Train From Amsterdam to London: Eurostar vs Ferry

Here is the choice in one table. The sections below explain each row.

Time: train from Amsterdam to London vs ferry

The direct Eurostar takes about 4 hours 19 minutes, says Eurostar's Amsterdam to London page. It runs from Amsterdam Centraal to London St Pancras International, and both stations are in the city centre. NS International, the booking service of the Dutch railways, lists the fastest trip as 4.17 hours with no change. The pages differ by a few minutes, so check the time of the train you book.

Eurostar also sells a trip with a change at Brussels-Midi/Zuid. The first train takes 1 hour 56 minutes and the second about 2 hours 3 minutes. That is about 4 hours of riding plus the wait between trains. Eurostar's page does not say how many direct trains run each day or when the first and last one leave, so look up your date before you plan.

Key Takeaway The direct Eurostar takes about 4 hours 19 minutes with no change, while the DFDS ferry alone takes about 16 hours 45 minutes.

Going by sea takes much longer. Stena Line lists a crossing between Hook of Holland and Harwich of 6 hours 30 minutes, with 4 daily sailings, day and overnight. That is the sea part only. Stena's rail and sail page says Amsterdam is under an hour and a half from Hook of Holland, and it prints no total journey time. You have to add the train from Harwich to London yourself.

The Newcastle route is an overnight ferry. DFDS says the crossing takes around 16 hours and 45 minutes. The ship leaves IJmuiden at 17:30 every day, and check-in closes at 16:45. You wake up in North Shields, by Newcastle, and you still need a train to London.

Price: Eurostar vs ferry

A one-way train from Amsterdam to London starts at €63, says NS International, and the price is lower when you book in advance. The page gives no return fare. Eurostar's help centre says tickets for its trains can be booked 10 to 11 months ahead, but it adds that this can vary, for example during engineering work. So book early for the lowest fares. Its page says fares start from $55 one way in Standard, in US dollars, and this article does not convert them. Search your own date on both sites, because a fare changes with the day and the time. Standard and Plus tickets can be exchanged free up to 1 hour before departure, and you pay any difference if the new fare is higher. A refund up to 7 days before travel costs 25€/£, says Eurostar. Inside 7 days the ticket is non-refundable.

Neither ferry page gives a clear euro fare for a person on foot. Stena prices its rail and sail ticket in pounds on its UK site, from as little as £75.30 one way. The ticket covers the Greater Anglia train and the ferry, but not the Dutch Metro or the NS train. NS does not pre-sell tickets through Stena, so you buy the Dutch part in the Netherlands. The euro prices on DFDS's page are per person for a car and a shared inside cabin, so they say little about walking on.

Pro Tip Check the same date on Eurostar and on NS International before you pay, because NS International says fares start at €63 and fall when you book in advance.

On the pages used here, the ferry does not beat the train on price for one person. Plan the ferry for the trip itself, not to save money.

Ease: direct Eurostar vs rail and sail

The direct Eurostar is the easier trip, because you board once at Amsterdam Centraal and get off at London St Pancras International. Eurostar says border checks take place before departure, so in London you can simply leave the station. Bring a valid passport and fill in your Advance Passenger Information (API) before you travel. On the trip with a change in Brussels, you scan your ticket and pass security at Brussels-Midi/Zuid. Your travel documents are checked there before you board the London train. Do not go to the UK Terminal in Amsterdam for that trip.

Check the UK entry rules too. Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visa, says GOV.UK. You usually need an ETA if you are from Europe, the USA, Australia or Canada, and every traveller needs one, children included. People with a British or Irish passport do not. Sort this out before you book.

In Standard and Plus, you can take up to two pieces of luggage and one small daypack, says Eurostar. For the trip with a change in Brussels, Eurostar asks you to arrive 20 minutes before departure at Amsterdam Centraal. For direct trains, Eurostar's Amsterdam Centraal guide says to arrive at the time printed on your ticket. Ticket checks close 30 minutes before departure for Standard and Plus, and 15 minutes for Premier. Follow the signs to the UK Terminal, about a 3-minute walk from the main entrance. It is open Monday to Friday 05:00 to 19:00, Saturday 07:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 07:00 to 19:00. Staff scan your ticket, then you pass security. Your passport is checked twice, first by Dutch officers and then by UK Border Force. If Brussels is your real goal, read the guide to the train from Amsterdam to Brussels.

Rail and sail has more steps. Stena's Dutchflyer ticket covers a Greater Anglia train from London Liverpool Street to Harwich International Port, then the ferry to Hook of Holland. From there a Metro runs to Schiedam Centrum, and an NS train goes on to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam, you do the same steps in reverse. Each change is a chance to miss a connection. Stena's page lists no total journey time, so no official source gives one for the whole trip.

The ferry is the wrong choice if you must be in London at a fixed time. The sailings, the Metro and both train legs add up to a long day or an overnight trip, and the pages used here do not print the total.

The fastest way between two cities is usually the one with the fewest changes.

Arrival: Amsterdam Centraal vs the ferry ports

The Eurostar drops you at Amsterdam Centraal, in the city centre, while the ferries use ports outside it. DFDS sails from IJmuiden, and Stena sails from Hook of Holland. Stena says Amsterdam is under an hour and a half from Hook of Holland, so count that time into your plan.

From Centraal you are already in town. Many trams start at the station, with two tram stops in front, say I amsterdam. The Amsterdam metro and the trams cover the rest of the city. A GVB 1 hour ticket costs €3.40. For the station itself, see the Amsterdam Centraal station guide.

No tour goes from Amsterdam to London, so you go on your own. That is cheaper and more flexible. A tour only helps on your evening in the city, where you swap freedom for a fixed one-hour slot with a local skipper. The Best Travel Destinations' count of GetYourGuide listings for Amsterdam in October 2026 found 12 canal cruises from under €15 per person, the cheapest from €10.58. Three picks fit a traveller who has just arrived, or who leaves tomorrow.

The evening (sunset) canal cruise is from €17 per person and lasts 1 hour. It is rated 4.8 from 5,403 reviews on GetYourGuide and has free cancellation. Eco Boats Amsterdam runs it, and it meets at Stationsplein 18. The tour is in English, with a free digital guide book in eight languages. The boat is open or partly covered, depending on the weather. Drinks are only included if you pick that option. GetYourGuide lists no group limit or access warning for it. The sunset view cannot be guaranteed, because it depends on the weather.

The saloon boat cruise with a cheese and wine option is from €14 per person and lasts 1 hour. Flagship Amsterdam runs it, and it is rated 4.6 from 32,026 reviews, with free cancellation. The meeting point depends on the option you pick, so check it when you book. Cheese and drinks come only with that option. It is not suitable for wheelchair users, because you take a big step into the boat. The minimum drinking age is 18.

The eco boat canal cruise with a live local skipper is from €17 per person and lasts 1 hour. Eco Boats Amsterdam runs it, and it is rated 4.8 from 2,939 reviews, with free cancellation. It takes up to 28 guests and meets at Stationsplein 18. Drinks cost extra as an option. It is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Want more choice? Compare every Amsterdam canals boat trip on one page. Heading to Paris instead? Read the guide to the Amsterdam to Paris train.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide.