Amsterdam has a number of international train routes which connect to various cities around Europe. You can travel directly by rail to Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Switzerland, UK and beyond.
Travel by rail is a great alternative to flying with an ever growing network of high-speed trains and night-time sleeper services.
In this article we shall overview all international trains from Amsterdam based on our own travels (nearly 30 years experience travelling regularly to/from Netherlands).
Book International Rail Tickets to/from NetherlandsYou can book international rail tickets at the Trainline site here, a leading European site which offers payment in 10 different currencies.
You can also make bookings for all the international train services listed below from Amsterdam or connecting from any Dutch city at the NS International site (payment in euros only).
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International Rail Map Amsterdam
Firstly let’s start our overview with our international rail network map for scheduled trains operating to/from Amsterdam. Each service is highlighted in a different colour.
Now let’s look at each specific route in turn:
Amsterdam-Paris: Eurostar
The Amsterdam-Paris rail route is served by Eurostar (formerly Thalys), an international high speed train service. In late 2023, Thalys was rebranded as Eurostar following the merger of Eurostar and Thalys.
- The red Eurostar trains runs between Amsterdam Central and Paris Gare du Nord
- Stops are made at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels Zuid/Midi
- The high speed train runs up to 250km/h on the HSL-Zuid line in the Netherlands and up to 300km/h in Belgium and France
- Eurostar runs up to 10x daily for Amsterdam-Paris
- The Amsterdam-Paris journey time is around 3 hours 25 mins
The Eurostar has a 3 class service: Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus and Eurostar Premier.
Eurostar Standard
- Standard is 2nd class seating (2-2 configuration)
- Food/drink can be purchased at the Eurostar Café carriage
- Free WiFi is available and seats have EU power outlets
- Standard fares cost €35-€180 for Amsterdam-Paris – cheapest available class
- Exchangeable up to 1 hour before departure (just pay the fare difference)
- Refundable up to 7 days before departure for €25/£25/$40
Eurostar Plus
- Plus is 1st class seating only (2-1 configuration)
- Food/drink can be purchased at the Eurostar Café carriage
- Free WiFi is available and seats have EU power outlets
- Plus fares cost €79-€185 for Amsterdam-Paris
- Exchangeable up to 1 hour before departure (just pay the fare difference)
- Refundable up to 7 days before departure for €25/£25/$40
Eurostar Premier
- Premier is 1st class seating (2-1 configuration)
- Gourmet meal and drinks (including champagne) served at your seat
- Free WiFi is available and seats have EU power outlets
- Premier fares cost €165-€235 for Amsterdam-Paris
- Exchangeable/refundable up to 48 hours after departure (no fee, just pay the fare difference)
- Lounge access available at Amsterdam Centraal (NS International lounge) and Paris Gare du Nord (Eurostar Premier lounge)
Eurostar permits 2 pieces of luggage (max 75cm long) plus 1 small daypack/handbag for Standard and Plus fares. Premium fares allow a third piece of luggage.
Children 0-11 can bring 1 piece of luggage and 1 piece of hand luggage.
There are overhead luggage racks and special racks at each end of the carriage for larger items.
Eurostar tickets are on sale up to 6-8 months out with a specific seat reservation included. Your ticket will have a carriage and seat number.
| TIP: Book well in advance to secure the lowest fares and watch for occasional Eurostar sales! |
Discounted fares are available for children 0-11, youths 12-25 and seniors 60+. Children 0-3 can travel free sitting on an adult’s lap.
From Paris Nord you can connect onto the French TGV network to destinations throughout France – but you will have to transfer to one of the other Paris stations using the Metro/RER or taxi.
BOOKING: Book your Eurostar tickets from €35 at Trainline here
or book at NS International here
Amsterdam-London: Eurostar
Eurostar runs a direct train service between Amsterdam and London.
The UK terminal at Amsterdam Central station opened in February 2025 and can handle up to 650 passengers.
- Blue Eurostar trains runs between Amsterdam Central and London St Pancras
- Stops are made at Rotterdam Centraal, Brussels Zuid/Midi and Lille Europe
- The high speed train reaches speeds of up to 300km/h
- Eurostar runs up to 5x daily for Amsterdam-London via the channel tunnel
- The Amsterdam-London journey time is around 4 hours 17 mins
- It takes about 20 minutes to pass through the channel tunnel
Eurostar London-Amsterdam Timetable
London to Amsterdam
| ES 9106 | ES 9114 | ES 9126 | ES 9140 | ES 9152 | ||
| London St Pancras | dep | 06:16 | 08:16 | 11:04 | 15:04 | 18:04 |
| Amsterdam Centraal | arr | 11:20 | 13:20 | 16:20 | 20:20 | 23:20 |
Amsterdam to London
| ES 9115 | ES 9133 | ES 9147 | ES 9157 | ES 9167 | ||
| Amsterdam Centraal | dep | 06:40 | 10:40 | 14:40 | 16:40 | 18:40 |
| London St Pancras | arr | 09:57 | 13:57 | 17:57 | 19:57 | 21:57 |
[Amsterdam is 1 hour ahead of London time, reduced timetable at weekends]
Passengers departing either Amsterdam and Rotterdam have to go through a security and immigration check before boarding.
For more detailed info see our guide on the Eurostar between London and Amsterdam.
As we saw for Amsterdam-Paris, Eurostar has a 3 class service: Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus and Eurostar Premier.
Eurostar Standard
- Standard is 2nd class seating (2-2 configuration)
- Food/drink can be purchased at the Eurostar Café carriage
- Free WiFi is available and seats have UK or EU power outlets
- Standard fares start at £51/€58 one-way or £78/€88 return for Amsterdam-London
- Exchangeable up to 1 hour before departure (just pay the fare difference)
- Refundable up to 7 days before departure for €25/£25/$40
Eurostar Plus
- Plus has 1st class seating (2-1 configuration)
- Light meal and drinks served at your seat
- Free WiFi is available and seats have UK or EU power outlets
- Plus fares start from £98/€112 one-way or £140/€160 return for Amsterdam-London
- Exchangeable up to 1 hour before departure (just pay the fare difference)
- Refundable up to 7 days before departure for €25/£25/$40
| TIP: We highly recommend Eurostar Plus on this route – a civilised way to travel in a 1st class seat with light meal/drinks included at a reasonable price. |
Eurostar Premier
- Premier is 1st class seating (2-1 configuration)
- Gourmet meal and drinks (including champagne) served at your seat
- Free WiFi is available and seats have UK or EU power outlets
- Premier fares cost £315/€362 one-way or £458/€526 return for Amsterdam-London
- Exchangeable/refundable up to 48 hours after departure (no fee, just pay the fare difference)
- Lounge access available at Amsterdam Centraal (NS International lounge) and London St Pancras (Eurostar Premier lounge)
Eurostar permits 2 pieces of luggage (max 85cm long) plus 1 small daypack/handbag for Standard and Plus fares. Premium fares allow a third piece of luggage.
Children 0-11 can bring 1 piece of luggage and 1 piece of hand luggage.
There are overhead luggage racks and special racks at each end of the carriage for larger items.
Eurostar uses its E320 series trains for the London-Amsterdam route which are made up of 16 coaches. Plus/Premier are normally located in coaches 1-3 and 14-16.
There is a Eurostar Café bar facility in coaches 8 and 9.
Eurostar London tickets are on sale up to 6-8 months out and include a specific seat reservation. Your ticket will have a carriage and seat number.
The cheapest fares need to be booked well in advance and are usually the direct train service. The Eurostar fares with a change in Brussels are normally more expensive.
| TIP: Booking return tickets on Eurostar cross-channel services is cheaper each way than booking separate one-way tickets. You can book mixed classes on return tickets – try Standard and Plus on one return trip. |
BOOKING: Book your Eurostar tickets from €58 at Trainline here or check availability here:
or Book Eurostar tickets at NS International here
Of interest to some could be the rail and ferry option which includes the Stena Line ferry between Harwich and Hoek van Holland. Both ferry ports are accessible by rail or metro.
Amsterdam-Brussels/Antwerp: Eurocity Direct (or Eurostar)
Travel from Amsterdam to Brussels or Antwerp by rail can be done by a number of options:
- The Eurocity Direct train (Amsterdam Zuid to Brussels Zuid/Midi)
- Connecting to the slower Eurocity (runs Rotterdam to Brussels Zuid/Midi)
- The red Eurostar service (Amsterdam-Paris service mentioned above)
Eurocity Direct / Eurocity
The Eurocity Direct and Eurocity services replaced the old Intercity Brussels in December 2024. These are a joint venture between NS Dutch Railways and SNCB Belgian Railways.
The Eurocity Direct uses Dutch Intercity New Generation trains using the high-speed track running up to 200km/h.
The Eurocity Direct service originates from Lelystad Centrum and Almere before stopping at Amsterdam Zuid station (not Amsterdam Centraal).
It continues to Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Centraal and Antwerp Centraal before terminating at Brussels Zuid/Midi station.
- The Eurocity Direct Amsterdam-Brussels journey takes 2 hours 8 mins – only slightly slower than Eurostar
- Amsterdam-Antwerp takes 1 hour 23 mins by Eurocity Direct
- Eurocity Direct runs 16x daily
The Eurocity is a slower stopping service running 16x daily between Rotterdam Centraal and Brussels Zuid Midi using Belgian Intercity stock. It is slightly cheaper than the Eurocity Direct (but does not serve Amsterdam).
The Eurocity stops at Breda, Noorderkempen (Belgium), Antwerp Central, Antwerp Berchem, Mechelen, Brussels Airport, Brussels North and Brussels Central.
The Rotterdam-Brussels Eurocity trip takes 2 hours 7 mins.
Eurocity Direct tickets are either 1st class (2-1 seating configuration) or 2nd class (2-2 configuration). There is no assigned seating – just find any available free seat.
There are 2 types of fares for the Eurocity Direct – Saver and Flex – bookable up to 180 days before travel.
Eurocity Direct Saver Fares
- Cheaper and valid for a specific date and departure time
- Amsterdam-Brussels one-way saver fares start at €25 (2nd class) and €50 (1st class)
- Amsterdam-Antwerp one-way saver fares start at €20 (2nd class) and €40 (1st class)
- Saver bookings are freely changeable up to 1 day before departure
- Saver bookings can be cancelled up to 1 day before departure with a €5 cancellation fee
Eurocity Direct Flex Fares
- Full-flex fares are valid on any departure for a particular day
- Amsterdam-Brussels one-way flex fares (2026) are €65.80 (2nd class) and €99.30 (1st class)
- Amsterdam-Antwerp one-way flex fares (2026) are €53.30 (2nd class) and €79.50 (1st class)
- Freely changeable and cancellable up to 1 day before departure
Up to 4 children aged 4-11 can get added for free with an adult Eurocity Direct ticket when booking online.
Eurocity Fares Rotterdam-Brussels
Saver EuroCity fares for Rotterdam-Brussels are available one-way from €13.60 (2nd class) and €27.70 (1st class). Flexible fares are €34.00 (2nd class) and €55.30 (1st class).
Note, EuroCity tickets are not valid for travel on the Eurocity Direct!
Eurostar Amsterdam-Antwerp/Brussels
Alternatively, the high speed Eurostar train runs from Amsterdam Centraal/Schiphol/Rotterdam to Antwerp and Brussels Zuid/Midi up to 14x daily, as described above. It continues on to Paris Nord.
- From Amsterdam, travel time is 1 hour 20 mins to Antwerp and 1 hour 56 mins to Brussels
- Eurostar fares for Amsterdam-Brussels range as follows: €29-€95 (Standard), €79-€119 (Plus) and €109-€139 (Premier)
- Eurostar fares for Amsterdam-Antwerp are: €29-€79 (Standard), €49-€99 (Plus) and €99-€119 (Premier)
BOOKING: Book your Eurostar/Eurocity Direct tickets at Trainline here
or book tickets at NS International here
Also of note to travellers: there is an hourly Belgian stopping train service between the border town of Roosendaal (NL) and Antwerp.
Those travelling Amsterdam-Bruges should travel to Antwerp and then change to a Belgian intercity.
Amsterdam-Berlin: ICE
DB Bahn (German railways) and NS International operate an ICE train service 6x daily between Amsterdam Central and Berlin Ostbahnhof. Prior to October 2025 it was known in the Netherlands as ‘Intercity Berlin’.
Modern ICE3neo 408 variants run on Amsterdam-Berlin, the same type that is used on the Amsterdam-Frankfurt route. For more info see Amsterdam to Berlin by ICE train (Complete Guide)
The journey makes a good number of stops: in Netherlands at Hilversum, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Deventer and Hengelo.
German stops are Bad Bentheim, Rheine, Osnabrück, Bünde(Westf), Hannover, Berlin Spandau and Berlin Hauptbanhof, the main station of the city.
The ICE seats are in a 2-2 config for 2nd class and 1-2 config for 1st class. They are very comfortable for the Amsterdam-Berlin trip.
- The Amsterdam-Berlin ICE journey takes around 5 hours 52 mins
- Fares start from €38 (2nd class) and €50 (1st class)
- Seat reservations cost €5.20-€6.50 extra (highly recommended) – only full-flex 1st class tickets include it
- ICE Berlin train has an on board bistro bar carriage for drinks and snacks
- Free WiFi is available to all passengers and EU power outlets are located under the seats
BOOKING: Book your Amsterdam-Berlin ICE tickets at Trainline here
Or check trains here:
or Book tickets at NS International here
Amsterdam-Berlin, Amsterdam-Hamburg: GoVolta
Dutch start-up Go Volta backed by Keolis will run a 3x weekly Amsterdam-Berlin train service (Tue/Thu/Sun) from 19 Mar 2026 via Amersfoort, Deventer, Hengelo, Osnabrück and Hannover.
Go Volta will also run a 3x weekly Amsterdam-Hamburg service (Mon/Wed/Fri) from 20 Mar 2026.
Amsterdam-Berlin will go to a daily service during summer 2026, Amsterdam-Hamburg will be daily from 28 Sep 2026.
Fares start from €35 one-way for Economy Class with 2-2 configuration and €59 one-way for Comfort Class with 2-1 configuration. All seats face each other – there are no airline-style seats.
Amsterdam-Frankfurt: ICE
Modern ICE ICE3neo 408 variant trains also run from Amsterdam Central to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf up to 6-7x daily.
For more info about this train service see our complete guide here: Amsterdam to Frankfurt by ICE Train
Jointly operated by DB Bahn (German Railways) and NS (Dutch Railways) the ICE train makes stops at Utrecht, Arnhem, Oberhausen, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt airport.
One train a day also continues on to Munich via Mannheim, Stuttgart and Augsburg.
ICE journey times from Amsterdam are as follows:
- 2 hours 14 mins to Düsseldorf
- 2 hours 38 mins to Cologne (Keulen / Köln)
- 3 hours 42 mins to Frankfurt airport
- 3 hours 53 mins to Frankfurt Hbf
- 6 hours 57 mins to Munich Hbf
There is a high speed track between Cologne and Frankfurt where speeds can approach 300 km/h.
- Fares for Amsterdam to Düsseldorf or Cologne start from €20 (2nd class) and €30 (1st class) one-way
- Amsterdam to Frankfurt or Munich costs from €38 (2nd class) and €50 (1st class).
- Book well in advance to secure the lowest fares
- Seat reservations cost €5.20-€6.50 extra (highly recommended) – only full-flex 1st class tickets include it
- The ICE train has an on board bistro bar carriage (with limited seating) for drinks and snacks
- Free WiFi is available to all passengers and EU power outlets are located under the seats
The ICE seats are in a 2-2 config for 2nd class and 1-2 config for 1st class. They are very comfortable for the Amsterdam-Frankfurt trip.
BOOKING: Book your ICE tickets at Trainline
or Book tickets at NS International
Amsterdam-Vienna/Munich/Zurich: NightJet
Austrian Railways ÖBB operates a couple of NightJet night train services from Amsterdam to Vienna/Munich/Innsbruck and a service to Basel/Zurich.
The Amsterdam-Innsbruck/Vienna service features the latest generation of NightJet trains.
There is an Amsterdam-Vienna service which departs nightly from Amsterdam at 18:30 or 18:01 (times can vary during the year) and arrives in Vienna at 09:48 the next morning – giving a journey time of nearly 16 hours.
The train runs via Utrecht, Arnhem, Essen and Dortmund. It continues to Nuremberg where the train splits into a Munich bound section (via Augsburg) and a Vienna-bound section via Linz.
From mid-June to December the train runs Nuremberg-Munich-Salzburg-Linz-Vienna.
The arrival time in Munich is 06:13 meaning a journey time of around 12 hours.
From Vienna and Munich the NightJet train departs at 20:10 and 22:52, respectively. It arrives the following morning at Amsterdam Central at 09:59.
NightJet operates a second night train service from Amsterdam and Utrecht to Basel and Zurich. These use the classic NightJet carriages – but the new generation should be deployed from late spring 2026. The route via Germany can vary depending on works.
The train departs Amsterdam at 20:15, arriving at Basel SBB at 06:21 and at Zurich HB at 08:05.
From Zurich HB the train leaves at 21:59 (and 23:16 from Basel SBB) arriving in Amsterdam at 09:25.
The journey time either way is just under the 12 hour mark.
One-way tickets prices for NightJet range as follows: €35-€165 for a 2nd class seat; €50-€230 for a couchette bunk (4-6 people); €100-€1,030 for a sleeper cabin for 1, 2 or 3 people.
The new NightJet trains also feature private mini cabins, a cocoon-like space featuring a 1.89m bed with breakfast included. They are good for solo travellers and are priced from €100.
BOOKING: Book your NightJet tickets at Trainline here
or Book tickets at NS International here
Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague: European Sleeper
This is a start-up cooperative company based in the Netherlands and established in 2021. It runs a 3x weekly night train service on the Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague route using a mix of refurbished old rolling stock.
The train departs Brussels Zuid/Midi at 19:22 and travels to Amsterdam via Antwerp, Roosendaal, Rotterdam (21:21) and Den Haag HS.
It leaves Amsterdam Central at 22:34 with further Dutch stops at Amersfoort and Deventer before crossing into Germany at Bad Bentheim.
It arrives in Berlin Hbf at 06:07, Dresden (08:29) and Prague (10:51).
From the other way it is timetabled to depart Prague at 18:00 and travels the same route back with main stops Dresden (20:31), Berlin Gesundbrunnen (22:58), Amsterdam Central (07:30), Rotterdam (08:29), Antwerp (09:43) and arriving at Brussel Zuid/Midi at 10:28.
Accommodation on board comprises of sleepers (1/2/3 bed) with a wash basin, couchettes (5-person comfort or 6-person standard compartments) and standard seats (in a 6-seat compartment). See the train layout here
Amsterdam-Prague one-way tickets are priced per person from €59.99 (Budget – seats), from €69.99 (Classic – 5-person compartments) and from €119.99 (Comfort – 3 person compartments).
There is also the option for you (or your travel party) to take sole occupancy of a compartment at a higher rate.
Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Prague-Berlin-Amsterdam-Brussels leg runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
BOOKING: Tickets can be purchased up to 6 months ahead – you can book European Sleeper tickets here.
European Sleeper will launch a Paris-Berlin service (from March 2026) and Brussels-Amsterdam-Milan service from June 2026.
Amsterdam-Bourg St Maurice: Eurostar Snow
The Eurostar Snow service runs every Saturday between mid-December and the end of March.
From Amsterdam it makes stops in Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels before heading to Chambery, Albertville, Moutiers Salins, Aime La Plagne, Landry and finally Bourg St Maurice.
Travel time between Amsterdam and Bourg St Maurice is around 9 hours. Bus connections from these stations run to all the main French ski resorts.
BOOKING: One-way prices start from €65 in Standard class. Tickets on sale from October, book at NS International
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.
All 1st class passengers can get access to the basic NS International lounge at Amsterdam Centraal.
We have covered all international trains from Amsterdam with a direct connection.
There are many other destinations in Europe which can be reached with just 1 stop (change of trains) from Amsterdam – such as Barcelona, Bruges, Budapest and Milan.
Amsterdam International Train FAQ
Can I buy an international train ticket at the station?
Train tickets are best purchased online in advance to secure the lowest fares. Book at the Trainline site here or at the NS International site
International train tickets can be bought at NS International counters at main stations including Amsterdam Central and Rotterdam Central. However, they will charge you a €7.50 per person service fee (max €22.50 per booking).
You can buy some limited tickets at the NS automatic ticket machines at stations – generally to Belgium, western Germany, Lille and Luxembourg.
How early should I arrive for an international train at Amsterdam?
For most international trains from Amsterdam you can just turn up at the station and board before departure time. However we advise getting to the station at least 15-30 minutes early so you can navigate yourself (and luggage) to the correct platform.
The Amsterdam-London Eurostar trains require checking in at the special UK terminal and going through security and passport control.
Eurostar advises passengers to get to Amsterdam Centraal 75-90 minutes before departure (Standard and Plus) or 30 minutes before departure (Premier).
Those with accessibility requirements need to arrive at least 60 minutes prior to departure.
What cities/other countries have a direct trains from Amsterdam?
There are direct international train services to the following European cities from Amsterdam, grouped by country:
- Austria: Innsbruck/Linz/Salzburg/Vienna
- Belgium: Antwerp/Brussels
- Czechia: Prague
- France: Lille/Paris
- Germany: Augsburg/Bad Bentheim/Berlin/Bünde(Westf)/Cologne/Dresden/Duisburg/Düsseldorf/Frankfurt/Hamburg/Hannover/Mannheim/Nuremberg/Oberhausen/Osnabrück/Rheine/Stuttgart
- Switzerland: Basel/Zurich
- UK: London
This article was originally published in 2010. Last checked and updated 25 January 2026.
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