Taking a Eurostar directly from Amsterdam to London and vice versa is now possible in just four hours. The high-speed rail service was due to launch in April this year but was delayed until October 26 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The cross-Channel high-speed rail service had already launched a direct route from London to both Amsterdam and Rotterdam in 2018, but passengers wanting to make the journey in reverse were obliged to change trains in Brussels to pass through passport control and security screening. The new service, which is is now direct both ways, making the journey between these European cities completely smooth and much quicker. And, in an age where people are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, the journey will result in 80% less carbon per passenger than the equivalent flights.

In order for the services to start running, existing agreements between the UK, France and Belgium signed in 1993 have been modified to include the Netherlands. All four countries signed the agreement earlier this year.

In order to ensure proper border checkers are done, the UK Border Force will station officials in Amsterdam and Rotterdam so they can carry out checks before boarding, like is done in France and Belgium. The trains will depart Amsterdam Centraal and arrive a mere four hours and nine minutes later at St Pancras International, which is another compelling reason to choose the train over flying. By travelling on Eurostar, customers are also actively supporting the reforestation of woodland in Europe with a tree planted for every service that it operates across its routes.

Find out more about the company’s coronavirus policies here. For more information or to book Eurostar tickets, visit its website here.

This article was first published on April 2 and updated on October 28, 2020.

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