Trip Report - Eurostar London to Amsterdam

Рет қаралды 12,437

Күн бұрын

I'd booked a flight departing from Amsterdam so needed to get there to connect... I could have flown but it was a great opportunity to try out the Eurostar service from London to Amsterdam. I live in Folkestone which is where the Channel Tunnel goes underground and its been a major influence on my town over the last 30 years...
I used to be able to travel to Ashford and get on a Eurostar train there, but since the pandemic and Brexit that option has been shut off, meaning I now have to travel 65 miles up the line to St Pancras to catch the Eurostar train which then brings me the 65 miles back down the line to enter the tunnel, right back where I started...
I travelled in Standard Premier class and this is my review of that experience!
First video made on the road with my new Sony ZV1 camera so a few sound issues as I get used to its capabilities and don't worry - even though I look out of breath in the intro - I was fine!!!!
⭐ #tripreport #Eurostar #MattsPlanet ⭐
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⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2.07 - 65 Miles the Wrong Way
3:37 - St Pancras
6:01 - All Aboard!
7:02 - 65 Miles (and more!) the Right Way
11:11 - Into Amsterdam and Conclusions
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. This video may not be copied or reproduced without written permission.

Пікірлер: 121

@rogersankey7326 Жыл бұрын

I used to be a driver on Eurostar when it was based at Waterloo. Only been on once since relocation to SPT so interesting to see inside the newer trains and passenger experience. Nice video

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I did travel to and from Waterloo back in the day - used to take ages to slog through South London.... I did take some video of that part of Waterloo station a couple of years back to use in a video like this but decided it was too boring (even for me!!!)

@susansmith864 Жыл бұрын

For anyone like Matt travelling from outside London then it's usually worth making sure your home-London ticket is to "London International CIV" as this protects your Eurostar ticket in case there is a delay getting to London - much like a connecting flight.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

That is a really excellent tip - thanks.... Just have to work out how to achieve that now!

@alexmcwhirter6611 Жыл бұрын

Good advice. I suppose it depends from which station you are travelling from to London. I mean if coming from the North one might find an Advance fare more affordable ... and what if you plan to connect using Lumo (as some already do !).

@rtb5365 Жыл бұрын

Excellent advice. The question becomes, how to do that if you are booking tickets online.

@alexmcwhirter6611 Жыл бұрын

@@rtb5365 You are absolutely correct.

@MattNav Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet So the London International CIV tickets can only be booked at a UK station ticket office (if the staff has issues, reference the station code LNE) or on raileasy's website (again using the station code LNE).

@kevindonnelly6007 Жыл бұрын

Nice detour from air travel, where I enjoyed a little flashback to taking (most of) that route by boat some years ago in the summer...and was still cold. The train looked more comfortable and certainly warmer. 🙃

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Harwich to the Hoek of Holland? I think Noel Phillips did that in the throes of the you-know-what and it looked pleasant enough even if its really slow!

@kevindonnelly6007 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet Some unremembered point to Calais. Took a whole day to start from London.

@ASeSkater Жыл бұрын

Great video mate! Thoroughly enjoyed and watched right to the end. I hope to make this journey at some point this year. Subscribed!

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks and welcome!

@ployaerials1033 Жыл бұрын

Great video Matt, interesting watch. As I’m close to Bristol I tend to fly but it would be nice to experience this in the near future.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Almost certainly quicker to fly from Bristol than chug over to St Pancras... it is a good experience though!

@richardstreet7518 Жыл бұрын

Same seats in business premier- .. the product just swops ends, so where you sat becomes business premier on the return to London.. with special meal with input from Raymond Blanc.. fast track check in and security.. lounge access and ticket flexibility.. I use the eurostar when I can not least because of co2... informative vlog Matt... I have managed to upgrade for £40 but prices are higher now..

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Richard - makes sense about reversing the train... I don't recall a train length turntable at Gare du Nord or St Pancras where they could turn the trains around!!

@RobinsBookClub Жыл бұрын

Taking my first eurostar in two weeks, so was good to see this video drop today:)

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Cool - where you off to?

@RobinsBookClub Жыл бұрын

@MattsPlanet I'm going to see Borussia Dortmund, so home to London, London to Brussels, Brussels to Cologne, Cologne to Dortmund. And there's a railstrike here the day I'm going....!

@ukdavepianoman 9 ай бұрын

Great video. I've been on Business Premier (not me paying) and Standard a few times - never tried Standard Premier. While Business Premier is very enjoyable with the hot food/champers etc. it's hard to convince myself it's worth me paying that sort of price when Standard Premier looks equally comfortable and includes light meal/drinks. Even the business lounge at St. Pancras is not that exciting. So I will definitely give SP a go.

@MattsPlanet 9 ай бұрын

Business is really expensive but the middle option is worth a look

@pauldonnelly100 Жыл бұрын

Hello from Rhode Island USA really enjoy your videos I am retired BA staff from Boston so still travel quite a bit. I was just on Eurostar Paris to London in December with my 15 year old daughter in standard premier have to agree thought is was very good and very convenient. Thanks paul

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul - was in Boston last year, on Independence Day actually... A little odd as a Brit to be there, then but it was great fun nevertheless!

@luisstransport Жыл бұрын

Great trip report

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@cincinatti_matt21 Жыл бұрын

Great Video!🙌

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Great Name Back At Ya! Thanks

@mars2100 Жыл бұрын

Great vlog, top man

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Andy!

@derisleybrittain Жыл бұрын

Excellent quality ❤

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks as always!

@just_another_watch_nerd6604 Жыл бұрын

I love Eurostar. It's a no brainer for trips to Brussels and Amsterdam for those of us who live nearish to St Pancras.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Living close to St P? Excellent!

@alexmcwhirter6611 Жыл бұрын

I agree. But bear in mind that LCY may also be convenient and there are almost as many flights nowadays from LCY than there are from LHR !

@jamesdoyle8442 Жыл бұрын

Love your video 👍👍👍

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks James

@JettTyler17 Жыл бұрын

Nice video Matt! I literally did a Paris-London trip on the Eurostar a few days ago. I would consider it in the future, though I agree on not seeing a good value on the business class by paying up front. I might try the Amsterdam run in the near future, but I would look at it seriously for a London-Paris (or vice versa) leg.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Its a pleasant way to travel! And if Paris Nord works for you, its a really easy choice...

@Gez-C 9 ай бұрын

A fair review of the journey! I did the same journey recently, and didn’t know that I could ask for more drinks throughout the journey while in Standard premier, I would have done so!

@MattsPlanet 9 ай бұрын

Next time!!

@normhanson981 Жыл бұрын

Terrific 👍

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Climbing that hill was worthwhile...

@theodoremartine3414 Жыл бұрын

Finally someone has broken the silence on the subject of a Wobbly Walk through a moving train car-sorry-carriage. The rocking motion, unique to rail travel, must be taken seriously and no mistake! For instance, Amtrak suggests the “three point rule,” which means to keep three body parts in contact with a solid surface at all times, where any combination of these is acceptable: feet, hands, shoulders, knees, hips, elbows, back, head, butt-sorry-arse-cheeks. Note this last item counts as two, which means if you are seated you are two-thirds in compliance already. Despite these necessary precautions, the motion of a train is more of the comforting type and contributes to the overall experience of this civilized method of travel.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Brilliant comment! Very true though - the three point rule is worth remembering!

@peetbothma6982 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Matt. Interesting video especially since our train services in SA really went to pot.😊🇿🇦👍

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

The Blue Train is still good?

@peetbothma6982 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet When it runs apparently still yes. Had some carriages derail, no passengers on board. Rovos rail a lot better. Wouldn't bother with the rest😥. Sad for someone who spent Uni vacations working on those great trains as steward in yhe dining cars. Dinner was a 7 course silver service affair accompanied by great wines. Closed with Port, liquers and cigars👌👌🇿🇦. Paid my fees at university from that job😊

@AliceGoss Жыл бұрын

Another of your videos landed at the right time. My only trip to Paris departed Waterloo, and that was 30 years ago. I'm currently planning a trip to Brussels and was looking at the train option.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

I remember Waterloo! Was a bit of a slog through England until you reached the "proper" train lines in France!

@AliceGoss Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet It was indeed. Those were the days!!!

@Da__goat Жыл бұрын

For about 100 pounds, that’s not bad all things considered. It’s roughly the same cost as it is to fly, and you don’t have to worry about the airport experience. It is no surprise that people choose to take the train. I do enjoy the London-Paris connection, roughly 3 hours is fairly comparable to amount time spent through the airport. There are a lot of creature comforts to taking the train and I enjoy your review of this. I am curious if you have a train review for some of the other systems in the EU like the German ICE, Swiss railways are supposed to be very good and the Italian service was so good it put Alitalia out of business

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Hi there BP - I have shown a mid haul Renfe journey in Spain but nothing else... Train content does really well for other aviation KZfaqrs so it is on my radar!

@yvescrepeau5955 Жыл бұрын

Hi MAtt, I taking the Eurostar to Paris, and the following day Frecciarossa red rocket to Milan looking forward to it all first class of course

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

The "Red Rocket" sounds fantastic! Quite a long trip to Milan?

@yvescrepeau5955 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet 6 hours

@rtb5365 Жыл бұрын

Very much enjoyed this. I've used Eurostar on numerous occasions, though never the Amsterdam route. Last time I went that way, I had a Thalys connection to get to the Netherlands. For me, if you are going to/through the heart of central Europe, I much prefer the train to plane - less faf with security, dont have to arrive quite so early, etc - and I am an 'airplane guy'. Since discovering the Standard Premium 'class' on Eurostar, that has been my preferred option when I travel with them. I found the Standard Premium seating area to be somewhat quieter than the rest of the train. I would presume Business is even better in that regard. Also, on the pre-clearance for France whilst in London, several airports do this to the US (as I am sure you know). Saves an enormous amount of time as you land in the US like a domestic flight and it makes connecting Stateside a breeze, given that the US doesnt have sterile transit for international flights.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Cheers RTB... Another commenter said that standard premium seating is business seating - they swap classes for the return leg so business is always at the front of the train... Interesting! And the pre-clearance is probably helpful overall... Lots of publicity in the last few days that Eurostar has to run its first trains 30-40% empty as they can't get people through the screening any faster than that....

@LetsMakeaTrip Жыл бұрын

Nice one Matt. Yep, living outside London, well tbh, it’s much easier for me to take a flight. Otherwise, by the time I’ve got down to the capital (extra cost) I’m probably limited to a later train to Amsterdam anyway. If I want the early train, that’s an overnight stay. So imho, Eurostar to Amsterdam very much easier if you’re in the south/south east. Cheers.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Cheers Mark - first op to say congrats on the 10k! The geography of St Pancras suggests there'll never be a Eurostar service from North of London...

@pixiholly Жыл бұрын

I miss Ebbsfleet. It used to have a resident fox; she was keen to meet the later trains in hope of some food. The SP food is generally good, especially if, like me, you have food allergies. My gluten and milk free meal was surprisingly excellent.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Ahhhhh! We have a family of foxes out front and I'm pretty sure a separate family out the back of our house - they do like their food!

@susansmith864 Жыл бұрын

Nice to see an alternative to flying. I use Paris-London quite often and SP is my preferred level. If using it regularly then well worth getting an Amex Plat just for lounge access.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Susan... I am looking at the Plat Amex but it is hard to justify... Might have been easier to justify if I'd had it before this trip!

@susansmith864 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet As well as pretty good travel insurance there's also some reasonable hotel loyalty levels e.g. Hilton Gold . I'm sure you're familiar with Headforpoints which has a good overview. But yes, it's definitely not a no-brainer.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

@@susansmith864 Thanks Susan. I'm not a regular shopper at Harvey Nichols either....

@simondavey7787 Жыл бұрын

I love the Eurostar but have not yet done the Amsetrdam route. I would recommend grabbing a meal at the pub in St Pancras before the train.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Ah - the pub at St P... One of Wetherspoon's finest! It's right across from the escalators up to the Southeastern platforms which take me to Folkestone so I know it well...

@j2simpso Жыл бұрын

Interesting trip report, although I must say, I don't find trains better than planes, at least the trains I've been on in the UK (LNER, Grand Central, etc.) . I mean c'mon, it shouldn't be a huge ask for toilets that aren't stuffed with nappies or have urine all over the wall! I also think the catering, especially in business class can be much better in the air than on the train. In particular, I am thinking of a few trips with BA in Club Europe from Dublin to Manchester and Zurich to London City which a good amount of food for what was essentially a one hour flight. Plus there's the lounges, airline elite status, etc. Yes I do understand that getting to Heathrow by train is more of a pain than strolling into Saint Pancras or King's X and in some circumstances it is actually faster to take the train, but often the time savings difference is huge either way. In terms of getting work done, yes I suppose sitting on a train for 4 hours lets you get heaps of work done, but I've also managed to get some work done on one hour flights. One of the big benefits too with flights is you don't have the same connectivity in the air as you do on the ground meaning. you can actually stay focused on tasks.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Cheers... If you love planes, they'll always win, even if you might (emphasis might) save a few minutes on a train... I quite like planes too!

@geoff544 Жыл бұрын

Nice video - must be a bit galling to have to go 'back' up to London to pass home again on the way. A bit like going to Budapest to fly to Hawaii - and who would dream of doing that? 🤣

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Indeed... Only a madman would go all that way just to turn around and come back... It's very difficult to type in this straightjacket but the padded walls create great accoustics!!!

@haddockman30 Жыл бұрын

The Eurostar is on my bucket list. Hopefully I will get a chance this summer to use. Thanks for the informative video. :)

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Cheers Mr H!

@UFO1601 Жыл бұрын

Sadly Matt, people in the north of England do not reap the benefits of the channel tunnel , it's probably quicker to walk .

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Good point, well made!

@speedendurance Жыл бұрын

yes, the North are stuck with the Hull or Harwich ferry to the Hook of Holland

@Lakesider52 Жыл бұрын

Surely that's merely a matter of geography. Let's say you could travel on Eurostar from Newcastle of Glasgow to Amsterdam; how many would opt for such a long and what would be eye-wateringly expensive train journey from those destinations compared to a 60 - 90 minute cheaper flight? I doubt very much that it would be financially sustainable.

@Joe-lb8qn Жыл бұрын

Timely. I'm off to Lille next week. Just steerage, it's only 90 mins.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Have a good time!

@Joe-lb8qn 8 ай бұрын

Just revisiting this, I spoke to soon my trip was cancelled as i got you know what literally the day before i was due to go. Rescheduled the trip to this past October , had a nice couple days in Lille, definitely recommended as a tourist destination. The final destination of my train also was Amsterdam and Id definitely consider it strongly instead of plane for Lille, Brussels, or Amsterdam. Even though Heathrow is quicker for me to get to than St Pancras, the lack of hassle compared to planes definitely makes it worthy of strong consideration as long as you are starting from somewhere near London. Elsewhere, flying probably wins on speed and price esp given cost of internal UK train fares.

@briancopestick9998 Жыл бұрын

Good film. If you're not driving there is another niche way of travelling through the tunnel - if you cycle a eurotunnel minivan will pick you and your bike up from the nearby Holiday Inn, and drop you off at Calais! Needs to be booked in advance, and is £35 for passanger and bike.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

I did now know that! Very hard to get 6 cases of Stella Artois on the back of a bike though! Although not impossible....

@briancopestick9998 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet Your next travel report, surely!

@trimley Жыл бұрын

Always like your slightly off piste and dare I say “sarcastic” tone - you should watch a car reviewer on KZfaq “Marek Drives in English” 👍

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks David - I'll check Marek out!

@George-ps5 Жыл бұрын

👋

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@harshilpatel684 11 күн бұрын

7:11 130mph only on HS1? Given they both use the same track, youd expect both Eurostar and the Southeastern services to hit the same top speeds which are about 180mph! Read into this and the HS1s are restricted to 130mph but the Eurostars do get closer to 180mph...

@MattsPlanet 11 күн бұрын

I'd imagine there's differences to the equipment used which may limit the Southeastern maximum speeds?

@BrutalTurtle 11 ай бұрын

Can't say I'm impressed with the interior. Do you remember the old Class 373 Eurostar interiors, with the red seats? That was so nice, and the lighting really set the mood. This one just seems a bit generic and forgettable. Great vid as always Matt, thx.

@MattsPlanet 11 ай бұрын

Vague memories of the old carriages - living in the deep South East I've done many more trips driving though on the shuttle - much more industrial than any of the trains!

@TheMusicalElitist 4 ай бұрын

I love comments like yours. You people are ALWAYS stuck in the past. Grow up.

@BrutalTurtle 4 ай бұрын

@@TheMusicalElitist Was there any need for that? It's a subjective opinion, chill out and stop being a hater on the internet.

@paololim3513 Жыл бұрын

I used to live in Bristol and occasionally I would usually travel via coach or GWR to central London just to take Eurostar to Paris. Personally, would I take Eurostar to Amsterdam though? It depends on the available deals and time-sensitive circumstances.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Paolo - if you have 2/3/4/5 hours to get to St P then its rarely going to be quicker than flying to AMS... I guess then its a question of whether the romance of train travel kicks in!

@catherinefab1107 Жыл бұрын

Hi great video thank you, was the train noisy? not re passengers just the overall journey noise coming from the train itself, we are hoping to go to Salzburg next year, travelling down to London from Glasgow would Kings Cross be the better option(being nearest to St.Pancras) rather than Euston? then journey continuing to Brussels then overnight to Vienna then Salzburg, would it be best getting returns tickets or single, sorry for all the questions, thank you for any advice would be very much appreciated.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Kings Cross is literally across the road from St P so is definitely the option. Euston is an annoying distance away... The Eurostar was pretty quiet - it is very airtight because of the speeds it achieves and is quite soundproofed as a result. Can't really help you with fares as there may well be quite a few options for going that distance. Sounds like a fun trip!

@catherinefab1107 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

@alexmcwhirter6611 Жыл бұрын

Hello Matt, interesting and objective video. I do hope E* services resume calling at those two Kent stations in the future. Such a waste and especially as the ferry operators aren't taking foot passengers. New CEO talks about 2025 at the latest but of course nothing is certain nowadays. Former CEO M Damas (he retired a few months ago) said E* could not compete on price with LCCs because of the access fees it must pay. For example, there are fees for using the HS lines in UK/France/Belgium/Netherlands plus the toll fee to transit the Tunnel. All this increases the cost of operation.

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Alex... I saw it suggested that the fingerprinting and other biometrics that are looming will make a reopening prohibitive... I'm sure its expensive to bring French staff over to operate the stations too... Fingers crossed though as it is so convenient!

@alexmcwhirter6611 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet Today E* officially announced its merger with Thalys. I didn't attend the event in Brussels (the new HQ of both operators). With regard to Kent stops our reporter asked the new CEO and she replied, "Until we have fixed our border issues at London and Paris, we cannot imagine putting [the services] back."

@Gogolization Жыл бұрын

Nice video! Are you sure you are in Amsterdam though? The images you shared of Amsterdam Centraal are actually of Rotterdam Centraal :D

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

You are absolutely correct... The general effect and the weather were the same but I have indeed confused my clips... Very well spotted!

@adriver4471 Жыл бұрын

Recently flew with Qatar Airlines LHR to MNL economy class Connecting in Doha was tight due to fog delaying the departure of the first leg I arrived in Manila on Monday but didn’t receive my luggage until Thursday Night I received no updates from Qatar Airlines at all and i had to constantly chase them to get my luggage 🧳 becoming stranded in some far off city with absolutely nothing for 3 days isn’t to be recommended

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Like Ryanair - a good airline until something goes wrong...

@pattttttttt 10 ай бұрын

Arriving v the caldeonia sleeper .v Glasgow. At 0715. Eurostar leaves at 0815. Will I make It ..

@MattsPlanet 10 ай бұрын

With security and passports these days it may be tight - I don't think that connection would be recommended.... Although I think the sleeper has a lot of padding in the schedule and often arrives early...

@pattttttttt 10 ай бұрын

@@MattsPlanet so the subway be best bet bet? as i already had book it

@MattsPlanet 10 ай бұрын

@@pattttttttt Euston and St Pancras are surprisingly close... factoring in getting up and down the tube platforms it's probably just as quick to walk it .. if you have lots of luggage then a cab is best and quickest - not too expensive as it's not far

@jon-ie4li Жыл бұрын

Folkestone?

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Home sweet home... Did I say sweet???

@rosinagrace5651 Жыл бұрын

Does the stamp on your passport say France or Netherlands?

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

It was France - from a Schengen perspective that was my country of entry into the zone.

@rosinagrace5651 Жыл бұрын

@@MattsPlanet Interesting! It is surely to be noted by many people who do not require a visa for the Netherlands but do require a visa for France. An example of which would be holders of UK Convention Travel Document (issued by the Home Office) who can travel directly via ferry or airplane to the Netherlands but require visa for France (since ~2 years ago!)

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

@@rosinagrace5651 That is interesting... I'd assumed that everyone was free to move freely within the Schengen region once they were in... Don't know how it can be policed if there's no border control within Europe these days...

@laurabaden-powell1484 Жыл бұрын

Been there done that In business. Was 👍 quite long to be sat down for though. Business class is free flowing xhampagne. Not sure how they make money on that. I got v tipsy as did everyone else

@MattsPlanet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Laura! No important appointments when you got off that day obviously!!!

@laurabaden-powell1484 Жыл бұрын

Good summation at end of video. Ams airport is great though. So easy to navigate, and the hotels are really reasonable. I stayed in steigenburger, had a bus door to door and was so nice. There is one in Vienna which looks extremely swanky. Good hotel brand. Amsterdam is such a great city. Would def use eurostar for Paris rather than fly, that's easy to get into most places from gare du nord. Easier than the house requires for flying check in and all that. Keep.them coming matt. Look forward to Sundays!