London to Amsterdam by Dutch Flyer train & ferry, from £45 + £30 cabin       Buy a low-cost Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket from London to Amsterdam or any station in the Netherlands.  Low-cost but high-comfort overnight service with private cabin with en suite toilet & shower, satellite TV & free WiFi, saves time, money & hotel bills!         Click here for timetable & fares         What's it like? See the video!         Buy tickets starting in Amsterdam London to Amsterdam by Eurostar from £99 return... London to Amsterdam in just 4 to 5 hours by Eurostar with one easy change in Brussels...       Click here for timetable & fares       What's it like? See the photos

London to Amsterdam, in comfort without flying...

Fed up with flying?  This page explains how to travel from London or anywhere in the UK to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands, avoiding airport hassle and reducing both your stress levels and your impact on the environment.  Upgrade from a flight to the excellent low-cost Dutch Flyer or Eurostar and you'll rediscover how the journey itself can be a treat!

London to Amsterdam Dutch Flyer train & ferry...

High-speed trains take as little as 4 hours 37 minutes from central London to central Amsterdam, compared to around 4 hours of hassle by air.  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels and change onto a high-speed Thalys train from Brussels to Amsterdam, stress-free & relaxed compared to flying.  Click here for timetables, fares and how to buy tickets

North of England to Amsterdam by cruise ferry...

Don't fly, cruise!  Take a train to Newcastle or Hull then a luxurious overnight cruise ferry to Holland, a comfortable, convenient & time-effective way to go, by-passing London.  Click here for DFDS Seaways ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  Click here for P&O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.

London to Rotterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem & other Dutch destinations...

Dutch Flyer train+ferry tickets are valid to any station in the Netherlands, not just Amsterdam.  Simply take the train & overnight luxury superferry to Hoek van Holland, then use Netherlands Railways intercity trains to travel just about anywhere:  Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Apeldoorn, Groningen...  Or travel by Eurostar and Thalys or Fyra, then connecting trains, book at www.b-europe.com.

Other information on this & other pages...

Useful country information (tourist information, currency, dialling code)

Suggested hotels in Amsterdam    Map of Amsterdam

Short breaks in Amsterdam by Eurostar

City tour by hop-on hop-off open top bus

Amsterdam to Brussels by Thalys train

Amsterdam to Brussels by Fyra train

Train travel from Amsterdam to other European cities

Train travel from other European cities to Amsterdam

Luggage arrangements   left luggage in Amsterdam 

Taking a dog   Taking a bike    General train travel info

Train & ferry routes from the UK to Amsterdam ... Is it Holland or the Netherlands? What's the difference? The Netherlands is a country with 12 provinces.  Holland is a region made up of two of those 12 provinces, Noord Holland & Zuid Holland.  The other 10 provinces are not Holland.  Telling someone from Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Groningen or Maastricht that they come from Holland is like telling a Glaswegian that he comes from England...

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Amsterdam by Dutch Flyer train & ferry

	Buy tickets starting in the Netherlands The Dutch Flyer in pictures... Take the train from London to Harwich...  Watch the City of London skyline disappear behind you as the train heads out through the suburbs, then enjoy the scenery as the train runs through rural Essex and along the pretty Stour Estuary to arrive right alongside the brightly-lit ferry at Harwich International... ...and board the world's largest superferry.  At Harwich, you simply walk off the train, up the steps or use the lift onto the footbridge and straight into the ferry terminal.  Walk through the departures door and through a quick & easy security check & passport control to the check-in desk.  You show your passport & e-ticket and are given your cabin key, then you walk up the gangway onto the ferry to Hoek van Holland.  It's unbelievably quick & painless compared to airports, train to ferry takes just 10 minutes.  The Stena Hollandica is the largest RoPax ferry in the world, a 63,000 ton floating hotel with over 1,400 beds in 538 cabins. Steady as a rock! Snuggle down in a private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV, free WiFi. All passengers on the night crossing get a private cabin, and even the cheapest cabins come with en suite shower & toilet, satellite TV, free WiFi, top quality Swedish Dux mattresses, fresh towels, soap & shampoo/shower gel.  There's a desk with power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  Cabins are optional but half price on the day crossing.  See the full range of cabins. Dinner in the à la carte restaurant?   Add a 3-course dinner to your booking for £22 and you'll find a table reserved for you in the Metropolitan à la carte restaurant... Free WiFi & free internet access.  Forgot your laptop?  You can use these PCs on the Stena Line ferry free of charge.  If you've a laptop or smartphone there's free WiFi throughout the ship... ...There are bars, lounges, a cinema & shop.  This is one of the bar areas on the Stena Hollandica... Next morning, egg & bacon from the breakfast buffet in the Taste restaurant - or there are healthier options if you prefer!  Add an unlimited buffet breakfast to your booking for £10... ...then step ashore in Holland.  Simply walk down the gangway into the terminal, through Dutch passport control & onto the platform for the train to Rotterdam.  It takes just minutes, totally painless.  Above, the giant ferry Stena Hollandica has arrived at Hoek van Holland on a bright & sunny morning, spot on time... ...and take a modern Dutch train to anywhere in the Netherlands.  Air-conditioned Sprinter trains leave Hoek van Holland Haven (platform 2) every 20-30 minutes for Rotterdam Centraal, change there for InterCity trains to Amsterdam Centraal or anywhere in the Netherlands.  Many InterCity trains are double-deck, choose a top deck seat for the best views! You arrive at Amsterdam Centraal, a stroll from most hotels and walking distance from all the sights... One ticket covers the whole journey from London to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands, from £45 each way!  Buy a ticket online...   See the video... Which cabin to choose? Standard cabins (1, 2 or 5-berth) have comfy beds with top-quality Swedish Dux mattresses, en suite toilet & shower, satellite TV, European-style power sockets for laptops & mobiles, free WiFi & a small dressing table.  Towels, shower gel/shampoo & bedding are provided. Above, here's a Standard 1 or 2-berth outside cabin.  Sold as a single, you pay just £39 for the room plus a travel ticket from £45. As a double, it's £51 for the room plus a travel ticket for each passenger. Outside means with window, much nicer than an inside cabin & worth the extra few pounds.  The new Stena Hollandica has extra-large cabin windows for great sea views... This is a Standard 5-berth outside cabin. Comfort Class 2 or 3-berth:  All the features of a standard cabin plus a bit more room, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, complimentary fruit bowl & complimentary minibar with beer, fruit juice and red & white wine.  Ideal for an eco-friendly business trip or special weekend away to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Den Haag...  One berth is extra-wide, effectively a double bed. This is a Comfort Class cabin. £72 for the room, plus a travel ticket (from £45) for each passenger. Captain's Class 2-berth:  For even more space, book a Captain's Class cabin.  All the facilities of a standard cabin, but with a double bed, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, fruit bowl & complimentary minibar with beer, juice, & wine. This is a Captain's Class cabin with double bed.  You pay £98 for the room (£49 on the day crossing) plus a travel ticket (from £45) for each passenger. Captain's Suite 2-berth:  The ultimate choice, with double bed, separate sitting room with satellite TV, Nespresso coffee maker, fruit bowl & complimentary minibar. This is a Captain's Suite sitting room, a bedroom with double bed is next door.  It's £123 for the suite (£62 on the day crossing), plus a travel ticket (from (£45) for each passenger... Still unsure which cabin?  See cabin video...
	Booking tips... - This system can book one-way or return tickets starting in the UK.  Booking opens up to 12 months ahead. - For one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands, see the advice here. - The booking process makes sense if you realise that you're first telling it you want a rail & sail ticket from London to Amsterdam, then booking the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, as the train connections don't need reservations. - At the end of the booking you are emailed an e-ticket in .pdf format.  - Overseas credit cards accepted, visitors from the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Asia, Africa welcome! - If your travel date is less than 24 hours away, you'll need to book by phone, 08445 762 762 (UK callers only). Put the romance back...  Flying has lost its glamour.  It's time to put the romance back. Upgrade from a cheap flight to the Dutch Flyer.  This is a glass of complimentary cava in a Captain's Class cabin... Stena Plus Lounge. On the day crossing, you can pay a small supplement to access to the quiet Stena Plus Lounge with complimentary tea, coffee, red & white wine and newspapers.  Although a half-price private cabin with TV may be a better buy! Fresh air. If you're an airline passenger, you may have forgotten what this is...

About these fares...

• What does the fare include?  The fare includes the train from London, Cambridge or any Greater Anglia rail station to Harwich, Stena Line ferry to Hoek van Holland, and the Dutch train from Hoek to Amsterdam or any Dutch station, all on one ticket.

• Cabins are compulsory on the overnight ferry:  You must add the cost of a cabin to the cost of travel tickets for each person (in other words, two people would pay for 2 x £45 travel tickets plus 1 x £43 cabin = £133 = £66.50 each.  A solo passenger would pay £45 fare + £30 cabin = £75.

• Standard cabins have satellite TV, WiFi internet access, incredibly comfortable beds with Dux mattresses, fresh clean sheets & snug duvets, private shower & toilet with fluffy towels & shampoo/shower gel, and a small writing desk/dressing table with European 2-pin power sockets for mobiles or laptops, see the photo above.  'Inside' means without porthole inside the ship.  There are special cabins available for passengers with disabilities.

• Comfort & Captain's Class cabins all have large windows, satellite TV, WiFi internet access, tea & coffee making facilities, fresh fruit & complimentary minibar (small bottles of sparkling wine, red & white wine, cans of beer, mineral water and soft drinks) all included in the cabin price.  Ideal for a civilised low-carbon business trip to the Netherlands or a special weekend away!

• Cabins are optional but half price on the daytime ferry.  The privacy & comfort of a private cabin with satellite TV, WiFi, power sockets for mobile phones or a laptop is highly recommended for the 6 ½ hour daytime crossing.  Have a snooze, freshen up in the shower, get some work done, or relax with your family.  Self-service and waiter-service restaurants are available for meals on the ferry, plus bars, cinema, shop, games area, Stena Plus club lounge, free internet computers & TV news screens.

• Pre-book lunch, dinner or breakfast:  When you buy your tickets at www.dutchflyer.co.uk you can add a meal to the booking.  For example, a good 3-course dinner on the night crossing costs £22, or pre-book both dinner & breakfast for £29.  A 2-course lunch on the day crossing costs £16.  This saves a few pounds over what you'd pay on board and you'll find a reserved table with your name on it in the Metropolitan à la carte restaurant.  Recommended!

• You can't use Fyra or Thalys high-speed trains:  The ticket is not valid on the high-speed Fyra or Thalys train between Rotterdam & Amsterdam, only on the frequent Dutch domestic InterCity trains.

Useful links...

• The Dutch Flyer website is www.dutchflyer.co.uk.

• To check ferry sailing times see www.stenaline.co.uk.

• To check UK train times see www.nationalrail.co.uk. 

• Check Dutch train times to/from Hoek van Holland Haven at www.ns.nl.

• Suggested hotels in Amsterdam

• Luggage, dogs & bikes

• Left luggage in London & Amsterdam

• Map of Amsterdam

Travel to any station in the Netherlands... 

• These fares are valid to any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam, meaning almost any town or city in the Netherlands.  For example, from central London to Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Haarlem, Utrecht, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Groningen, Enschede, Deventer, Amersfoort, in fact any Dutch railway station you like...  Simply check train times from Hoek van Holland to anywhere in the Netherlands using the Dutch Railways website, www.ns.nl.

Travel from any station on Greater Anglia... 

• These fares are valid from any Greater Anglia railway station, not just London, including Cambridge, Colchester, Chelmsford, Norwich, Ipswich, Ely, Romford, Ilford, or Bishop's Stortford.  There are direct trains from Cambridge and Ipswich to Harwich, as well as from London, Chelmsford & Colchester.  Simply check train fares & times from your local station to Harwich International using www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Allow plenty of time (at least 40 minutes, preferably more) to connect with the ferry at Harwich.

• From Edinburgh, York, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham (and so on) all you need is a ticket to Peterborough, as your rail & sail ticket to Amsterdam is valid from any Greater Anglia station, which includes Peterborough.

Luggage, dogs & bikes...

• Luggage:  You can take as much luggage as you can carry, there are no weight or size limits.  Just remember you will have to handle it!  You keep your luggage with you throughout the journey, putting it on the luggage racks on the trains and taking it into your cabin on the ferry.  On the day sailing, if you don't have a cabin it can be left in a luggage room that will be locked during the crossing.

• Bicycles:  You can take your bike with you on the Dutch Flyer service for as little as £4 each way.  Just book your Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket in the normal way at www.dutchflyer.co.uk and select 'bicycle' in the drop-down vehicle box at the stage where you enter the number of passengers and select cabins.  You can take your bike free of charge, no reservation necessary on the direct Greater Anglia trains between London & Harwich, except in the Monday to Fridays peak hours when bikes are not allowed.  Peak hours means evening trains departing from London 16:30-18:30 and morning trains due to arrive in London 07:45-09:45.  When you arrive at Harwich International, you'll need to cycle round from the station to the motorists' terminal to board the ferry via the vehicle ramp.  In the Netherlands, you need to pay for a Dutch Railways Bicycle Day Card costing around €6, you should buy this at the information desk on deck 9 when on board the Stena Line ferry.  Bikes may not be taken on Dutch trains in the Monday-Friday peak hours meaning 06:30-09:00 & 16:30-18:00, so if you arrive off the night boat on a weekday you'll need to wait an hour or so in Hoek before you can travel onwards to Rotterdam & Amsterdam.

• Dogs or other pets:  You can take your dog or cat under the PETS travel scheme, if you reserve an on-board kennel for around an extra £15 each way.  Buy a Dutch Flyer ticket in the normal way at www.dutchflyer.co.uk, and at the stage where you enter the number of passengers and select a cabin, simply enter the number of animals requiring a reserved kennel.  Dogs go free on the train from London to Harwich.  On Dutch trains, small dogs or cats go free if they are in a container on your lap, for a larger dog you'll need to buy a Dog Day Card (Dagkart Hond) for about €3 - you can buy this at the information desk on deck 9 on board the Stena Line ferry.  For more information see the taking your dog or pet page.

How to buy tickets starting in the UK:  Click here

• Buy tickets online (recommended):  www.dutchflyer.co.uk sells one-way or return train+ferry tickets from London or any Greater Anglia railway station to Amsterdam or any Dutch station.  See the booking tips in the red box on the right...

• By phone:  You can buy train+ferry tickets by phone from either Stena Line on 08445 762 762 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays) or Greater Anglia on 0845 600 72 45 (lines open 08:00-22:00 daily).  A booking fee of around £4 applies to phone bookings.

• In person:  At London Liverpool Street station ticket office.  You can buy tickets on the day, but places are limited and fares cheaper if you book in advance, so it's best to book ahead.

• Journeys starting in the Netherlands:  www.dutchflyer.co.uk will only book one-way or return tickets starting in the UK.  If you want to book one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands you'll need to use the equivalent Dutch website, see the section below.

• If you're from the USA, Canada, Australia, South America, Africa or Asia, you can book journeys starting in the UK online at www.dutchflyer.co.uk and they will email you an e-ticket, which you just need to get checked & stamped at London Liverpool Street station ticket office before boarding the train.  easy!  However, for journeys starting in the Netherlands, see the advice here.  Alternatively, you can book by telephone with Greater Anglia (the UK train operator involved in this service) on +44 1603 214 505, which is their Customer Services (open office hours Mon-Fri UK time), ask to be put through to their telesales department.

• The Man in Seat 61's top tips:  (1) Book a cabin on the daytime crossing even though it's optional, as cabins are half-price and it's somewhere to relax, freshen up, work, or watch TV.  Comfort or Captain's Class cabins give you tea/coffee facilities and a free minibar.  (2) Add a meal to your booking, this saves a few pounds over what you pay on board and you'll find a reserved table with your name on it in the Metropolitan à la carte restaurant.  For example, you can add a good 3-course dinner to your booking for £22, or both dinner & breakfast for £29.

How to buy tickets starting in the Netherlands...

• You'll need to use the Netherlands version of Stena's website, because their UK website only sells one-way or return tickets starting in the UK.  To buy one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands go to www.stenaline.nl/ferry/londen.

• If you have a Dutch home address & speak Dutch, leave it in Dutch and use www.stenaline.nl/ferry/londen to buy one-way or return tickets from Elk station in Nederland (any Dutch station) to London or any Greater Anglia Railway station.  Easy!  Amsterdam to London starts at €52 + cabin cost.  Tickets will be posted to you, as long as there are 8 days or more before your travel date.  If there are less than 8 days to go, you will need to book a ticket starting in Hoek van Holland, the ticket will be emailed to you and you can buy a separate train ticket to Hoek van Holland Haven at your local NS station.

• If you don't have a Dutch home address, go to www.stenaline.nl/ferry/londen and switch it to English at top right.  You'll notice the Elk NS station in Nederland (Any Dutch station) option disappears, as Stena Line will not send the necessary Dutch train tickets outside of the Netherlands. 

• So you're going to buy a Hoek van Holland to London Dutch Flyer ticket, then buy a Dutch train ticket separately...

• So first use www.stenaline.nl/ferry/londen to book a Dutch Flyer ticket from Hoek van Holland to London or any Greater Anglia station.  This covers the ferry and the British train.  Hoek van Holland to London starts at €45 + cabin cost. 

• Anyone from any country can buy tickets this way.  You receive a confirmation email with an e-ticket in .pdf format, which is all you need to check in at Hoek van Holland ferry terminal, where you will be given your UK train tickets for the Harwich to London part of the journey.

• Then buy a Dutch train ticket separately, at the station on the day of travel, from Amsterdam or wherever you want to start in the Netherlands to Hoek van Holland Haven.  Hoek van Holland Haven is the station you want, not Strand.  You can check prices (but not buy online) at www.ns.nl.  No reservation is necessary or possible for Dutch domestic trains.  Remember that Dutch stations accept cash, but not cards.  Amsterdam to Hoek van Holland Haven costs €17.

• To buy tickets by phone:  UK residents can try and buy tickets starting in the Netherlands through the UK Stena Line telesales office on 08445 762 762, lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays, though you may end up having to call their Dutch office.  If you're not a UK resident, call Stena Line's Dutch office on 0900-8123 (if calling from the Netherlands) or +31 174 315 811 (if calling from overseas), lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays, Dutch time.

Video guide:  London to Amsterdam by Dutch Flyer...

Want to see more?  See the Green Traveller Dutch Flyer video...

London to Amsterdam by high-speed train...

Take Eurostar to Brussels in just 2 hours then a connecting high-speed Thalys train to Amsterdam in 1 hour 49 minutes.  This high-speed rail option is faster than train+ferry, in fact it's not much slower than a flight, and there's a choice of departures.  It's a fast, comfortable and stress-free way to reach Amsterdam that beats flying, any day...  How much does it cost?   How to buy tickets.

Top tip for a plane-free weekend in Amsterdam...

Catch a Friday night Eurostar from London to Brussels, spend the night in Brussels & continue to Amsterdam by Thalys on Saturday morning.  Or see a bit of Brussels and head for Amsterdam Saturday afternoon.  There are Thalys trains from Brussels to Amsterdam every hour or two all day.  Travel back from Amsterdam to London via Brussels on Sunday afternoon.  You can either book the trains yourself then book suggested hotels here, or for a tailor-made short break try www.railbookers.com.  Map of Amsterdam.

No service on 25 December.  How much does it cost?   How to buy tickets   Suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Tip for changing trains in Brussels   Buy connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities   Map of Amsterdam   Left luggage in London & Amsterdam

* Only runs on Thursdays & Fridays.  

** Only runs on Fridays.

Ashford (Kent): Outbound, only the 06:50 Mon-Fri & 06:57 Saturdays Eurostars from London call at Ashford, at 07:28. Inbound, the only Eurostars from Brussels that call at Ashford are the 16:56 Mon-Fri, 17:56 Sunday and 19:52 Saturday.

New Fyra service from 9 December: Fyra started operating 9 high-speed Fyra trains a day from 9 December 2012 onwards, replacing the hourly conventional-speed InterCity trains.  But they were suspended in January, indefinitely, so are not shown here.

	A Thalys at Amsterdam Centraal... See Thalys information page
	A Fyra at Rotterdam Centraal, but Fyra service is now suspended... See the Fyra information page

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam from £64 one-way, £99 return...

  Eurostar offers special fares for travel by Eurostar+Thalys from London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam from £99 return.  Like air fares, the price rises as the cheaper seats are sold, see the how to buy tickets section for advice.  Children under 4 go free, children aged 4-11 travel at a reduced child rate.  Both the Eurostar & Thalys parts of the ticket are only valid on the specific train on which you have been booked, with the cheaper ticket there are no refunds or changes to travel plans.  If you want to stop off in Brussels, you'll need to book each leg separately.

• London to other Dutch stations...

  Unfortunately, the London to Any Dutch Station fare from £89 return has been discontinued, but you can still buy tickets to anywhere in the Netherlands as one transaction at www.b-europe.com.  This simply adds up the cheapest fare for each leg of the journey.  To places like Groningen or Arnhem or Eindhoven, you may now find it cheaper to go by Dutch Flyer train & ferry, even with the price of a private cabin with shower & toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi!

How to buy tickets...

• Option 1:  Buy online at www.b-europe.com...

  You can buy Eurostar & Thalys tickets between London and Amsterdam, Rotterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands in either direction at www.b-europe.com and simply print out your own ticket.  Booking usually opens 92 days ahead.  B-europe.com is Belgian Railways international site, and it simply adds the cheapest price for Eurostar London-Brussels to the cheapest price for Thalys Brussels-Amsterdam.  It doesn't matter where you live, as www.b-europe.com accepts UK & overseas credit cards and issues print-at-home tickets for travel in either direction, London to Amsterdam or Amsterdam to London.  You can also book at the Dutch railways site www.nshispeed.nl with the same prices, but some people report that it struggles with overseas credit cards.  For journeys starting in the UK, I also recommend checking prices at www.eurostar.com as explained below.

• Option 2:  Buy online at www.eurostar.com...

  You can buy through tickets from London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam at www.eurostar.com.  It's a good idea to check prices at www.eurostar.com as well as www.b-europe.com, because Eurostar offers special through fares from London to Amsterdam from £99 return, which can be cheaper than the sum of the cheapest Eurostar fare to Brussels plus the cheapest Thalys fare, which is what b-europe.com offers.  You can only use www.eurostar.com for one-way or return journeys starting in the UK, for journeys starting in Amsterdam & the Netherlands you should use www.b-europe.com as shown above.

• Option 3: Split the journey, using both www.eurostar.com & www.thalys.com...

  It's sometimes best to split the journey into its two components, and book London-Brussels at www.eurostar.com then Brussels-Amsterdam at www.thalys.com.  You should book this way if you want a stopover in Brussels.

  Both sites allow you to print your own ticket, so this booking method works for anyone from any country, in either direction.  Booking London-Brussels with Eurostar.com allows you to choose an exact seat on Eurostar, and you can  book through tickets from 130 UK towns & cities to Brussels, not just from London.

  Just remember to allow at least 17 minutes to change in Brussels when travelling east from London to Amsterdam, and at least 42 minutes to change trains in Brussels (including the 30 minute Eurostar check-in) when travelling west from Amsterdam to London, as those are the 'official' minimum connection times.

How to buy tickets if you're in the Netherlands...

• Buy a ticket from Amsterdam or any Dutch station to London online at www.b-europe.com or www.nshispeed.nl or by calling NS (Dutch Railways) on 0900 92 96, lines open 08:00-21:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-18:00 Saturday and Sunday.  Tickets can be printed out on your own PC printer, or (if you use NSHispeed) posted to any Dutch address, or (again, if you use NSHispeed) collected at major stations in the Netherlands.  Or you can book in person at the international booking offices at ten largest stations in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Arnhem.  But remember, you'll need to book in advance for the cheapest fares, as buying tickets on the day can be expensive.

How to buy tickets if you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, India, Africa etc.

• For travel between London & Amsterdam in either direction by Eurostar+Thalys, buy tickets online at www.b-europe.com, overseas credit cards accepted and you simply print out your own tickets.  Easy!

• You can also split the journey, booking London-Brussels or vice versa at www.eurostar.com then Brussels-Amsterdam or vice versa at either www.thalys.com or www.b-europe.com.  This gives you more control, allows you to book a stopover in Brussels if you like, and at eurostar.com you can select an exact seat on Eurostar.  Just make sure you allow at least 17 minutes to change in Brussels when travelling east from London to Amsterdam, and at least 42 minutes to change trains in Brussels (including the 30 minute Eurostar check-in) when travelling west from Amsterdam to London, as those are the 'official' minimum connection times.

Short breaks:  Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get very positive reviews.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.  US residents can call them on (646) 770 2894 (please quote seat61) and Canadian residents on (416) 800 0732 (please quote 'seat61').  Australian residents can call their Australian office, www.railbookers.com.au on 02 8096 0550.

What's the journey like?

On board the Eurostar...

First class fares include an airline-style meal and complimentary drinks.  All passengers have access to two buffet-bar cars serving drinks and snacks.  For more information about travelling by Eurostar, see the Eurostar page.  Eurostar arrives at platforms 1 or 2 at Brussels Midi (Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South in English).

A Eurostar at St Pancras...

Eurostar 1st class...

Eurostar 2nd class...

Brussels to Amsterdam by Thalys high-speed train...

Thalys is a joint venture of the French, Belgian & Dutch railways formed to run the high-speed trains between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne.  Thalys trains have 1st & 2nd class seats (marketed as Comfort 1 & Comfort 2) plus a cafe-bar car.  Between Brussels & Amsterdam, the Thalys trains are more comfortable, but less frequent and less flexible than the regular hourly InterCity trains.  1st class fares include complimentary refreshments served at your seat and 1st class passengers may use the first class lounges at Amsterdam Centraal or Schiphol stations with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks and beer (look for signs to the 'NS HiSpeed Lounge').  However, the first class lounge at Brussels is only for special frequent traveller cardholders.  All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles, and all Thalys trains have WiFi on board, free in 1st class, chargeable in 2nd class.  Like Eurostar, advance reservation is obligatory, and special fares apply.  You can check Thalys train times & fares at the Thalys website, www.thalys.com.  You can check London to Amsterdam Eurostar+Thalys times and fares at www.eurostar.com.  Combined Eurostar+Thalys tickets can only be used on the specific Eurostar and Thalys trains on which your seats have been reserved.  In Brussels, Thalys trains to Amsterdam normally leave from platforms 5 or 6, but always check the indicator boards.  Advice on changing trains at Brussels Midi.  More information about Thalys.  Seating plan for Thalys.

2nd class (Comfort 2) seats on Thalys...		1st class (Comfort 1) seats on Thalys...		A Thalys about to leave Brussels...

See full-screen panorama photos of seats & cafe bar on Thalys

Brussels to Amsterdam by high-speed FYRA trains...  See the video  New from 9 December 2012!

From 9 December 2012 the hourly Brussels-Amsterdam InterCity train on the classic route was replaced by an hourly Fyra train on the high-speed route, cutting journey time from almost 3 hours to just 2 hours at up to 250 km/h (155 mph).  Fyra is a joint venture between SNCB (Belgian Railways) and NS HiSpeed (Dutch Railways). Reservation will be compulsory for international journeys on Fyra, tickets are only valid on the specific train you've booked.  However, due to problems, Fyra service is currently suspended until further notice  For more information, see the Brussels to Amsterdam by Fyra page.

1st class seats on Fyra...		2nd class seats on Fyra		A 'V250' 155mph Fyra train...

See full-screen panorama photos of 1st & 2nd class seats on Fyra

London to other destinations in the Netherlands

	Above:  A Dutch double-deck InterCity train.
	Above:  These are top deck seats on a Dutch double-deck InterCity train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam...

London to Rotterdam, Den Haag (The Hague)...

The London-Netherlands by train & ferry section & the London-Netherlands by Eurostar section cover Rotterdam & Den Haag as well as Amsterdam.

London to Maastricht...

Maastricht, right down in the southern tip of the Netherlands, is most easy reached by Eurostar changing in Brussels.  There are hourly Belgian InterCity trains from Brussels to Maastricht with one easy and quick change in Liège, journey time 1 hour 46 minutes.

You can buy a through ticket from London to Liège, simply go to www.eurostar.com and buy a ticket from London to a destination listed as Any Belgian Station from £45 one-way or £79 return.  This is valid on a specific Eurostar to Brussels, then onwards to any station in Belgium using any suitable connecting train (including Belgian InterCity trains but not international Thalys, ICE or Fyra trains) within 24 hours of arrival in Brussels, and (on your return) within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure from Brussels.  This will take you all the way to Liege, you can easily buy an onward ticket from Liege to Maastricht online at www.b-europe.com.  Note that at www.eurostar.com all you are reserving is your Eurostar seat, from Brussels to Liège a seat reservation is unnecessary you can just hop on any train you like. The Eurostar website won't give schedules for the onward trains, but you can use the online journey planner at www.b-europe.com to find train times between Brussels and Maastricht.

Alternatively, you can travel from London to Maastricht by overnight train+ferry if you like using the special 'London to any Dutch station' train+ferry ticket, see the section above.

London to any other destination in the Netherlands:  Utrecht, Apeldoorn, Groningen, Arnhem, Eindhoven, etc...

Other destinations in the Netherlands can also be reached just as easily as Amsterdam, using either train+ferry or Eurostar.  Decide which you want to use by reading the London-Amsterdam train & ferry and Eurostar information above, then check connections to your chosen destination as follows:

By train+ferry to any Dutch station:  If you buy a train+ferry ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.dutchflyer.co.uk as explained above, your ticket will be valid to any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam.  So you can travel from London to anywhere in the Netherlands for the same price as Amsterdam.  Simply take the sprinter train from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam, where you'll find frequent direct trains to Utrecht, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Groningen and so on, usually every hour or better, with no need to go via Amsterdam.  To check train times to other Dutch destinations, first check what time your chosen train+ferry service reaches Hoek van Holland using the London to Amsterdam train+ferry timetable above.  Then go to www.ns.nl, enter 'Hoek van Holland' as origin and your Dutch destination as 'destination', enter your travel dates and time of departure from Hoek (allowing at least 20 minutes from the arrival of the ferry) and hit 'search'.

By Eurostar to any Dutch station: Unfortunately, the London to Any Dutch Station fare from £89 return was discontinued on 9 December 2012 when the hourly Brussels-Amsterdam InterCity trains were replaced by the new high-speed Fyra trains (which were suspended again in January due to problems).  You now need to buy a Eurostar fare from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to your final Dutch destination, although the good news is that you can do this as one simple end-to-end booking on www.b-europe.com.  However, you may now find it cheaper to switch to the Dutch Flyer train & ferry, even with the price of a private cabin with shower & toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi!

North of England to Amsterdam

	P&O Ferries superb ship Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort, just arrived from Hull...
	Dinner in the à la carte restaurant on board the Pride of Rotterdam...
	A standard outside cabin on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam...

We don't all live in London and the South!  From the North of England to Amsterdam, you have three options, including a luxurious direct cruise ferry from Hull to Holland that by-passes London:

• Option 1, by Eurostar:  Option 1 is simply to catch a train up to London, then take Eurostar to Brussels and either a high-speed Thalys or lower speed InterCity train to Amsterdam, as explained above.  www.eurostar.com can sell through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Amsterdam covering the UK train, Eurostar & Thalys all on one booking. If your local station isn't one of the 130 Eurostar UK stations, you can buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nshispeed.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London.  See this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.

• Option 2, by Dutch Flyer train & ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland:  Option 2 is to catch an afternoon train to London (or change at Peterborough for the cross-country route to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight Dutch Flyer train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail above.  After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, book a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich.  The slower cross-country route from Peterborough to Harwich can take longer and involve more changes than going via London, but avoids changing trains and stations in London.

• Option 3, by P&O Ferries cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam:  Option 3 is perhaps the most comfortable (even luxurious) way to go, which avoids having to travel up to London.  See below...

By P&O cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam...

P&O's superb overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam is more than just a means of transport, it's a floating hotel that makes the journey as much fun as the destination.  The ferry sails overnight, so it's a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break in Holland.  You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub.

North of England ► Rotterdam, Amsterdam

• Step 1, take a train from your local station to Hull.  There are direct trains to Hull from Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.  If you plan to use the transfer bus, time your train to arrive by about 16:40.  If you are happy using a taxi, choose any train timed to arrive before 18:30.  You can check train times & fares and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

• Step 2, take a taxi from Hull station to the P&O ferry terminal (Terminal 1), it's only about 3 miles, journey time 12 minutes, taxi fare around £7, and plenty of taxis will be waiting at the station.  Alternatively, a transfer bus leaves from the the interchange next to the St Stephen's shopping centre at 17:15 taking 15 minutes to the ferry terminal, bus fare £3.25, pay on the bus.  The ferry starts boarding at 17:30 with all her bars and restaurants open for business.  Check-in for the ferry closes at 19:00.

• Step 3, sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam Europoort with P&O, sailing from Hull International Ferry Terminal at 20:30 and arriving at Rotterdam Europoort at 08:15 (09:00 weekends), see www.poferries.com.

• Step 4, a P&O transfer bus will be waiting outside the terminal building at Rotterdam Europoort to take you to Rotterdam Centraal railway station - this is quite a distance, about 24 miles, so expect the bus to take around 40 minutes.  Fare around £7, you should book the bus along with your ferry tickets at www.poferries.com.  They also run a bus to Amsterdam, but that's not as civilised as switching to a proper train once you reach the station at Rotterdam.

• Step 5, take a train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam.  These run every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour.  No reservation is required on Dutch trains, so you can easily buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one in advance to save time at the ticket office (where only cash is accepted, not credit cards), you can buy a Rotterdam to Amsterdam ticket online at www.b-europe.com and print it out at home.  It will be valid on any train on the day you book it for.

Amsterdam, Rotterdam ► North of England

• Take a train around 15:30 from Amsterdam to Rotterdam Centraal, these run every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour.  No reservation is necessary, so you can easily turn up and buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one in advance to save time at the ticket office, you can buy a ticket online at www.b-europe.com and print it out at home.  It will be valid on any train on the day you book it for.

• A special P&O bus leaves Rotterdam Centraal (Eurolines bus stop in front of the Woonbron building) at 17:00 for the 24 mile transfer to the P&O Europoort ferry terminal, fare around 4.50 euros, you should pre-book the bus with P&O when you buy your ferry tickets.  Please check bus details at www.poferries.com when booking.  The bus departure point is 200m from the station, and is not well marked, so ask for directions at the station info point and allow plenty of time for interchange.

• Sail overnight from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull, leaving Europoort daily at 21:00 (20:30 at weekends), arriving in Hull at 08:00 next morning, see www.poferries.com.  Boarding starts around 17:00, with all the ship's bars and restaurants open, and the ferry check-in closes at 19:30 (19:00 at weekends).  A bus will transfer you from the ferry terminal to Hull city centre on arrival, bus fare £3.25.

How much does it cost?

• Like most ferry companies, P&O vary fares by season and availability, so you need to go online at www.poferries.com to see what the cost is for your dates and your chosen cabin type.  But expect a return trip for two people from Hull to Rotterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £123 return per person.  However, solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin including the transfer bus to Rotterdam Centraal would pay around £214 return.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, start by booking the ferry online at www.poferries.com.  There's no ticket, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal.  You can add the Europoort to Rotterdam transfer bus to your booking.

• Step 2, book trains to Hull.  You can do this at any train company website without any booking fees, for example www.virgintrains.co.uk.  Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the ferry terminal at North Shields.

Scotland & Newcastle to Amsterdam

	DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS 'Princess of Norway' from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A Commodore Deluxe cabin on DFDS ferry King of Scandinavia from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  Commodore Deluxe offers genuine cruise ship standards with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  Highly recommended!  See the video...
	About as far away from Ryanair as you can get...  The exclusive Commodore Deluxe lounge aboard the King of Scandinavia...

From Scotland, Carlisle, Cumbria, Tyne & Wear to Amsterdam, you have three options:

• Option 1, by Eurostar:  Option 1 is simply to catch a train up to London, then take Eurostar to Brussels and either a high-speed Thalys or lower speed InterCity train to Amsterdam, as explained above.  www.eurostar.com can sell through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Amsterdam covering the UK train, Eurostar & Thalys all on one booking. If your local station isn't one of the 130 Eurostar UK stations, you can simply buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nshispeed.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London.  See this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.

• Option 2, by Dutch Flyer train & ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland:  Option 2 is to catch a train to London (or changing at Peterborough, cross-country to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight Dutch Flyer train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail above.  After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, buy a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich.  The slower cross-country route from Peterborough to Harwich can take longer and involve more changes than going via London, but avoids changing trains and stations in London.

• Option 3, by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry direct from Newcastle to Amsterdam:  Option 3 is perhaps the simplest and most comfortable (even luxurious) option, by-passing London aboard DFDS Seaways daily cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam).  See below...

By DFDS cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam...

DFDS Seaways' overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) is not just a means of transport, but a floating hotel that makes the journey as much fun as the destination.  The ferry sails overnight, a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break.  You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub.  And if you choose DFDS Seaways 'Commodore Deluxe' class then you're in for a real treat!

Scotland & Newcastle ► Amsterdam

• Step 1, take a train from your local station to Newcastle, timed to arrive in Newcastle at or before 15:00.  For example, you can leave Edinburgh around 13:00.  You can check train times & fares on the UK page or at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

• Step 2, transfer from Newcastle Central to the International Ferry Terminal at North Shields.  A clearly-marked DFDS transfer bus leaves Newcastle central station for the North Shields international ferry terminal 2 ½ & 1 ¼ hours before the ferry sails.  To find the bus stop, walk out of the main exit at Newcastle Central Station onto the cab road and turn left along the station front for about 100 yards until you reach the bus stop marked 'Bus 327 DFDS ferry terminal only'.  The bus fare is around £3 adults, £2 child, and the journey normally takes about 40 minutes.  The buses are wheelchair accessible and have extra luggage space.  Alternatively, a taxi from Newcastle station to the DFDS ferry terminal will cost about £16, journey time 35 minutes.  Another possibility is to take the Tyne & Wear Metro to Percy Main station and walk from there, though it's a fair old walk.

• Step 3, sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.co.uk), sailing daily at 17:00, arriving at IJmuiden (20km from Amsterdam) at 09:30 next morning.  The two ships on this route are the Princess of Norway and the King of Scandinavia.  Both are excellent, although the 'King' has Commodore Deluxe as well as Commodore & Seaways class cabins, and in my opinion is the nicer ship.  Buy your ferry tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk.

• A transfer bus will be waiting at IJmuiden to take you to Amsterdam Centraal station.  Expect to arrive there around 11:00.  A taxi to Amsterdam will cost around €60, and if you want one you'll have to pre-book it as there aren't many in IJmuiden.  Try calling ATC Taxis on 00 31 251314422 or Taxi Tervoort on 00 31 255 513838.

Amsterdam ► Newcastle & Scotland

• Step 1, a DFDS transfer bus leaves Amsterdam Centraal station (the stop is in front of the Hotel Victoria) between 15:00 & 16:00 for IJmuiden to connect with the ferry to Newcastle.  Please check bus details when booking.

• Step 2, sail from IJmuiden to Newcastle with DFDS Seaways overnight cruise ferry, leaving IJmuiden at 17:30 and arriving at Newcastle International Ferry Terminal at 09:00 next morning.  A wide range of cabins, restaurants, bars are available, with cinema, shops & live entertainment.

• Step 3, transfer by shuttle bus or taxi to Newcastle Central station for train travel home.  A fleet of shuttle buses will be waiting for the ferry when it arrives, for Newcastle central station.  You can check train times & fares and buy online at www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk.

How much does it cost?

• DFDS ferry fares vary by season and availability, so go to www.dfds.co.uk to see what the cost is for your dates and your chosen cabin type.  As an example, a ferry crossing for two people from Newcastle to Amsterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £65 one-way or £130 return for both passengers (in other words, £32.50 one-way or £65 return per person) in low season, rising to perhaps £145 one-way or £290 return in high season.  However, solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin might pay from around £136 return low season, perhaps £275 return high season or around holidays.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, start by booking the ferry online at www.dfds.co.uk.  There's no ticket, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal.

• Step 2, book trains to Newcastle.  You can do this at www.eastcoast.co.uk.  Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the ferry terminal at North Shields.

• There is no need to book the transfer bus from Newcastle station to the ferry terminal, as you pay on board the bus.

Sponsored links...

Recommended guidebooks

Paying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a small part of what you pay for your whole trip.  You will see a lot more, and know much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook.  I think the Lonely Planets & Rough Guides are the best ones out there for the independent traveller.  You won't regret buying one!  My own book, an essential handbook for train or ferry travel to Europe based on this website called The Man in Seat 61, was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Find hotels in Amsterdam & the Netherlands

Suggested hotels in Amsterdam...

• Definitely book your accommodation in Amsterdam sooner rather than later, as it can get difficult to find rooms at peak periods at short notice, the better and cheaper rooms quickly sell out.

• For the ultimate Amsterdam hotel, try The Grand, now the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam.  From around £250-£300 per night, this is one of the most famous hotel in Amsterdam, 5 minutes walk from Dam Square and 10 minutes walk from Centraal Station.  For something smaller but equally special, try the Canal House boutique hotel, 15 minutes walk from the station.

• Mid-range to top end:  The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel gets great reviews and couldn't be more convenient, it's on the corner right across the road from Amsterdam Centraal railway station, with doubles from around £150 per night.  In the same price bracket, try the Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, 6 minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal and also with excellent reviews.  Or the Hotel Sebastians, around £130 per night, equally well located 10 minutes walk from Centraal station, another hotel which gets great reviews.

• Cheap to mid-range:  The Hotel Luxer is cheaper, from around £80 per night, and also just 7 minutes walk from Centraal station with great reviews.  Also try The Times Hotel, Hotel Tourist Inn or Daily Rooms Hotel.

• Cheapies:  There are lots of cheap hotels, including many near the station, but very few get outstanding reviews.  For ones that do, try the floating boat hotel AmiciA (formerly Friesland), around £45 per night 15 minutes walk from the station or the Rembrandt Hotel, 10 min walk from Dam Square though 20 minutes walk from the station, also around £45 per night.

Backpacker hostels...

• If you're on a tight budget or there's a group of you, don't forget the backpacker hostels, www.hostelbookers.com.  In Amsterdam, you can find beds from around £14 a night in shared dorms, £16 per person per night in a 4-bed room, doubles from around £25 or single rooms from £47.

Suggested hotels in Rotterdam...

• Easily the most original place to stay in Rotterdam is aboard the moored 1959 transatlantic liner, the SS Rotterdam.  It's a taxi ride or 50 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal Station.

City breaks in Amsterdam, Eurostar + hotel

• Railbookers (www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761) are a reliable and helpful company offering city breaks to Amsterdam by train, combining Eurostar travel & hotel.  A 2-night break starts at around £225 per person.  US & Canadian residents can call Railbookers toll free on 1-800-408-3280, Australian residents toll-free on 1300 971 526, New Zealand residents on 0800 002 034.  They can also arrange tours of Europe to your own specification, with train travel and hotels arranged.

• Or put together your own break, using the overnight train+ferry option and booking a hotel separately.

City Tours by Open Top Bus

Buy a ticket for the hop-on, hop-off Open Top Bus...

City Sightseeing's red-and-yellow open top tour buses are now a familiar site in 100 major cities on 6 continents, and they do a hop-on, hop-off tour bus ticket for Amsterdam, with frequent departures every day from outside Amsterdam Centraal station.  I find a bus tour a good way to orientate yourself in a city, returning to explore in more depth later.  It's also less wearing on the feet, especially if you have kids!

Buy your tour tickets online before you go, redeemable on any day you like within 3 months of buying it, see www.city-sightseeing.com.

Travel insurance & health card

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.

Back to 'Rail travel to Europe' general page

Back to home page