Starting from Thursday 9th of July, Eurostar will again be operating its direct high speed trains between London and Amsterdam. The operator has also taken extra hygiene measures, both inside the trains and at the arrival stations. Travelers however should be aware of the safety rules upon their arrival in the Netherlands.
For the time being, there will only be one connection a day between London St Pancras and Amsterdam Centraal. The high speed train will depart from London at 11h04 and arrive at Amsterdam at 16h11. Fares for a one-way journey will start at 45 euros. It is important to know that the Dutch government strongly advises travelers coming from the United Kingdom to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival. You are also asked to book your accommodation in the Netherlands before you travel to the country. Be aware that you must wear a face mask when using public transportation or taxis.
Voyagers wanting to travel from Amsterdam to London cannot yet rely on a direct correspondence. They will have to change trains in Brussels where they will also have to go through passport control. In addition to that, all travelers arriving in London will have to self-isolate for 14 days. The COVID-19 consequences in the United Kingdom have already led to London dropping from 1st to 10th most-booked European destination, according to a joint research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and ForwardKeys.
Eurostar has also taken some extra hygiene measures, not only inside the trains but also at the stations. Passengers will be able to keep their distance thanks to a rearrangement of the seats. These keep in mind the general social distancing-rules. “Trains will be thoroughly cleaned before every journey and on-board cleaning crews will be disinfecting the most-touched surfaces on a regular base. Every passenger is obliged to wear a mouth mask inside the vehicles and stations, consistent with government regulations,” reported Eurostar in a statement.
Since no one knows what COVID-19 will bring in the future, a lot of people are hesitant to book a trip as they do not want to risk having to cancel their journey without getting a refund. Eurostar therefore offers flexible tickets, which means they can be canceled up to 14 days before departure. Every booking made between July 1st and December 31st of 2020. People wanting to plan ahead will be able to buy tickets for a trip in January 2020 as from Thursday 22nd July.
