations, and the lasting impacts of the recent Covid-19 pandemic.