Train from Amsterdam to London

[ea6b5]

How difficult is it to take a train from Amsterdam to London? I have read where a train change is required at Brussels Midi. Is this a train station easy to navigate?

Would it be better to buy tickets at the station or buy them on-line. I know that if you buy them on-line you still have to have the tickets validated.

Any information would be appreciated.

 

Jim

[Twickenham]

I know that if you buy them on-line you still have to have the tickets validated.

 

The only placed I have seen that requirement is in Italy.

 

I have only arrived at Brussels Midi, not connected there, but it seemed large but with good signage.

 

Regarding any train travel in Europe, really the main requirement is to only have what luggage you can handle yourself (although I have vague memories of luggage carts at Brussels Midi - can anyone confirm?) As long as you're good with that, train travel is pretty easy and comfortable.

 

The Man in Seat 61 website is the resource for checking out European train journeys, especially to/from London. Check out their London-Amsterdam page here: http://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm#by Eurostar

[caviargal]

If you have seat reservations on a high speed train (Thalys + Eurostar), there is no need to have the tickets validated as they are only good on that specific date/train#.

 

We have been to and thru Brussels Midi and found it organized and easy to navigate. I would make sure you have a sufficient connection so as not to be stressed.

 

We love train train in Europe and find it an excellent way to travel. We almost always purchase tickets as soon as they go on sale for the best prices and seats.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Friends of ours that we met on our river cruise last week just did this. They thought the process was easy and bought their tickets in advance.

 

We did that also for our Eurostar train from Paris to Victoria Station years ago. There was no need to validate the tickets like we did with all of our metro, Tube, tram tickets in other countries. We upgraded our tickets to first class and were really glad we did. It was a little roomier and a nicer way to travel if that's important to you.

[caviargal]

The only placed I have seen that requirement is in Italy.

 

 

 

We have had the same experience in other countries, depending on the type of train (or bus, metro). In Italy, only the local and regional trains have that requirement. The high speed trains with mandatory reservations do not.

Edited August 22, 2015 by caviargal

[Talisker92]

The Eurostar arrives in St Pancras Station now. If you go to the Eurostar website it has the information from Amsterdam.

As an aside, we traveled from Wengen in the Bernese Alps to Nice with a lot of luggage. there were 4 changes of trains, and we made sure we ahd a half hour between them.

[xpcdoojk]

We took the train from Bruges, Belgium in 2009, to Lille, where we caught the Eurostar to St Pancras. Our train was to leave Lille, France at 4 pm to arrive in London with time to spare to check into the hotel to then go see a play. We checked out of our hotel around noon to take the train. We came to a small (really really small) town, about 30 minutes from Bruges on the slow train. Stop before about 30 school children got in our car. it was about 10 minutes and all the kids were off the train, and it was just us and a couple from Russia left, we sat there another 10 minutes.... finally, the conductor a very nice overweight, Belgian woman comes and asks us where we are going. I say London the Russian Couple say Paris. They get us off the train, seems the brakes failed. We were going to be picked up in St Pancras by a lovely Cruise Critic friend we met 2 years earlier on a transatlantic. So, they finally get us on a train to Lille about 45 minutes later. I get off the train, and call my English friend and say, we are not on schedule, we will just catch a cab from St Pancras to our hotel, and you can pick us up later and take us to the theatre. We arrive around 7pm... struggle with the cab driver that took us to the wrong Marriott Grosvenor House, ours faced the park, they took us to the one not facing the park, we figured it out when they didn't have us staying there. Lovely day:D:eek:

 

We did make the show with our English friends, but things can definitely go wrong on the train front.

 

I love European trains and I don't hesitate to take them, but I have several wild stories from those trains.

 

jc

[pully8]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3206426/U-S-Marines-armed-gunman-onboard-high-speed-train-Amsterdam-Paris.html

we also love the fast trains and have done this route many times. glad we were not on this 1. fortunately many were saved.

[ea6b5]

Thank you all for the info. I have looked at the Thaly's and Eurostar's website. No matter what I do it looks like I shall catch a Thaly's in Amsterdam and change to a Eurostar in Brussels. Was wanting to know if 58 minutes between arrival and departure is sufficient at Brussel's Midi? The DW and myself are mobile! I believe the only issue we might have is the DW and her procrastination

[squarevanman]

Thank you all for the info. I have looked at the Thaly's and Eurostar's website. No matter what I do it looks like I shall catch a Thaly's in Amsterdam and change to a Eurostar in Brussels. Was wanting to know if 58 minutes between arrival and departure is sufficient at Brussel's Midi? The DW and myself are mobile! I believe the only issue we might have is the DW and her procrastination

 

If my memory serves me Eurostar check in closes 20 minutes before departure but I have seen people rushing through security 10 minutes before.

[Floridiana]

If my memory serves me Eurostar check in closes 20 minutes before departure but I have seen people rushing through security 10 minutes before.

 

Security? The news just said that here were no security check-points for the Thalys and no identity checks for ticket buyers. Otherwise the latest attack could not have happened. Is there a security check-point for the Eurostar because it goes through the tunnel?

[squarevanman]

Security? The news just said that here were no security check-points for the Thalys and no identity checks for ticket buyers. Otherwise the latest attack could not have happened. Is there a security check-point for the Eurostar because it goes through the tunnel?

 

Yes passport control and security is standard in Brussels for Eurostar. UK border control checks all passports even EU citizens unlike going from Netherlands to Belgium or any other country. Last time I used Eurostar from Lille to Ebbsfleet I was checked at Lille and then again at Ebbsfleet including ticket inspection

[gentlemancruiser]

The Eurostar requires airport style screening because of the tunnel however Thalys does not have the same screening.

 

 

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[Twickenham]

Security? The news just said that here were no security check-points for the Thalys and no identity checks for ticket buyers. Otherwise the latest attack could not have happened. Is there a security check-point for the Eurostar because it goes through the tunnel?

 

You need to clear immigration because you are exiting the Schengen area. Both the Netherlands and Belgium are part of Shengen, thus no border controls.

[Floridiana]

Passport control yes, potential luggage control yes. Additional security clearance with metal detectors for passengers and luggage?

[gentlemancruiser]

Passport control yes, potential luggage control yes. Additional security clearance with metal detectors for passengers and luggage?

 

 

Yes. You and your bags will be screened

 

 

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[Floridiana]

Who knows, maybe they have to do this for other high speed trains as well. They did it in China in both train stations we used for ALL trains. Entrance to the station was chaotic to say the least because they were not built for it, but there had been terrorist attacks in two train stations.

[Canal archive]

Don't know when you want to travel but Eurostar will be starting a direct London - Amsterdam and reverse route in December 2016 I haven't discovered where the border controls will be yet. If it's As it is at the moment from the South of France then it will be Lille on the return to the UK route. As has been said before this is due to the Shengun agreement, basically an open border agreement between many of the mainland Europe countries. If you travel on Eurostar Bussiness Premier class you can board up to 10 minutes before departure the other classes it is 30 minutes before departure. We have traveled Eurostar several times we did not enjoy the border control in Lille but it was very hot and the train was almost full. We have train journeyed many times in many different countries far better than flying but extremely impractical across the 'Pond'.

CA