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There’s nothing like the adventure of train travel.
Getting on the train is easy and convenient and a great way to get from A to B, especially in Europe where the most iconic cities are well connected.
To improve this connectivity, Eurostar has just announced direct train services between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and London, making it easier than ever to travel between Britain and the Netherlands.
Here’s what you need to know about the new train connecting two iconic European cities this winter.
Eurostar launches route from London to Amsterdam
Eurostar is the train best associated with the London-Paris route.
But from February next year you can take a direct Eurostar train between London and Amsterdam.
This once-popular route launches on February 10.
It was suspended when Britain left the European Union due to border control issues, but now it’s back!
And as an added bonus, the new route will have a capacity of 450 passengers at launch, meaning you won’t be pressed for space.
This capacity will be expanded to 650 passengers in the spring of next year.
This makes Eurostar a convenient and more environmentally friendly alternative to flying on this route. No worries about baggage allowance, and without the hassle of an airport.
It makes it easy to explore two iconic European capitals in one holiday.
One of the biggest questions is of course: how much will it cost? I looked at a standard class Eurostar return ticket from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Central Station from March 1 to March 4. The cheapest option is £156.50 ($203) per person.
Visiting London and Amsterdam in winter
If you don’t mind a bit of cold and the occasional rain shower, then winter is a great time to visit both London and Amsterdam.
From a practical point of view, airfares, hotel prices and visitor numbers in both cities are all much lower during the winter months. For example, February is the cheapest month in the next twelve months to fly from the US to London.
You can get a non-stop round-trip flight from New York to London for as little as $342. This is based on flights from February 4 – 11 on a British Airways flight.
But it’s not just the budget that makes winter such a great time to visit both London and Amsterdam. With the days shorter and the skies gloomier, this is the perfect time of year to explore museums and galleries and then socialize with locals in pubs and bars.
That’s possible in London visit the city marketone of my favorite places when it’s cold outside.
A feast of food and drinks, whether you want to grab something from a quiet stall or eat in one of the many restaurants. Make sure you are hungry!
I love Amsterdam in winter, especially when it snows and the whole city is white and glittering. The city feels so much calmer than the chaos of the summer months.
And that can’t happen every year (because you can’t predict the weather!), but one of my favorite Amsterdam memories is skating on the frozen canals with my family.
To make this possible, the temperature must drop to -5°C or lower for 1 or 2 weeks to create natural ice on which you can skate safely.
Then warm up with hot chocolate and a fatty oliebollen. These are delicious dough balls that you can buy from street vendors all winter long, and they are coated with icing sugar. It’s perfection in a paper bag!
Why travel by train?
I know some of you are wondering: why choose the train? Isn’t flying faster? But nothing beats traveling by train. It’s a great place to people watch and feel closer to the countries you visit.
From a comfort point of view, the seats in trains are wider and also offer more legroom. You can also get up and wander around whenever you want.
As an added bonus, both St. Pancras and Amsterdam Central stations are very centrally located.
This means you can depart and arrive in the heart of the city without having to worry about reaching the airport during rush hour or checking in hours in advance.
This route makes traveling between these two beautiful, iconic cities incredibly easy for locals and tourists alike.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
