The Amsterdam-Berlin ICE train service is a great way to travel between the two cities during the day.
It gives you centre-to-centre convenience, no check-in or security lines and a regular service running every 2 hours. It can very easily be booked at the Trainline site here (multi-currencies) or at the NS International site (euros) with one-way prices from €38 (2nd class) or €50 (1st class).
Deutsche Bahn (DB German Railways) and NS International (Dutch Railways) jointly run the 6x daily direct train between Amsterdam and Berlin – this is an ICE rail service using a mix of conventional tracks and high speed tracks – the journey time is just under 6 hours.
We’ve made this trip multiple times and here is our detailed guide to Amsterdam-Berlin by ICE train. The info here is applicable if travelling in either direction – Amsterdam to Berlin or Berlin to Amsterdam.
ICE Amsterdam-Berlin timetable (2026)
Amsterdam to Berlin (daily)
| ICE 141 | ICE 143 | ICE 145 | ICE 147 | ICE 149 | ICE 241 | ||
| Amsterdam Centraal | dep | 06:00 | 08:00 | 10:00 | 12:00 | 14:00 | 16:00 |
| Berlin Hbf | arr | 11:41 | 13:42 | 15:42 | 17:42 | 19:42 | 21:43 |
Berlin To Amsterdam (daily)
| ICE 240 | ICE 148 | ICE 146 | ICE 144 | ICE 142 | ICE 140 | ||
| Berlin Hbf | dep | 06:14 | 08:16 | 10:16 | 12:16 | 14:16 | 16:16 |
| Amsterdam Centraal | arr | 11:59 | 14:01 | 16:00 | 18:00 | 20:01 | 22:01 |
Be aware that rail works can affect the standard timetable.
Amsterdam-Berlin Map & Route
The ICE train runs from Amsterdam Central to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) – and then terminates at Berlin Ostbahnhof.
This service makes a number of stops – in the Netherlands at Hilversum, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Deventer and Hengelo.
It crosses into Germany at Bad Bentheim and then makes further stops at Rheine, Osnabrück Hbf, Bünde(Westf), Hannover Hbf and Berlin Spandau.
| NOTE: 2026-27 Amsterdam-Berlin ICE via Hamburg From October 2026 to December 2027 there will be major engineering works on the line resulting in a route change. Of the 7x daily services, there will be 4x daily ICE trains running Amsterdam-Berlin via Hamburg-Harburg and Hamburg-Bergedorf stations. The other 3x daily ICE trains run Amsterdam-Hannover with a change required to continue to Berlin. |
Amsterdam-Berlin ICE: Journey Time & Distance
Total journey time: 5 hours 42 minutes (Amsterdam-Berlin) and 5 hours 45 minutes (Berlin-Amsterdam).
Total distance: 635km
Maximum speed: 200 km/h is reached just before and after Hannover; a top speed of 250km/h is possible on the Wolfsburg-Berlin section
Amsterdam-Berlin train ticket fares
Booking for Amsterdam-Berlin rail tickets opens 180 days before travel.
The Amsterdam-Berlin ICE train has 2nd class and 1st class tickets with the following possible fare components:
- Supersparpreis Europa – only valid on a specific departure and non-changeable/non-refundable. CHEAPEST
- Sparpreis Europa – a mid-flex fare only valid on a specific departure but which is changeable and refundable for a fee.
- Flexpreis Europa – a fully-flexible fare with unrestricted choice of trains and includes a City ticket for Berlin public transport. EXPENSIVE
Spar means Savings; Preis means Price in German
Each component has a range of fare buckets – generally the further in advance you book, the more likely you will find the cheapest fare bucket.
For Amsterdam-Berlin the cheapest one-way fare buckets are:
- €37.90 (2nd class) and €49.90 (1st class) for Supersparpreis Europa
- €44.90 (2nd class) and €58.90 (1st class) for Sparpreis Europa
- €167 (2nd class) and €277 (1st class) for Flexpreis Europa
As you get closer to the departure date the cheaper fares will tend to sell out and you may only find higher fares available.
Children 0-4 always travel free. In addition children ages 4-14 can travel free with any standard adult passenger on a (Super) Sparpreis fare – though you must include the child on your ticket when booking.
Those wanting to travel solely in the Netherlands on the ICE train require a supplement ticket (€3.20) on top of the standard domestic ticket.
Book your Amsterdam-Berlin tickets
Amsterdam-Berlin train tickets can easily be booked at the Trainline site (UK based) which offers payment in multiple currencies. Check trains here:
Or book at the NS International site – this is the official Dutch Railways international arm which offers payment in euros only.
| TIP: Always select direct trains services when booking. You might see slightly cheaper fares that include regional trains and multiple changes – this is really not worth the hassle. |
Berlin-Amsterdam ICE train
Modern ICE3neo class 408 variants manufactured by Siemens operate on the Amsterdam-Berlin route. They first entered German domestic service in 2022 and were deployed for Amsterdam-Frankfurt in summer 2024 and then Amsterdam-Berlin in November 2025.
They replaced the older series Intercity trains which previously ran on the route – this was known in the Netherlands as the ‘Intercity Berlin’.
The ICE train has 8 air-conditioned carriages and a total length of 201m.
Sometime in the near future (mid-2026?) it is expected that new ICE-L trains will be used on the Berlin-Amsterdam route. These are essentially Spanish made Talgo 230 trains branded as ICE-L – Intercity-Express Low-Floor – with special accessible entry.
With a top speed of 230km/h and with track and platform upgrades it is likely that 30 minutes will eventually be taken of the current Amsterdam-Berlin journey time.
The ICE-L delivery process has seen some delays but the trains are now running domestically on the Berlin-Cologne route.
Berlin-Amsterdam ICE train – Seats & Facilities
The ICE3neo trains have a total of 439 seats over the 8 carriages. This is made up of six 2nd class carriages (seating 340) and two 1st class carriages (seating 99).
Each carriage has a number – currently 21 to 29, with the 1st class ones being 28 and 29. The numbers are marked on a display near the external doors.
Seat numbers in each carriage are also clearly marked on the aisle seat and above at the luggage rack.
Seats on the Berlin-Amsterdam ICE
2nd class on the ICE has grey or blue fabric seats mainly in a 2-2 open-plan unidirectional configuration. There are a few 4-seater tables where the seats change direction.
These seats can be reclined slightly using a lever and have a drop down tray table with device holders.
They are very comfortable to sit in for the near 6 hour journey. Legroom is very good and certainly more than an economy class seat on a plane.
There is a designated quiet-zone carriage where mobile phone calls are prohibited. There is also a special 5 seat family compartment (2nd class) available with adjacent baby changing facilities.
A 2nd class seat reservation (for a specific seat and carriage) costs an extra €5.20. It is highly recommended to reserve so you don’t have to play musical chairs. Be aware that the train carries a good number of domestic passengers, particularly within Germany.
Reservations are mandatory during the peak summer season (June to August) and are freely included with your ticket.
Each seat has a small LED display above showing whether the seat is reserved and the specific route for the reservation.
The 2nd class seating map for a typical carriage looks like this:
1st class has leather seating in an open 1-2 configuration – with a small ‘quiet zone’ compartment sectioned off. The ICE first class seats are certainly an improvement on the old Intercity seats which had awkward closed compartments.
The 1st class seating map looks like this:
Seat reservations are freely included with full-flex 1st class tickets. For other fares, 1st class seat reservations cost an extra €6.50 outside the peak summer season.
Facilities on board the ICE
- The windows on the ICE trains are medium-sized and rectangular offering reasonable views. Note, some seats can align with the wall space between the windows – somewhat limiting the view.
- Free WiFi is available at to all passengers – access info (usually WIFIonICE network) is at your seat.
- Screens on the ceiling show journey information.
- There are coat hooks at the seat and above the window.
- A useful aisle handle is placed at the headrest of each aisle seat.
- There is a European power outlet available at each seat.
- Toilet facilities are available at the ends of each carriage.
- The Bordrestaurant carriage sells snacks, drinks, hot meals and has some table seating.
Luggage on Amsterdam-Berlin ICE
Unlike flying there are no extra charges for bringing luggage with you on your ICE journey. The train has overhead luggage racks above the seats and also some extra racks at the middle and end of the carriages. You should only bring on-board what you are able to carry.
Bicycles on the Amsterdam-Berlin ICE
It is possible to bring a bike onboard the ICE train. There are specially marked cycle carriages – normally located at the end carriage 21 for a standard train – with special bike racks.
The bike carriage has a capacity for 8 bikes (places will be numbered) and also has 2nd class seating. You will need to make a paid reservation in advance for your bike.
Folded bikes can be brought on board for free.
Amsterdam-Berlin train trip scenery
The rail journey between Amsterdam and Berlin is quite scenic and you will pass through green countryside of eastern Netherlands and through Germany. It is always fun to guess the moment when you have crossed the border, as this is not marked.
If you are taking a train earlier in the day you should see the ICE trains coming the opposite direction every hour or so.
Some points of interest on the German side are the Kaiser-Wilhelm monument on the Wittekindsberg hill near Minden and the old Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg station. These are both on the northern side of the train and are more clearly seen on the Berlin-Amsterdam leg.
If you are travelling from Amsterdam to Hamburg, Amsterdam to Copenhagen or to other Scandinavian destinations you can use the ICE from Amsterdam to Osnabrück and then change there to a domestic German ICE train to Hamburg.
Amsterdam Central Station
The magnificent Amsterdam Centraal station was competed in 1889. It was designed by Pierre Cuypers who was the noted architect of the city’s Rijksmuseum.
The modernised section of the station at the IJ waterfront side features shops, restaurants and some great views.
The Berlin ICE train generally departs from platforms 8 and arrives at platforms 14/15 – however platforms frequently get changed. You can check the live departures and arrival info at Amsterdam Central here
All 1st class passengers can get access to the basic NS International lounge at Amsterdam Centraal.
Berlin Hauptbahnhof station
Berlin’s main station is a modern glass structure opened in 2006 which has multiple levels. The Amsterdam-Berlin ICE train operate from the upper level (east-west) platforms – normally arriving at platforms 11/12 and departing from platform 13.
You can check live arrival and departures info at Berlin Hbf here
There are more rail platforms (running north-south) at the underground level of Berlin Hbf. The station has many good food outlets and even an organic supermarket.
Those with a fully-flex 1st class ticket can access the DB Lounge at Berlin Hbf.
What are the other options for Amsterdam-Berlin travel?
The European Sleeper is a 3x weekly night train service which serves the Amsterdam-Berlin route.
Dutch start-up Go Volta backed by Keolis runs a 3x weekly Amsterdam-Berlin train service (Tue/Thu/Sun) via Amersfoort, Deventer, Hengelo, Osnabrück and Hannover. This started 19 Mar 2026 and will go to a daily service during summer 2026. Fares are from €19 one-way. Book GoVolta tickets here
You can find out more on our Amsterdam-Berlin travel page which overviews all trains, flights and buses between the cities.
Amsterdam-Berlin ICE: Summary
The Amsterdam-Berlin ICE service provides a comfortable and scenic day trip between two principal European cities at very reasonable fares. If you book well enough ahead you should be able to find tickets under €50.
With children travelling for free it is an excellent option for family groups.
Book with the Trainline site or with NS International site
Looking for an apartment in Berlin? Check out PlumGuide here, a high-quality, curated AirBnB alternative.
On our last Berlin visit we stayed at the excellent and highly rated Wilde Aparthotel near Checkpoint Charlie.
Sources: our own trips provided the main context in addition to info from Deutsche Bahn and NS.
This article was last checked and updated on 26 January 2026, originally published in 2024.
Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.
