Eurostar London-Amsterdam

[ExXB]

Eurostar is due to launch the service on 4 April and it says the journey between London and Amsterdam will take three hours and 41 Minutes ...

Passengers travelling from Amsterdam to London will have to change at Brussels to clear passport controls ...

The rail company will be running two services a day, departing at 08:31 and 17:31 respectively, with one-way fares starting at £35..



So arrivals at 13:12 and 21:12 with the time difference.

Can they compete with the multi-London airports, multi-company, multi-frequent to AMS flights?

I suspect this will be a bit of a challenge.

[Reverserbucket]

Presumably all services will run through Gare de Midi from where there is already an excellent and far more comfortable and regular service to Amsterdam using the ICE. I can't see the point?

[Stampe]

I suspect most passengers will be paying a lot more than the fare quoted.A very pleasant way to travel but hardly ever competitive on price!

[Heathrow Harry]

History shows that fast trains always cut into air travel in Europe - centre to centre , you can get uo and walk about, no start stop through checkin, no baggage carousel, no liquids problems and these days better food and seats

[RAT 5]

LON - AMS 3.40hrs. in relaxed comfort. I'd take it every time. Car + ferry is equally relaxing, once you've got past Antwerp & Brussels in either direction. Sunday, no traffic, its 3.5hrs to the ferry, 2 hours on the other side and 90-120mins in-between, plus customs etc. i.e. all day. Weekday, though, it is hell and needs long buffer times not to miss the ferry.
Transport to a London airport, time plus cost, variable, but not quick nor cheap? 1.00hr block to block, 30 mins bag pick up + passports, transport to city centre 30 mins.

Relaxed friendly train travel, less crowded station compared to horrible airports (at one end), sight seeing or working time en-route, no nit picking staff etc. Why wouldn't you choose that? I don't understand why passports are not checked at departure; why in Brussels? Belgium & Netherlands are Schengen. If there can be passport checks at the ferry docks, why not at the train station? Changing trains and being passport checked is not brilliant, en-route. Is it the reason you have to disembark with all your luggage? That would be daft.

I admit I habe not made the current train journey, only flight or car/ferry. I'd welcome any knowledgeable pointers on the train option.

[ZFT]

Anything, but anything is preferable to (short haul) air transportation. Nothing to do with the air carriers, just the appalling experience at airports, no matter where you are in this world.

[aerobelly]

Limoges airport wasn't too bad last time I used it, but for trips to that area this decade I've used Eurostar/SNCF. Sooooo much more pleasant that it's worth the extra.

Cambridge airport was great in the days that Suckling flew me weekly to Amsterdam, but today I'd be on this new Eurostar service.

[PAXboy]

I think this is about city dwellers. If you live in central London and want to get to central AMS? This will work. I live (in quiet traffic) less than 30 minutes from LTN but it would take me an hours to get to Kings Cross/St.Pancras.

I'm sure they will find many pax. If I still lived in North London - on the Northern Line as I did - then it would be direct to the station.

[krismiler]

Look at the door to door times and any additional costs, you might be able to get a bus to the station but need a taxi to the airport or vv.

London to Newcastle is mostly by train but London to Glasgow is mostly by air. A VIP coach with a business class style seat is more comfortable than economy on a low cost airline and from the city centre to another city centre might be cheaper and quicker, especially if the drop off point is across the road from your hotel.

[Harry Wayfarers]

Schiphol Airport to/from AMS city is so easy, so frequent are the trains, it's a walk in the park and anybody on the Eurostar is going to be going past Schiphol Airport in a train anyway! :)