Amsterdam to Edinburgh travel is possible by a combination of various transport – planes, trains, ferry or coach.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland (UK) and a major financial and tourist hub. From Amsterdam it is some 660km away over the North Sea.
Amsterdam to Edinburgh travel overview |
[1] Amsterdam-Edinburgh by Air
Flying is the easiest and most convenient travel option between the 2 cities. Scheduled flight time between Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is around 1 hour 30 minutes.
- KLM (Skyteam) operates up to 4x daily Amsterdam-Edinburgh flights with Boeing 737 and Airbus A321neo aircraft
- One way fares start at €102 (Basic fare, small hand-baggage only) and from €155 (Standard fare, checked bag)
- No frills heavyweight Easyjet connects Amsterdam Schiphol to Edinburgh 2-3x daily using Airbus A319/A320 aircraft
- Although one way fares start at €65, baggage fees can be expensive
| TIP: For a more comfortable airport stay even if flying economy class, you could always book the Aspire lounge at Amsterdam or book the Turkish Airline (Plaza Premium) lounge at Edinburgh. |
[2] Amsterdam-Edinburgh by Train (via London)
It is possible to travel from Amsterdam to Edinburgh by train in about 10 hours.
The Amsterdam-Edinburgh journey has 2 components:
- Amsterdam to London St Pancras by direct Eurostar (see our complete Eurostar guide)
- UK domestic train from nearby London Kings Cross to Edinburgh
The direct Amsterdam-London Eurostar service runs up to 5x daily with a journey time of just over 4 hours. The train makes stops only at Rotterdam, Brussels Zuid/Midi and (sometimes) Lille Europe.
Amsterdam-London Eurostar tickets are available one-way from €58 (Standard), €112 (Plus) or €362 (Premier) and can be booked at the Trainline site or at the NS International site.
London North East Railway (LNER) and Lumo operate regular direct rail services from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh and this journey takes around 4 hours 30 minutes, stopping in Newcastle and a few other towns.
There is some nice coastal scenery between Newcastle and Edinburgh.
There are a huge variety of rail fares in the UK so best to book as far in advance as possible.
London-Edinburgh train tickets (with LNER or Lumo) are bookable at the Trainline site
Now whether you would do the entire Amsterdam-Edinburgh rail journey in one go is up to you – it would probably be prudent to add a stopover in London to minimise the risk of missing a connection.
[3] Amsterdam-Edinburgh by Coach (via London)
It is also possible to do the journey by coach via London although it will be a very long-haul! We would recommend sticking to train or plane for this route.
Flixbus normally operates a 1-3x daily coach service between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and London Victoria with fares €30-€60 one-way one-way. The journey takes about 12 hours. Book at the Flixbus site
National Express and Flixbus operate regular coach services between London Victoria and Edinburgh with a journey time of 9-11 hours for direct services.
Obviously you could also consider a rail-coach combination – such as coach from Amsterdam to London then a train up to Edinburgh.
London-Edinburgh bus tickets are bookable at the Omio site or at the Trainline site
4. Amsterdam-Edinburgh by Ferry/Train
Every night DFDS Seaways runs ferries both ways between Amsterdam Ijmuiden and Newcastle North Shields. Book your DFDS Amsterdam-Newcastle ferry here
From Amsterdam the ferry departs at 17:30, arriving in Newcastle the next day at 09:15. From Newcastle, the ferry departs at 17:00 before arriving at 09:45 in Amsterdam the following morning.
The ferry trip takes about 16-17 hours and is made by the 163m long ships King Seaways or Princess Seaways.
For a standard ferry crossing, prices for a 2 bed inside cabin start from around £78/€90 each way. Add about £93/€109 for a car each way.
The ferry terminals are accessible by special transfer buses which go to Amsterdam Central and Newcastle station respectively.
From Newcastle station you can travel on a London North East Railway, Lumo or Crosscountry train up to Edinburgh – this takes about 90 minutes and singles start at £8.
Newcastle-Edinburgh tickets can be booked at the Trainline site
The 200km drive between North Shields and Edinburgh takes about 2 hours 30 minutes up the A1 motorway.
You can rent a car with Discover Cars here
Amsterdam Resources
Looking for a convenient hotel near Amsterdam Central station? Check out the stylish Kimpton-De Witt (IHG) which is a short walk from the station. For those on a budget the Ibis Amsterdam Centre is literally on top of the western edge of the station platforms.
The Iamsterdam City Card (1-5 days) offers free entry and discounts to numerous Amsterdam museums and attractions. It also includes a free public transport pass, a canal cruise and bike rental as well. You can order your Iamsterdam City Card online here
London Resources
Looking for a good hotel close to London St Pancras station?
The Standard London is a trendy hotel just a few minutes walk away; also nearby as is the well-rated Pullman London St Pancras. Or consider the Great Northern Hotel between Kings Cross and St Pancras. For those on a budget there is the hostel Kabannas London St Pancras.
The Go City: London Passes offer various pass options for entrance into London attractions.
Edinburgh Resources
In Edinburgh you can book your hotel with Booking.com here.
For a selection of tours and attractions in Edinburgh book with Hellotickets here.
A popular day out from Edinburgh is a the Hogwarts Express and Scottish Highlands Tour.
This article was originally published in 2013. Last checked and updated 2 March 2026.
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