Eurostar, the international rail operator, has confirmed that it will continue its direct service between Amsterdam and London, alleviating concerns about disruptions during extensive renovations
at Amsterdam's central station. Despite initial fears of a temporary shutdown, Eurostar has reached a solution to operate three direct trains each way between the two capitals, bypassing the need for a stopover in Brussels.
Earlier plans had suggested an 11-month hiatus for the direct trains starting in June, later reduced to six months in November. The maintenance work at Amsterdam Centraal during this period posed challenges for passport control and baggage screening, prompting discussions with Dutch authorities to find an alternative.
Eurostar collaborated with Dutch national rail service NS, infrastructure agency ProRail, and the Ministry of Infrastructure to explore options, including the consideration of a temporary terminal in the Amstelpassage. However, this proposal was deemed impractical as it would have delayed the construction of a permanent terminal and reduced passenger capacity.
Currently, Eurostar can accommodate about 250 passengers departing from Amsterdam, while their train capacity is for 900 passengers. The forthcoming permanent terminal is expected to facilitate boarding for 650 passengers in Amsterdam.
In addition to the service continuation, Eurostar reported a notable 22% increase in total passengers across five countries, reaching 18.6 million compared to around 15 million the previous year. This growth marked a return to pre-pandemic levels. Eurostar's merger with Thalys contributed to the expansion, with the company now operating the route between Amsterdam and Paris, serving 1.9 million passengers in 2023.
The company highlighted the strong growth in passengers originating from the Netherlands, anticipating further demand in the coming years. Eurostar is on track to achieve its goal of transporting 30 million passengers annually by 2030.
Eurostar has also secured an agreement with the Dutch Olympic teams to transport athletes to the Olympic Games and Paralympics in Paris this summer, extending similar arrangements with the Belgian, British, and German teams. Photo by S Sepp, Wikimedia commons.