New Train, Station Switch on Brussels to Amsterdam Rail Service
The Brussels to Amsterdam rail service will see big changes in the new timetable, with a new train being used and a station change.
The timetable change will certainly bring major improvements to the train service on the Brussels to Amsterdam railway line, but one negative change will impact international travellers.
Brussels to Amsterdam by train
The major cities in Belgium and the Netherlands — Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam, to be precise — are linked by frequent InterCity (IC) trains as well as by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed trains.
The train service on this major international corridor has always been good, and the annual timetable change on 15th December will bring further improvements.
Belgian railway company SNCB and its Dutch counterpart NS will jointly launch additional cross-border services.
From 15th December onward, there will be a total of 32 daily trains between the two countries on this international corridor, doubling the current offer of 16 trains a day.
New Brussels to Rotterdam EuroCity train
The doubling of the train service between Belgium and the Netherlands is made possible by the introduction of a new Brussels to Rotterdam EuroCity (EC) service, with 16 trains running each day between these cities.
The new Brussels-Rotterdam EuroCity service will depart from Brussels South railway station and will stop at Brussels Central, Brussels North, Brussels Airport-Zaventem, Mechelen, Antwerpen Berchem, Antwerpen Centraal, Noorderkempen, Breda, and finally Rotterdam Centraal Station.
At Rotterdam, there will be an easy connection for trains to The Hague, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, and Amsterdam Centraal, as well as to Utrecht.
According to the Dutch Railways, ticket prices for the new EuroCity service will vary between a minimum of €13.10 and a maximum of €32.70 for a one-way ticket between Brussels and Rotterdam.
The price depends on the time of booking and whether you require a flexible ticket or are happy with a cheaper non-flexible ticket tied to a single train departure.
The Brussels to Rotterdam EuroCity service will be operated using Belgian rolling stock, similar to the InterCity trains found on domestic routes in Belgium.
The new Brussels to Amsterdam service
The current InterCity train service between Brussels and Amsterdam will be upgraded to “EuroCity Direct” from 15th December onward.
With the introduction of brand new Dutch ICNG (InterCity New Generation) trains on this route and the removal of some intermediate stops, the Brussels to Amsterdam service will experience significant upgrades in quality and speed.
Instead of the current three hours, the new EuroCity Direct service will complete the journey between Brussels and Amsterdam in just two hours, similar to the Eurostar on this route.
Between Brussels and Amsterdam, the EuroCity Direct will only stop at Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
From Amsterdam, the EuroCity Direct will continue on to Almere and Lelystad.
A one-way, second class train ticket between Brussels and Amsterdam on the new EuroCity Direct service will vary between €25 and €64.10, depending on the time of booking and ticket flexibility.
Station changes
While the increase in frequency and the faster journey time for the Brussels to Amsterdam train service is great news for international travellers, some station changes may affect your travel plans.
The new EuroCity Direct will make only one stop in Brussels at Brussels South (Bruxelles Midi) station and will no longer serve the more centrally located Brussels Central or Brussels North.
For British travellers arriving on the Eurostar from London, this will have little impact, as they still have an easy connection at Brussels South.
However, it will slightly affect passengers travelling from the Netherlands to the city centre of Brussels.
The change of station in Amsterdam will have a much greater impact on international travellers, as the EuroCity Direct will no longer stop at Amsterdam Centraal, the beautiful central station of the Dutch capital.
Instead, the EuroCity Direct services will be rerouted to the secondary station of Amsterdam Zuid (Amsterdam South), a dreary station located far from the city centre, wedged between a busy motorway and some office blocks.
While the Dutch and Belgian Railways both describe it as an improvement and refer to it as “a seamless entry point into the heart of Amsterdam“, the reality is quite different.
International passengers, most of whom do not have any business near Amsterdam Zuid and simply want to reach the canal zone in the city centre, will now be required to purchase an additional public transport ticket and make an inconvenient connection to the metro.
Previously, arriving at Amsterdam Centraal meant stepping right into the heart of the city upon exiting the train, making the change to Amsterdam Zuid a clear downgrade!
When travelling from Amsterdam to Brussels, international travellers are now expected to wait for their train departure at the dreary station of Amsterdam Zuid, which is a clear downgrade compared to the beautiful surroundings of Amsterdam Centraal, with its plentiful opportunities to stock up on food or drinks for the journey ahead.
AndyB recommends
If you want to travel from Brussels to Amsterdam from 15th December onward and need to be in the city centre, AndyB recommends purchasing a ticket to Amsterdam Centraal instead of Amsterdam Zuid.
This means that you will have to change trains at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport station to another train for Amsterdam Centraal.
However, changing trains at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport station is extremely straightforward and certainly easier than transferring from the train to the metro at Amsterdam Zuid, while still allowing you to arrive in the heart of Amsterdam by train.
Moreover, you can still buy your Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal train journey on one ticket and do not need to purchase an additional ticket for the metro, so you will be cheaper off as well.