Amsterdam Eurostar

[TT-ONR-NRN]

This will be something else to add to the bucket list!

 

[Goldfish62]

Way OT, but the same is planned for Crossrail. Trains departing Maidenhead will have auto announcements in an accent that is 'distinctly home counties'; then when they get to Whitechapel all the announcements will start with "Awight me ol' Chinas, get aaat 'ere for a proper Ruby"

 

[SpacePhoenix]

How long would a London-Amsterdam journey take, assuming they used high speed lines wherever possible?

 

[Quakkerillo]

How long would a London-Amsterdam journey take, assuming they used high speed lines wherever possible?

Current London - Brussels journey is approx. 2 hours. Current Thalys Brussels - Amsterdam is 1h50, but with stops in Antwerp and Schiphol. So the overall journey might be 3h45-4h00, depending on how long they make the stops in Brussels/Rotterdam.

 

[BahrainLad]

How long would a London-Amsterdam journey take, assuming they used high speed lines wherever possible?

The provisional timetable said 3h50 outbound, 4h6m return (including the 20 minute hold at Brussels whilst the rear half of the train is disembarked, security swept, and boarded.)

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

Concerning the Belgian train announcements, watch this video from Brussel Airport station:

All trains are announced in Dutch (Flemish dialect), French, German and English. Almost 2 minutes for the first train! Also, it's interesting to see which place name they use in which language. In Dutch and French, even if the place is in the other region, the own word for a place is used (e.g. the Flemish town of Aalst is announced in French as Alost), but in German or English, they use the region's main language's name for a place. Even Brussels South station is "Bruxelles Midi" in both languages, and not Brussels South or Brüssel Süd.

Also note the IR train to London Landen.

 

[atillathehunn]

Platforms 22 and 23 at Antwerp that the Thalys uses are already blocked off with temporary metal fencing. Presumably just as a security measure for Thalys passengers, there are no passport or ID checks that I've seen. It's all a bit awkward as domestic services and the International train Brussels-Amsterdam also use those platforms.

They have started half-heartedly fencing off platforms in Liege. But with no real gusto and in about 50% of cases.

 

[atillathehunn]

https://gopressmobility.be/2017/05/24/eurostar-london-brussels-amsterdam-wont-stop-antwerp/

Earlier in this topic someone said it wouldn’t stop at Antwerp but the above article says they hope in the future to have a stop there which would be good news.

I suppose explains why VLM have announced they are going to be running a London City - Antwerp flight.

 

[Gadget88]

Direct service starts next week according to a Twitter post from Euro star!

Thoughts?

 

[MisterT]

Well, that's definitely not true. I think they meant next year.
The preparations in the Netherlands are slowly taking shape, but there is no way it will be ready next week, let alone al the timing/pathing issues it would cause and problems with training, as regular driver training hasn't even started yet. So no, it won't be next week.

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

I've been told no date is yet set, Likely to be 2nd quarter 2018.

 

[Gadget88]

That’s the tweet seems even the guy was surprised.

 

[Gadget88]

I been following the tweets and they seemed sure a test run will still go ahead in December before 2 trains per day in April 2018.

That’s a tweet to prove that’s the case.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I been following the tweets and they seemed sure a test run will still go ahead in December before 2 trains per day in April 2018.

That’s a tweet to prove that’s the case.

They don’t make it clear whether a service is a test run or in passenger service!

 

[Quakkerillo]

According to this article http://www.treinreiziger.nl/trein-naar-londen-nog-per-december/ (Dutch), the train is currently being tested in the Netherlands to see if the Dutch railway authorities will accept it into service. After that, they're going to do staff training from December, which is when trains will run more regularly, but out of service. From around April, there will be two services per day.

What the article also mentions, is that they claimed earlier to start with 1 train per day, and that they haven't retracted that. Saying they'll run two trains per day in April doesn't mean they can start a with a once daily train earlier, although from what date - if at all remains guesswork. Maybe they'll try to get enough staff trained on this route ASAP from December, and then as soon as that is sorted, and the check-in facilities are ready, start. But if they'll do that, or just wait until the April change, that's going to remain a mystery until the next announcement.

 

[33Hz]

As of today there is zero sign of any work at Rotterdam Centraal to build the check in building shown in earlier artist's impressions.

 

[GingerSte]

As of today there is zero sign of any work at Rotterdam Centraal to build the check in building shown in earlier artist's impressions.

Which artists impressions are those? Could you send me a link please?

 

[33Hz]

Which artists impressions are those? Could you send me a link please?

Reported here Eurostar Direct St Pancras to Amsterdam

 

[GingerSte]

Reported here Eurostar Direct St Pancras to Amsterdam

Thanks. I had seen that, but apparently forgot about it.

 

[Birkonian]

We have some very weird language laws and regulations here in Belgium. I'm Dutch and still look at many things over here with a 'why' attitude. The only trains where they'll speak French in Flanders, and Dutch in Wallonia are the ICE, Thalys, Eurostar, the Hasselt - Liège/Luik - Maastricht (NL), and the Brussels - Amsterdam train.

On missing out Schiphol and Antwerp; I think these aren't too bad. Schiphol has frequent enough services to Amsterdam, and I'm sure they'll think of some nice inclusive through ticketing for Schiphol to London.
Antwerp on the other hand has got 6 trains per hour to Brussels South-Midi, and people are well using these currently to take the Eurostar. Compared to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Lille, I also think that the 'catchment area' of Antwerp would be quite a bit smaller than that of the other places.

And when the train from Lille departs, the on train announcement are done:-

(a) In French only until the train crosses the border
(b) In French and then Dutch from the border until the first stop at Mouscron (in the French speaking part)
(c) In Dutch and then French after the train leaves Mouscron and crosses into the Dutch speaking part of Belgium.

Also on the train from Kortrijk to Ieper, the announcements are in Dutch only until the train arrives at Comines, which is in the French speaking part. After the train leaves Comines, the announcements revert to Dutch only.

A Dutch friend told me that Flemish is a simpler, old fashioned dialect of Dutch. He said it is as if spoken by children. He's biased of course. It is station names that can catch out the unsuspecting traveller. For instance Braine le Comte in French, 's Gravenbakel in Dutch, or Mons and Bergen.

 

[Gadget88]

Anybody know anything about this post? It’s in Dutch but some news sites in google today say it’s postponed or delayed anybody confirm what’s going on?

 

[Gadget88]

http://www.treinreiziger.nl/eurostar-planning-trein-amsterdam-londen-ongewijzigd/

This article today says it’s on schedule though?

“The introduction of the Eurostar Amsterdam - London is on schedule. That says Eurostar spokesman Evelyne van Cleven in response to news from the Telegraaf.”

“According to De Telegraaf, the introduction has been postponed for six months. The original introduction was planned on December 10, but it has been known for some time that this will not work. Eurostar then stated that the service for Easter 2018 would be introduced. Eurostar now repeats that test runs between Amsterdam and London start on December. The rest of the schedule is also unchanged according to Eurostar. "Earlier this year we said that we are planning to start our commercial connection between Amsterdam / Rotterdam and London in the spring of 2018 and that is still the plan" states Eurostar spokesman Evelyne van Cleven.”

 

[MisterT]

Like the article at treinreiziger.nl said: It is on time to the revised schedule, but it is delayed when looking at the original plans of December 2017. "De Telegraaf" is not known for its factual correctness.

 

[Gadget88]

Found this too:

“
The introduction of the Eurostar high-speed train has been postponed for six months because various safety measures have not yet been approved. The train has to drive in the Netherlands in June 2018.
Eurostar and NS International confirmed this to De Telegraaf.

It is intended that the Eurostar will drive from Amsterdam to London within four hours, with the only stopovers in Rotterdam and Brussels. Passport control is performed at the boarding station, allowing passengers to remain seated.

"We are waiting for safety permission on this route and all passport controls still have to be arranged", according to the NS spokesman in De Telegraaf. In order to be able to carry out the passport controls properly, adjustments must be made to Amsterdam Central and Rotterdam Central stations.

The NS provides the staff and says they are ready for it. According to the railway company, it is still waiting for Eurostar and the Channel Tunnel to be ready to start the test runs. The Eurostar will drive on the high-speed line.”

 

[duesselmartin]

This sounds as one does not have to detrain in bxl. ?

 

[MisterT]

That's correct. And because there is no space available for the checks at Schiphol Airport and Antwerp, the Eurostar will not call there.

 

[jon0844]

So instead of a 10, 20 or 30 minute delay getting off the train or a security check, passengers now have a delay of six months!

 

[Gadget88]

Yes it’s been delayed for years now. I hope now they have the terminals built that this service will be going ahead soon.

 

[Groningen]

First they need to built something on the platforms in Amsterdam and Rotterdam with passportcontrol and those things.

 

[withnail2003]

Does anybody know the dates for the December test runs? I'm happy to say i live close enough to Amsterdam Centraal that I can see it from my living room window. Would love to take some pics.