London to Amsterdam in comfort...

Fed up with flying?  This page explains how to travel from London or anywhere in the UK to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands by train or ferry, avoiding airport hassle and reducing your impact on the environment.  Upgrade from a stressful flight to the civilised comfort of Rail & Sail or Eurostar...

COVID-19 update:  Eurostar is running a reduced service as is Thalys, but Brussels-Amsterdam Intercity trains are running almost normally.  Check online.  See COVID-19 travel information.

Times, fares & tickets...

  Which option to choose?

  London to Amsterdam by Stena Line train & ferry

  London to Amsterdam by Eurostar

  London to Rotterdam, Utrecht & other cities

  To the Netherlands by ferry from Hull

  To the Netherlands by ferry from Newcastle

International trains to/from Amsterdam

  Trains from other European cities to Amsterdam

  Trains from Amsterdam to other European cities

  Amsterdam to Berlin by InterCity train

  Amsterdam to Brussels & Paris by Thalys train

  Amsterdam to Bruges by train

Other useful information...

  Amsterdam Centraal station guide

  Hotels in Amsterdam - suggested places to stay

  Map of Amsterdam

  Useful country information: currency, dial code...

  Short breaks in Amsterdam by Eurostar

  General information for train travel in Europe

  Luggage arrangements

  Left luggage lockers in Brussels & Amsterdam

  Taking a bike    Taking a dog

  Travel insurance, Curve Card & VPN

Interactive map... 

Click a route for times, fares & tickets.

Holland or the Netherlands?

What's the difference?

Holland is a region made up of 2 of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands, Noord Holland & Zuid Holland.  The other 10 provinces are not Holland.  Telling someone from Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Groningen or Maastricht that they come from Holland is like telling a Glaswegian that he comes from England...  Check out this nifty video explanation...

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Useful country information

Train operator:		NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen), www.ns.nl for train times & fares in the Netherlands.  Eurostar times & fares.  All-Europe online train times.  Amsterdam bus & tram info: www.gvb.nl.
Ferry operators:		Harwich-Hoek van Holland:  www.stenaline.co.uk. Train+ferry London-Amsterdam:  www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland/rail-and-sail. Newcastle-Amsterdam: www.dfds.co.uk.  Hull-Rotterdam: www.poferries.com
Railpasses:		Beginner's guide to European railpasses    Buy a rail pass online
Time zone:		GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October).
Dialling code:		+31
Currency:		£1 = approx 1.19 euros  Check current exchange rates
Tourist information:		www.visitholland.com  Amsterdam map  Recommended guidebooks
Hotels, hostels & tours:		Find accommodation in Amsterdam & see recommended hotels
Page last updated:		18 March 2022

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What are the options?

• Option 1:  London to Amsterdam by Stena Line train & ferry...

  Travel overnight in classic rail & ferry comfort.  Leave London at 19:32 by train, sleep in a private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV on the luxurious Stena Line superferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, then take the metro to Rotterdam and a Dutch train to Amsterdam Centraal next morning, arriving 10:55.  Watch the video guide.  See timetables, fares, and how to buy tickets.

  One ticket covers train, ferry, metro & Dutch train from £55 each way plus £35 for a single cabin or £46 per cabin for a 2-berth.  Ideal for a weekend break or eco-friendly business trip, with your emissions cut by up to 80% compared to a flight.  There's a daytime service too, with cabins optional.

• Option 2, London to Amsterdam by Eurostar in 4h...

  London to Rotterdam & Amsterdam by high-speed Eurostar train.  Eurostar now runs direct from London St Pancras to Amsterdam in around 4 hours, as fast & more comfortable than flying.  See the London to Amsterdam by Eurostar page for times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• Option 3, Hull to Rotterdam & Amsterdam by overnight ferry...

  Cruise overnight from the Hull!  Take a luxurious overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam with bars, restaurants & cosy cabins, a comfortable & time-effective option, by-passing London.  A transfer bus takes you from the Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal, for a train to anywhere in the Netherlands.  Details for P&O ferry Hull to Rotterdam.

  Option 4, Newcastle to Amsterdam by overnight ferry...

  Cruise overnight from Newcastle!  DFDS Seaways sail overnight from Newcastle to IJmuiden near Amsterdam, with cosy cabins including the luxurious Commodore Class, bars & restaurants.  Details for DFDS ferry Newcastle to Amsterdam

• Option 5, London to Rotterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem & other Dutch cities...

  Stena Line Rail & Sail tickets are valid to any station in the Netherlands, not just Amsterdam.  Simply take the train & overnight luxury superferry to Hoek van Holland, then use Netherlands Railways intercity trains to travel just about anywhere:  Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Apeldoorn, Groningen...  Or travel by Eurostar to Rotterdam or Amsterdam then connecting trains, book at www.nsinternational.nl.

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London to Amsterdam by ferry

London to Any Dutch station via Harwich - Hoek van Holland from £55... 

Every day there's an integrated train-ferry-train service from London or any Greater Anglia station to Rotterdam, Amsterdam or any Dutch station, ruin jointly by Greater Anglia, Stena Line and NS (Dutch Railways), see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page...

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London to Amsterdam by Eurostar

London to Amsterdam by high-speed train from £40...

Since 2018, Eurostar runs one or two daily direct trains from London to Amsterdam taking around 4h city centre to city centre, with plans to ramp up to 5 trains per day each way post-pandemic, see the London to Amsterdam by Eurostar page.

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London to other destinations

	Above:  A Dutch double-deck InterCity train.
	Above:  These are top deck seats on a Dutch double-deck InterCity train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam...

London to Rotterdam...

You can travel from London to Rotterdam by direct Eurostar several times a day in just 3h30, see the London to the Netherlands by Eurostar page.

You can also travel from London to Rotterdam overnight in a cosy en suite cabin using the excellent Stena Line train-ferry-train service, see the London to Amsterdam by train & ferry page.

London to Den Haag (The Hague)...

Take a Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam Centraal in just 3h30, then take a frequent Dutch Intercity train from Rotterdam Centraal to Den Haag HS taking 18 or 19 minutes more.  These Intercity trains run roughly every 10 minutes.

Alternatively, Eurostar runs more frequently from London to Brussels Midi, from where there are hourly Intercity trains to Den Haag, a few direct, most with 1 change.

Buy tickets from London to Den Haag as one transaction with no booking fee at www.nsinternational.nl.  You print your own ticket.

Alternatively, the excellent Stena Line Rail & Sail service via Harwich-Hoek van Holland also goes via Den Haag, see the London to Amsterdam by train & ferry page.

London to Maastricht...

Maastricht, right down in the southern tip of the Netherlands, is most easy reached by Eurostar changing in Brussels.  There are hourly Belgian InterCity trains from Brussels to Maastricht with one easy and quick change in Liège, journey time 1 hour 46 minutes.

You can buy a through ticket from London to Liège, simply go to www.eurostar.com and buy a ticket from London to a destination listed as Any Belgian Station from £51 one-way or £69 return.  This is valid on a specific Eurostar to Brussels, then onwards to any station in Belgium using any suitable connecting train (including Belgian InterCity trains but not international Thalys or ICE trains) within 24 hours of arrival in Brussels, and (on your return) within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure from Brussels.  This will take you all the way to Liege, you can easily buy an onward ticket from Liege to Maastricht online at www.thetrainline.com.

Note that at www.eurostar.com all you are reserving is your Eurostar seat, from Brussels to Liège a seat reservation is unnecessary you can just hop on any train you like. The Eurostar website won't give schedules for the onward trains, but you can use www.thetrainline.com to find train times between Brussels and Maastricht.

Alternatively, you can travel from London to Maastricht by comfortable overnight train+ferry if you like, using the special Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to any Dutch station, see the London to Amsterdam by train & ferry page.

London to anywhere else in the Netherlands:  Utrecht, Apeldoorn, Groningen, Arnhem, Eindhoven, etc...

Other destinations in the Netherlands can also be reached just as easily as Amsterdam, using either train+ferry or Eurostar.  Decide which you want to use by reading the London-Amsterdam train & ferry and Eurostar information, then check connections to your chosen destination as follows:

By train+ferry to any Dutch station:  Stena Line Rail & Sail tickets from London to Amsterdam are valid to any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam.  Buy online at www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland/rail-and-sail as explained here.  So you can travel from London to anywhere in the Netherlands for the same price as Amsterdam.  To check train times to other Dutch destinations, first check what time your chosen train+ferry service reaches Hoek van Holland using the London to Amsterdam train+ferry timetable above.  Then go to www.ns.nl, enter Hoek van Holland Haven as origin and your Dutch destination as destination, enter your travel dates and time of departure from Hoek (allowing at least 20 minutes from the arrival of the ferry) and hit search.  You'll find some journeys involve taking the metro from Hoek to Schiedam Centrum and changing onto a mainline train (for example, to Den Haag) whilst others are better taking the metro from Hoek to Rotterdam Alexander and changing there for a mainline train (for example, to Utrecht or Groningen).

By Eurostar to any Dutch station from €60!  It's back!!  The popular ticket from London to Any Dutch Station by Eurostar and connecting InterCity train (not valid on high-speed Thalys), one-way from €60, return from €119.  But it has to be booked at the Dutch railways website www.nsinternational.nl, which can book these as a one-way or a round trip in either direction.  You print your own tickets.  In the search results you can compare prices with faster options via Thalys high-speed trains, and make a choice on speed versus price.

North of England to Amsterdam

	P&O Ferries superb ship Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort, just arrived from Hull...
	Dinner in the à la carte restaurant on board the Pride of Rotterdam...
	A standard outside cabin on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam...

Four options from the North of England to Amsterdam...

We don't all live in London & the South.  From the North of England to Amsterdam, you have four options, including a luxurious direct cruise ferry from Hull or Newcastle to Holland that by-passes London:

• Option 1, by Eurostar:  Catch a train to London, then take Eurostar to Amsterdam as explained above.  You can buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nsinternational.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London, see this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.

• Option 2, by Stena Line Rail & Sail via Harwich-Hoek van Holland:  Catch an afternoon train to London (or change at Peterborough for the cross-country route to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail here.  After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, book a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich

• Option 3, by DFDS overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Rotterdam see the next section...

• Option 4, by P&O overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam:  Option 3 is perhaps the most comfortable (even luxurious) way to go, which avoids having to travel up to London.  See below...

Hull to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry...

P&O's superb overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam is more than just a means of transport, it's a floating hotel that makes the journey as much fun as the destination.  The ferry sails overnight, so it's a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break in Holland.  You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub.

Important update:  On 17 March 2022, Dubai-owned P&O Ferries made all 800 British seafaring staff redundant without warning via a 3-minute Zoom video, and replaced them with cheap agency staff.  All sailings were suspended without notice, leaving passengers stranded without warning.  See www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60779001.  The firm's behaviour has been described as 'appalling' - you may wish to reconsider using P&O Ferries.

North of England ► Rotterdam, Amsterdam

• Step 1, take a train from your local station to Hull...

  There are direct trains to Hull from Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.  If you plan to use the transfer bus, time your train to arrive by about 16:40.  If you are happy using a taxi, choose any train timed to arrive before 18:30.  You can check train times & fares and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

• Step 2, transfer from Hull station to the P&O ferry terminal...

  A transfer bus leaves from Bay 38 of the bus interchange next to St Stephen's shopping centre at 17:00 taking 15 minutes to the ferry terminal, bus fare £3.25 if added to your online booking or only £2.30 if paid to the bus driver (so just pay on the bus!).

  A taxi from Hull station to the P&O ferry terminal (Terminal 1) costs around £8, it's about 3 miles, journey time 12 minutes.  You'll find plenty of taxis will be waiting at the station.

  The ferry starts boarding at 17:30 with all her bars and restaurants open for business.  Check-in for the ferry closes at 19:00.

• Step 3, sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam Europoort with P&O Ferries...

  The ferry sails from Hull International Ferry Terminal at 20:30 and arrives Rotterdam Europoort at 08:15 (09:00 weekends), see www.poferries.com.  The ferry has bars, restaurants, cinema & cosy cabins all with en suite toilet & shower.

• Step 4, transfer from the ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal...

  A P&O transfer bus will be waiting outside the terminal building at Rotterdam Europoort to take you to Rotterdam Centraal railway station.  This is around 24 miles, expect the bus to take around 40 minutes.  The fare is around £7, you should book the bus along with your ferry tickets at www.poferries.com.  They also run a bus to Amsterdam, but that's not as civilised as switching to a proper train once you reach the station at Rotterdam.

• Step 5, take a train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam or anywhere else in the Netherlands & beyond...

  Trains run from Rotterdam Centraal to Amsterdam Centraal every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour.  No reservation is required on Dutch trains, you can easily buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one in advance to save time at the ticket office, buy a ticket at www.ns.nl and print it out or show it in the NS app.  It will be good for any train on the day you book it for.

Amsterdam, Rotterdam ► North of England

• Step 1, take a train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam Centraal at around 15:30, these run every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour.

  No reservation necessary, just turn up and buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one online to save time at the ticket office, buy a ticket at online at www.ns.nl and print it out or show it in the NS app.  It will be good for any train on the day you book it for.

• Step 2, a special P&O bus leaves Rotterdam Centraal at 17:00 for the 24 mile 40-minute transfer to the P&O Europoort ferry terminal.

  At Rotterdam Centraal, the bus leaves from the Internationaal bus stop in Conradstraat - walk out of the main station exit and turn right, it's the last bus-stop in the row straight ahead of you.  The fare is around €4.50, you should pre-book the bus with P&O when you buy your ferry tickets.  Please check bus details at www.poferries.com when booking.  Allow plenty of time to connect with the bus, don't cut it fine.

• Step 3, sail from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull, leaving Europoort daily at 21:00 (20:30 at weekends), arriving in Hull at 08:00 next morning.

  Boarding starts around 17:00, with all the ship's bars and restaurants open, and the ferry check-in closes at 19:30 (19:00 at weekends).  The ferry has bars, restaurants, cinema & cosy cabins all with en suite toilet & shower.  See www.poferries.com.

• Step 4, a bus takes you from the ferry terminal to Hull city centre on arrival, bus fare £3.25 added to your booking online or £2.30 paid on the bus.  Then take a train to anywhere in Britain, you can check train times and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

How much does it cost?

• Like most ferry companies, P&O vary fares by season and availability, so go online at www.poferries.com to see what the cost is for your dates and your chosen cabin type.  But expect a return trip for two people from Hull to Rotterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £123 return per person.  However, solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin including the transfer bus to Rotterdam Centraal would pay around £214 return.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, book the ferry at www.poferries.com.  It's ticketless, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal.  You can add the Europoort to Rotterdam transfer bus to your booking.

• Step 2, buy a train ticket to Hull online as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the P&O ferry terminal.

Scotland & North to Amsterdam

	DFDS Seaways Princess Seaways about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess Seaways from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A Commodore Deluxe cabin on DFDS ferry King Seaways from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  Commodore Deluxe offers genuine cruise ship standards with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  Highly recommended!  See the video...
	About as far away from Ryanair as you can get...  The exclusive Commodore Deluxe lounge aboard the King Seaways...

Three options to Amsterdam from Scotland & Newcastle...

• Option 1, by Eurostar:  Catch a train to London, then take Eurostar to Amsterdam, as explained above.  You can buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nsinternational.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London, see this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.

• Option 2, by train & ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland with Stena Line:  Catch a train to London (or changing at Peterborough, cross-country to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight Stena Line train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail here.  After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, buy a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich.

• Option 3, by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam:  This is perhaps the simplest and most comfortable (even luxurious) option, by-passing London aboard DFDS Seaways daily cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam).  See below...

Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS cruise ferry...

DFDS Seaways' overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden near Amsterdam is not just a means of transport, but a floating hotel that makes the journey as fun as the destination.  The ferry sails overnight, a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break.  You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub.  And if you choose DFDS Seaways Commodore Deluxe class then you're in for a real treat!

Scotland & Newcastle ► Amsterdam

• Step 1, take a train from your local station to Newcastle...

  Aim to arrive in Newcastle at or before 15:00.  For example, you can leave Edinburgh around 13:00.  You can check train times and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

• Step 2, transfer from Newcastle Central to Newcastle Ferry Terminal...

  A clearly-marked DFDS transfer bus leaves Newcastle central station for the North Shields international ferry terminal 2 ½ & 1 ¼ hours before the ferry sails.

  To find the bus stop, walk out of the main exit from Newcastle Central Station and turn immediately left, walking along the glazed station front until you reach the pedestrian crossing.  Cross the main road (Neville Street), and you'll see a side street called Berwick Street right in front of you.  Walk half way up the right hand side of Berwick Street until you reach the bus stop marked Bus 327 DFDS ferry terminal only.

  The bus fare is around £3 adults, £2 child, and the journey normally takes about 40 minutes.  The buses are wheelchair accessible and have extra luggage space.

  You can also take the Tyne & Wear Metro to Percy Main station and walk, 24 minutes, 1.2 miles, see walking map.

  A taxi from Newcastle station to the DFDS ferry terminal costs about £17, journey time 35 minutes.

• Step 3, sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS Seaways...

  The ferry sails at 17:00 every day, arriving at IJmuiden (20km from Amsterdam) at 09:30 next morning.

  The luxurious DFDS Seaways ferry has bars, restaurants, cinema & cosy cabins all with en suite toilet & shower.  The ships on this route are Princess Seaways & King Seaways.  Both are excellent, although the King has Commodore Deluxe as well as Commodore & Seaways class cabins, and in my opinion is the nicer ship.  Buy ferry tickets at www.dfds.co.uk.

• Step 4, transfer from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal...

  A transfer bus will be waiting at IJmuiden to take you to Amsterdam Centraal station.  Expect to arrive there around 11:00.  A taxi to Amsterdam will cost around €60, and if you want one you'll have to pre-book it as there aren't many in IJmuiden.  Try calling ATC Taxis on 00 31 251314422 or Taxi Tervoort on 00 31 255 513838.

Amsterdam ► Newcastle & Scotland

• Step 1, transfer from Amsterdam Centraal to IJmuiden ferry terminal...

  A DFDS transfer bus leaves Bus Platform G on the lake side of Amsterdam Centraal station between 15:00 & 16:00 for IJmuiden to connect with the ferry to Newcastle.  Please check bus details when booking.

• Step 2, sail from IJmuiden to Newcastle by DFDS Seaways overnight ferry...

  The luxurious DFDS Seaways ferry sails from IJmuiden at 17:30 and arrives at Newcastle International Ferry Terminal at South Shields at 09:00 next morning.  A wide range of cosy cabins, restaurants, bars are available, with cinema, shops & live entertainment.

• Step 3, transfer from Newcastle ferry terminal to Newcastle station...

  A fleet of shuttle buses will be waiting outside the ferry terminal when the ship arrives, to take foot passengers  to Newcastle central station.  The bus fare is around £3 adults, £2 child, the journey takes about 40 minutes.  The buses are wheelchair accessible and have extra luggage space.

  A taxi from the DFDS ferry terminal to Newcastle station costs about £17, journey time 35 minutes.

  You can also walk to Percy Main Tyne & Wear Metro station, 24 minutes walk, 1.2 miles, see walking map.

• Step 4, take a train from Newcastle to any station in Britain...

  You can check train times and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

How much does it cost?

• DFDS ferry fares vary by season and availability, so go to www.dfds.co.uk to see the cost for your dates and chosen cabin type.

• For example, a ferry crossing for two people from Newcastle to Amsterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £65 one-way or £130 return for both passengers (in other words, £32.50 one-way or £65 return per person) in low season, rising to perhaps £145 one-way or £290 return in high season.

• Solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin might pay from around £136 return low season, perhaps £275 return high season or around holidays.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, book the ferry at www.dfds.co.uk.  It's ticketless, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal.

• Step 2, book trains to Newcastle, buy online as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the ferry terminal at North Shields.

• There is no need to book the transfer bus from Newcastle station to the ferry terminal, you pay on board the bus.

Recommended guidebooks

Highly recommended:  The Lonely Planets & Rough Guides...

Paying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a small part of what you pay for your whole trip.  You will see a lot more, and know much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook.  I think the Lonely Planets & Rough Guides are the best ones out there for the independent traveller.  You won't regret buying one!  My own book, an essential handbook for train or ferry travel to Europe based on this website called The Man in Seat 61, was published in 2010 so is a little long in the tooth now, but it's available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or for £9.67 at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

Hotels in Amsterdam

Suggested hotels in Amsterdam...

• Book your accommodation in Amsterdam early, as it can be difficult to find rooms at peak periods at short notice, the better and cheaper rooms quickly sell out.  You'll also find prices vary significantly even at the same hotel, depending on the season and what's going on in the city.

• The ultimate Amsterdam hotel is The Grand, now the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam.  From around €300 per night upwards for a double room, this is one of the most famous hotel in Amsterdam, 5 minutes walk from Dam Square and 10 minutes walk from Centraal Station.  For something smaller, slightly cheaper but equally special, try the Canal House boutique hotel, 15 minutes walk from the station, €205 upwards.

• Mid-range to top end:  The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel gets great reviews and is very convenient as it's on the corner just across the road from Amsterdam Centraal station, doubles from around €135 upwards per night.  In a similar price bracket, try the Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, 6 minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal and also with excellent reviews. 

• Mid-range:  The Hotel Luxer is cheaper, from around €109 upwards per night, and also just 7 minutes walk from Centraal station with great reviews.  Also try The Times Hotel, Hotel Tourist Inn or Daily Rooms Hotel.  Or the Hotel Sebastians, around €115 per night, equally well located 10 minutes walk from Centraal station, another hotel which gets great reviews.

• Cheapies:  There are many cheap hotels, including many near the station, but very few get outstanding reviews.  For ones that do, try the floating boat hotel AmiciA (formerly Friesland), around €45 per night 15 minutes walk from the station or the Rembrandt Hotel from €80, 10 min walk from Dam Square though 20 minutes walk from the station.

Suggested hotels in Rotterdam...

• The SS Rotterdam:  Easily the most original place to stay in Rotterdam is aboard the moored 1959 transatlantic liner, the SS Rotterdam.  It's a taxi ride or 50 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal Station.

Backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com...

www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

City breaks in Amsterdam

• Railbookers (www.railbookers.co.uk, 0207 864 4600) are a reliable and helpful company offering city breaks to Amsterdam by train, combining Eurostar travel & hotel.  A 2-night break starts at around £225 per person.  US & Canadian residents can call Railbookers toll free on 1-888-829-4775, Australian residents toll-free on 1300 971 526, New Zealand residents on 0800 002 034.  They can also arrange tours of Europe to your own specification, with train travel and hotels arranged.

• Or put together your own break, using the overnight train+ferry option and booking a hotel separately.

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I use an annual policy myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & covers you even if the FCDO advises against non-essential travel.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get a Curve card to save on foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

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