From Paris: the direct Eurostar
Eurostar's red trains, the former Thalys, link Paris Gare du Nord with Amsterdam Centraal without a change. The journey takes about 3h20 to 3h40 depending on the train. On 1 October 2026 the Eurostar website listed around a dozen departures during the day, the first at 06:16 and the last at 20:16. Trains call at Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central, Rotterdam Centraal and Schiphol Airport before the terminus.
Eurostar advertises fares from €35 in Standard class, subject to availability; as with flights, prices rise as the train fills up. Your seat is allocated when you book. Three classes are available:
- Eurostar Standard: allocated seat, Eurostar Café bar coach.
- Eurostar Plus: wider reclining seats and more legroom. On Paris-Amsterdam the light meal served at your seat is not included (it is only offered on journeys to and from London).
- Eurostar Premier: the top class, with catering and lounge access.
There are no passport checks between France, Belgium and the Netherlands, all in the Schengen area, but carry a valid ID card or passport. Eurostar recommends arriving about twenty minutes before departure at Gare du Nord. Each passenger may bring two pieces of luggage of up to 75 x 53 x 30 cm and a small bag, with no weight limit, provided you carry them yourself.
From 14 December 2026, NS International also announces a daily GoVolta train between Paris and Amsterdam on conventional lines, taking just over 7 hours: a slower alternative that serves Rotterdam, The Hague and Haarlem among other stops.
From Brussels: Eurostar or Eurocity Direct
Two direct options leave from Brussels-Midi:
- Eurostar (the same train as from Paris) reaches Amsterdam Centraal in about 1h52, with a departure every one to two hours, from €29 in Standard according to Eurostar.
- Eurocity Direct, run by NS and SNCB, uses the high-speed line via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schiphol. It runs 16 times a day and takes 2h08 to Amsterdam Zuid, from €25 according to NS International. Seats cannot be reserved: you sit wherever you like in your class.
Note that Eurocity Direct does not go to Amsterdam Centraal: it stops at Amsterdam Zuid, in the business district in the south of the city, then continues to Almere and Lelystad. From Zuid, reach the centre on metro line 52 or an NS train to Centraal; if your ticket does not cover that leg, simply pay with your contactless bank card (see below). Metro 52 is also handy for De Pijp and Rokin.
From Brussels, Eurocity Direct tickets are often cheaper and more flexible than Eurostar; Eurostar remains faster if you are staying near the central station.
From London: the direct Eurostar and border formalities
Direct Eurostar trains leave London St Pancras International and reach Amsterdam Centraal in just over 4 hours (about 5 hours on the timetable, because of the one-hour time difference), running via Brussels and Rotterdam. On 1 October 2026 five direct trains were scheduled, from 06:16 to 18:04 out of London. Eurostar advertises fares from £39 in Standard. You can also change at Brussels-Midi and take Eurostar or Eurocity Direct on to Amsterdam.
Border control takes place before departure: at St Pancras you go through baggage security and then British and Schengen passport control. On arrival in Amsterdam you simply step off the train with no further checks. Ticket gates close 30 minutes before departure in Standard and Plus, 15 minutes in Premier; turn up at the recommended time shown on your ticket, as the checks take time.
Formalities to know in October 2026:
- A passport is required on this route.
- EES: the European Union's Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. Non-EU travellers, including British citizens, are registered during the Schengen check at St Pancras (photo and fingerprints on your first crossing), replacing the passport stamp.
- ETIAS: the European travel authorisation is not yet required in early October 2026; its launch is announced for the end of the year.
- UK ETA: for the return journey from Amsterdam to London, European nationals need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which costs £20. UK border control takes place in Amsterdam, in the Eurostar terminal on the city side of the station, in the Amstelpassage; NS International advises arriving at least 45 minutes before departure.
From Germany and by night train
ICE from Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin
Deutsche Bahn and NS ICE trains reach Amsterdam Centraal via Arnhem and Utrecht. According to NS International, the journey takes 2h37 from Cologne and 3h53 from Frankfurt, with fares from €20; seat reservations are not compulsory but recommended. From Berlin, engineering works between Hanover and Berlin divert trains via Hamburg from October 2026: the journey takes about 7 hours, with four direct trains a day, and the diversion is expected to last until at least the end of 2027. GoVolta also links Berlin and Amsterdam six times a week.
Night trains
- European Sleeper links Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam with Berlin, Dresden and Prague, on a few nights a week only. In the 2026 timetable, the train leaves Amsterdam Centraal at around 22:34 and reaches Berlin at around 06:00 and Prague at around 11:00; in the other direction it arrives in Amsterdam at around 06:30. The same company's Paris-Berlin night train does not serve Amsterdam.
- Nightjet: the Austrian railways' ÖBB night trains link Vienna and Innsbruck with Amsterdam Centraal every day.
Check the operating days before planning your stay: they change with the season.
Summary table
| Route | Journey time | Frequency | Operator | Arrival in Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Gare du Nord - Amsterdam | 3h20 to 3h40 | around a dozen a day | Eurostar | Centraal (stop at Schiphol) |
| Brussels-Midi - Amsterdam | about 1h52 | every one to two hours | Eurostar | Centraal (stop at Schiphol) |
| Brussels-Midi - Amsterdam | 2h08 | 16 a day | Eurocity Direct (NS and SNCB) | Zuid (stop at Schiphol) |
| London St Pancras - Amsterdam | about 4h | 5 direct trains a day | Eurostar | Centraal |
| Cologne - Amsterdam | 2h37 | several a day | ICE (DB and NS) | Centraal |
| Frankfurt - Amsterdam | 3h53 | several a day | ICE (DB and NS) | Centraal |
| Berlin - Amsterdam | about 7h | 4 a day | ICE (DB and NS) | Centraal |
| Prague, Berlin - Amsterdam (night) | one night | a few nights a week | European Sleeper | Centraal |
| Vienna, Innsbruck - Amsterdam (night) | one night | daily | Nightjet (ÖBB) | Centraal |
Journey times, frequencies and fares checked in October 2026 on the websites of Eurostar, NS International, European Sleeper and Nightjet; they vary by day and with engineering works.
Arriving at Amsterdam Centraal
Amsterdam Central Station has two sides. The main exit, on the city side, opens onto Stationsplein, where the trams stop; straight ahead, Damrak leads to Dam Square in a ten-minute walk. As you come out, you immediately see on your left the towers and dome of the Basilica of St Nicholas, and a little further on, by the water, the Schreierstoren, one of the old towers of the harbour walls. The NEMO Science Museum is about a fifteen-minute walk to the east.
The IJ side, at the back of the station, has the bus station and the free ferries to Amsterdam-Noord: the F3 drops you within minutes in front of the EYE Filmmuseum and A'DAM Lookout. The metro (lines 51, 52, 53 and 54) leaves from beneath the station. Lines and tickets are covered in detail in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.
Luggage lockers
NS runs automatic luggage lockers at Amsterdam Centraal, accessible from 05:00 to 00:45. For 24 hours, expect to pay €10 for a small locker, €16 for a large one and €25 for an extra-large one, with a higher rate on the following days. You pay at the screen next to the lockers and the printed receipt is your key: the locker opens only once, and rental is limited to three days.
Paying for the tram, metro or train with OVpay
There is no need to buy a local card: on NS trains, trams, metros and buses you can check in and check out with your contactless bank card, phone or watch (the OVpay system), using the same card at the start and end of the journey and one card per person. It is also the simplest way to get from Amsterdam Zuid to Centraal.
Our tips for travelling smart
- Book early: Eurostar tickets go on sale several months ahead and the cheapest fares go quickly, especially for weekends and school holidays.
- Get off at Schiphol if you are flying: Eurostar trains from Paris and Brussels and Eurocity Direct stop there, saving you a round trip through the centre. For the journey between the airport and the city, see our guide Schiphol Airport to central Amsterdam.
- Choose the right station: if you are staying near Museumplein, De Pijp or the Zuidas, Amsterdam Zuid is often closer than Centraal.
- Eurostar Plus is best value from London, where the meal is served at your seat; from Paris it mainly gives you more space.
- Check for engineering works the day before you travel: works weekends at Amsterdam Centraal sometimes reduce or divert services.
- Keep your luggage close in the station's very busy halls.
Further reading
Once you are there, our guide to getting around Amsterdam explains the trams, metro, free ferries and visitor passes. If you are combining train and plane, read our guide Schiphol Airport to central Amsterdam. And to start sightseeing as soon as you step off the train, Dam Square and the Basilica of St Nicholas are just a few minutes' walk away.
