Eurostar will continue its direct service to Amsterdam despite station renovations that risked a six-month suspension.
- The rail service from London to Amsterdam is set to reduce from four to three daily trips.
- Travellers to Amsterdam will experience an additional 48 to 108 minutes on their return journey due to a change in Brussels.
- Eurostar is focused on sustainable travel and aims to carry 30 million passengers yearly by 2030.
- The company’s passenger numbers in 2023 have significantly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
Eurostar has confirmed that its direct service to Amsterdam will persist through the summer, overcoming potential disruptions caused by renovation work at Amsterdam Central station. Initially, there were concerns about a six-month service hiatus; however, Eurostar has secured a solution to maintain operations.
While the number of daily services from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam will decrease from four to three, Eurostar ensures continuity by implementing a change-over in Brussels for return trips. This adjustment will add approximately 48 minutes to 1 hour and 48 minutes to the journey time, according to the company.
Emphasising their commitment to sustainable travel solutions, Eurostar’s Chief Executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, highlighted Amsterdam as a critical hub within the international network. She stated, “In 2024, we will continue to develop sustainable travel with a specific solution during the renovation of Amsterdam station. We will ensure the continuity of the direct London-Amsterdam link.”
Cazenave further expressed that the development of a new terminal is crucial for increasing passenger capacity once it opens. The 2023 Eurostar data reveals a 22% increase in passenger numbers, aligning closely with pre-COVID levels, driven by robust demand across routes to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris.
In the previous year, Eurostar successfully transported 18.6 million passengers, with notable increases in the UK-France, Netherlands-UK, and UK-Belgium routes. This surge is part of the company’s broader ambition to achieve 30 million passengers annually by 2030, centred on the goal of enhancing train travel’s accessibility and environmental benefits.
Looking towards the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, Eurostar anticipates nearly two million passengers to Paris during the event period, illustrating their strategic focus on capitalising on high-demand occasions.
Eurostar’s strategic adjustments reflect its commitment to continuous service and ambitious future passenger growth.
