Eurostar has resumed direct services from Amsterdam to London after an eight-month hold-up while a new terminal was built in the Netherlands capital.
Services from Amsterdam’s Centraal station to London St Pancras began again on Monday, after being paused for construction work in June.
Since then, passengers travelling from the Dutch capital to London were forced to take a train to Brussels where they would pass through border checks before changing on to a Eurostar service.
The new Amsterdam station means more space for UK-bound passengers, enabling Eurostar to reintroduce direct departures and increase services.
It is now running three daily return trips between the cities on weekdays and Sundays and two on Saturdays – each taking three hours and 52 minutes – with plans to grow it to five by 2026.
Each train can carry up to 400 passengers, compared to a previous maximum of 360 and this will reach 650 by September.
Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar chief executive, said the firm was “delighted” that direct services had resumed, calling such trips “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.
“Eurostar is proud to unveil this state-of-the-art terminal, reinforcing our commitment to providing a seamless, sustainable travel experience.
Centraal Station, Amsterdam. File pic: AP
“We know we will welcome more passengers on board as we continue to grow our services and set the standards for connectivity across Europe.
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“The tripling of capacity on the Netherlands-UK route is step one in a broader strategy to increase Eurostar’s network for customers all across Europe.”
Migration minister Seema Malhotra said she was pleased to see direct services back on track and pledged that the UK Border Force officers based in Netherlands “will ensure that our border security remains robust.”
