Eurostar London to Amsterdam review: journey time, cost, seats & what to expect

After living in London for four years, I recently (finally!) got the chance to take the Eurostar. My partner and I travelled from St Pancras International to Amsterdam via Lille, Brussels, and Rotterdam, but was it as romantic as what you’d expect from European train travel? The answer is: sort of. Here’s my review of what it was like to take the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam.

Taking the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam: a review

Eurostar London to Amsterdam at a glance

Journey time: Around four hours and twenty minutes
Departure station: St Pancras International, London
Arrival station: Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam
Ticket price: from £39
Luggage allowance: 2 suitcases + 1 carry-on, plus no liquid restrictions
Classes: Standard, Plus, Premier

Before departure

We bought tickets online about three months ahead of our journey in a sale. For two people from London to Amsterdam return, it cost us just £131. One-way journeys can be as low as £39 if you book far enough in advance. On the journey out, we went standard but decided to book Eurostar Plus, kind of like Premium Economy, for the return journey. Eurostar Plus tickets cost us £77 per person, but more on that later. There’s also the option to go Premier, which is the equivalent of first class and costs around £140 each way.

Tickets can be opened in the Eurostar app or saved to your phone’s wallet. You can add your passport information on the app at any time before you travel, so you don’t need to check in.

At the station

We arrived at St Pancras International about 90 minutes ahead of our scheduled departure. Similar to boarding at an airport, you need to scan your ticket before going through security. We had to wait about 12 minutes to have our bags scanned before going through the small passport control, which was very simple.

I was surprised by how small the departure area was. There’s a cafe, a bar, a Pret A Manger, and the world’s smallest Duty Free with a selection of booze, souvenirs, magazines, and perfumes (note there’s no makeup or travel bits, so be sure to grab those before coming through). There’s also a currency exchange, an ATM and toilets.

When we departed, on a Thursday afternoon outside of school holidays, the place was packed. People were sitting on the floors and standing anywhere they could find a spot, as there was just not enough seating for the number of travellers. But we were lucky enough to nab two seats where we could wait before boarding. The WiFi and mobile service in the departure area were really patchy, so if you’re thinking about catching up on work, you may need to have an alternative solution.

We didn’t know what kind of food options there would be inside the Eurostar terminal, so we opted to get some Onigiri and Katsu from Kineya Mugimaru, and it was really delicious. I’d definitely recommend bringing your own food or picking something up in the station, as the choices once you check in.

On the train: London to Amsterdam in Eurostar Standard

Boarding for our train was on time. We were riding in Eurostar Standard class (AKA – economy) on train 9140, our seats were 24 and 23 on coach number nine. These were a window and an aisle seat… supposedly. Seat 24 was actually one of those seats that should have a window, but is actually just a wall with a tiny sliver of a window. Don’t book this seat if you want a view. We commiserated with the people opposite us in 21 and 22, who had the same situation and were also disappointed. At the very least, Eurostar should note on their booking system that the seat has no window.

There are sections for larger luggage and storage racks over your seats for smaller pieces like backpacks. The addition of a coat hook would have been helpful.

Departure was also on time. I was not a fan of the seats in the standard cabin. There are no adjustable headpieces, and I found the design quite uncomfortable. There’s a massive tray table in front of you and this strange semi-pocket up top, which I’m still wondering what it’s for. There’s a pocket for magazines and things, but it’s a strange layout, and if you put a water bottle in it, then it’s really uncomfortable on your legs.

The EurostarTrains Wifi kept cutting in and out during our journey, and my Vodafone network only had 1.5 bars. My partner’s EE network was working fine, so it’s kind of dependent. There are two plugs under the seats, one 3-pin and one circular 2-pin, which is handy for charging devices, but there are no USB charging points.

We were right beside the cafe car, which served things like almonds, crisps, sandwiches and drinks. We shared a mushroom risotto halfway through our trip, and we were really impressed with the flavour and freshness. The gentleman serving us was also super friendly.

All the notifications on the screens are in English, French and Dutch, and I liked that they tell you how fast you’re going. The highest I saw us moving was 287km/h. They announce each upcoming station with plenty of time, so you can collect your luggage before you disembark.

Trouble on the tracks

The train stopped in Lille, letting passengers on and off with no issue, but when we arrived in Brussels, we were delayed for a few hours due to a fire in one of the tunnels. Everybody had to get off the train, and eventually, some of us made it onto another train going to Amsterdam, where thankfully, we got a seat, but many people were standing for the entire journey.

I totally understand that this event was unavoidable, and we were really in no hurry. What disappointed me was the lack of assistance from the crew and Eurostar. They initially let us know what was happening, and then we were all left to our own devices, without any clear plan. Many passengers were jostling to get to the front and arguing as there weren’t enough seats for everyone on the other train. It felt quite chaotic; we had to help some older passengers who were struggling to move their luggage to a different platform and who were quite upset by the situation.

However, Eurostar does have a solid refund policy for delays. Because we were over 180 minutes delayed at getting into Amsterdam, we were able to get 75% of our tickets refunded in a Eurostar voucher. We could have also opted for 50% of the cost of the affected leg as a cash refund. So we were basically able to book another journey to Brussels in the future (more on that here). If your journey is behind schedule by even 60 minutes, you can claim reimbursement, which I think is really good.

Return: Amsterdam to London in Eurostar Plus

The return journey was almost like we were travelling with an entirely different company. To fight the post-holiday Blues, we’d upgraded ourselves to Eurostar Plus (kind of like Premium Economy), and it was an absolute dream. We boarded at 6:30 pm for our departure at 6:40 pm, and were welcomed on board by the loveliest team.

These seats were so much comfier and more spacious than the Eurostar Standard ones, and our window actually existed (phew!) If you’re travelling to/from London, then you get a meal included in your ticket, and my vegetarian option, giant cous cous with feta and roasted veggies, was really tasty. I also appreciated the little luxury fudge we got as a sweet treat. There’s a selection of wines, beers, and soft drinks included, plus coffees and teas are served after the meal.

The WiFi was patchy again, but didn’t really matter as I’d stocked up on complimentary magazines as I’d boarded. The vibe in this cabin just felt more relaxing (probably because there were fewer people), and we were both really impressed with the offering, which felt like night and day from our first journey.

And how much was this class upgrade, you may ask? It was £110 per person, which is less than double the Standard class fare. I think it was definitely worth it for a more comfortable journey.

Frequently asked questions: taking the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam

Final thoughts

Honestly, I think I was a bit unlucky that my first ever Eurostar journey ended up being a bit all over the place. But they really pulled it back with the Eurostar Plus experience. Whenever I travel with Eurostar moving forward, I will book Plus as a minimum. And will have to treat myself to Eurostar Premier at some stage too, though a one-way from London to Amsterdam in this class starts from around £315.

Book your next train journey with Eurostar

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