Eurostar Amsterdam-London Direct Service Resumes For A Limited Time
Eurostar resumes direct link between London and Amsterdam [Image Eurostar on Facebook]It has been eight months since the direct Eurostar service running between Amsterdam and London was suspended. However, the direct service between the two cities resumed on Monday, February 10. This brings back a convenient and seamless travel service for passengers.
Eurostar Amsterdam-London direct service resumes
Following an eight-month suspension, Eurostar has resumed its direct service between Amsterdam and London. The route had been temporarily halted over renovation work at Amsterdam Central Station, where passport checks are now able to take place at a newly upgraded UK terminal.
London St. Pancras station [Image by Nick Garrod on Flickr]Travelers are no doubt relieved as this means no more need to disembark in Brussels for border control, which makes the journey faster and more convenient. Meanwhile, Eurostar now offers three direct services per day on weekdays and Sundays, and two return services on Saturdays. Moreover, the Eurostar route stops in Rotterdam, Brussels, and Lille before reaching London St. Pancras
More plans with the new terminal operating
Amsterdam Central Station [Image by Dietmar Rabich on Wikimedia Commons]Now the new Amsterdam terminal is in place, Eurostar has increased seating capacity from 275 to 400 passengers per train, a 10 percent increase compared to June 2024. Moreover, by September 2025, the number will increase further to 650 seats per service, revealing the strong demand for the route.
As quoted by Metro, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave spoke of her enthusiasm about the relaunch, stating:
This is more than just a train journey – it is a seamless connection between two vibrant capitals, offering our customers an efficient, comfortable, and sustainable way to travel.
Meanwhile, Eurostar has more ambitious plans to increase services to five return trips each day by 2026, thus further strengthening rail links between the Netherlands and the UK. However, there is a catch.
Another Eurostar suspension in March
Travel by train between London and Amsterdam [Image Eurostar on Facebook]While the news of the route is great news for travelers, there is another suspension coming in March. The direction connection will be suspended temporarily from March 29 to April 22, due to further construction work at the Amstel Passage terminal in Amsterdam.
During the suspension, passengers will again need to stop in Brussels for passport checks as they did previously. However, once the construction work is concluded, Eurostar will once again offer the full direct service from April 22, just in time for the busy summer months.
Changes to Eurostar check-in at London St Pancras
London St. Pancras Station [Image by Elliott Brown on Flickr]However, Eurostar has also introduced another major change at London St. Pancras. From February 13, the company has scrapped its contactless SmartCheck pre-departure gates. These gates were initially launched to streamline the boarding process. However, this system is now reserved exclusively for priority passengers, including Eurostar and Étoile Club members.
Regrettably, this could mean that regular passengers will face longer queues at passport control while manual checks will be carried out.
However, there is some exciting news for 2025 in the form of the collaboration between Eurostar and SkyTeam. This new partnership will streamline the travel experience, allowing passengers to boot plane-to-train journeys under one ticket.
Regular travelers between London and the Netherlands will see the return of the direct Eurostar connection which provides a vital alternative to air travel in the form of more comfortable and sustainable travel options.
Find more information about train routes and services on the Eurostar website.
Anne Sewell: Anne is a freelance writer and travel writer who has spent much of her life in southern Africa (Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and is now living on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.