Eurostar will run direct London-Amsterdam trains this summer

Eurostar will continue to run its direct service from London to Amsterdam this summer. 

It was originally expected to suspend the service for six months starting in June, down from the year’s suspension that had been originally feared. 

The route will be affected by renovation work at Amsterdam Centraal station which will reduce the space available for carrying out post-Brexit security checks.

But the international rail operator says it has now found a solution to the part-closure of the station. 

Why are Eurostar’s Amsterdam-London trains being suspended?

During the works at Amsterdam Centraal, there will be a lack of space to complete passport and luggage checks for Eurostar’s London service. It would make post-Brexit security checks on the Amsterdam to London route difficult to carry out.

Dutch Railways had said that plans to temporarily relocate security facilities hadn’t worked out. 

But now three services a day – reduced from four – will run between London to Amsterdam. 

Passengers returning to London will have to change at Brussels where security and passport checks will take place. This change will add 48 minutes to an hour and 48 minutes to the journey as UK-bound services cross the border. 

The reduced service starts on 14 June and will last for six months until the new cross-channel terminal comes into operation. 

“We will ensure the continuity of the direct London-Amsterdam link. From Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London, passengers will be able to travel by Eurostar with a connection, with a choice of up to 8 routes,” Eurostar chief executive Gwendoline Cazenave said. 

“The construction of a new terminal is vital for passengers, who will be able to increase their numbers significantly when it opens.

What are the alternatives for travel between Amsterdam and London?

The reduced service and delay on the Amsterdam to London route could see passengers turn to flights to make the journey.

“I am aware that this outcome has a negative impact on the passengers and the ambition to replace short-haul flights with trains,” Vivianne Heijnen, Minister for the Environment, previously said when the planned suspension was in place. 

Amsterdam Centraal can currently process up to 250 passengers per train for Eurostar’s service to London.

Passengers travelling to London from Amsterdam and Rotterdam during the suspension will need to connect in Brussels. However, this station has a lower capacity of 160, which could make things more difficult. 

The works at Amsterdam Centraal are set to improve comfort, safety and connectivity for passengers, according to Heijnen. A longer-term plan seeks to move the international terminal to Amsterdam Zuid, south of the city, by 2036.

How has Eurostar been impacted by Brexit?

Last year, Eurostar ended its services from London to Disneyland Paris due to Brexit-related red tape.

Since the UK left the European Union, train stations receiving services from London have had to introduce passport and baggage checks. This requires additional staff, time and space in stations.

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With the implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) delayed and limited capacity at terminals across Europe, Eurostar has been rolling back its services from the UK.

In 2022, the operator’s peak capacity dropped by 30 per cent due to Brexit border checks.