London to Berlin by Train: A 5-Step Guide

Going from London to Berlin by train means two journeys joined at one change, because no through train runs, and the steps below take them in order.

Step 1: Know the two routes for a train from London to Berlin

The train from London to Berlin has two workable routes, and both start with a Eurostar from St Pancras. The first goes to Amsterdam, where you change to a direct ICE (a fast German intercity train) to Berlin. The second goes to Brussels, where you change to a train for Cologne and then Berlin.

Deutsche Bahn's journey page for Berlin to London lists a fastest trip of 10 hours 22 minutes with several changes. Its data is dated 25 October 2026, and it notes that weekend and holiday times can differ. Treat ten hours as the floor.

Key Takeaway The shortest set-up is a direct Eurostar to Amsterdam plus the direct ICE to Berlin, about 10 hours 10 minutes of train time before you wait at the change.

Step 2: Choose between Amsterdam and Brussels with Cologne

Going via Amsterdam is the simplest route, because you change once and then stay on one train. Eurostar's Amsterdam page gives 4 hours 19 minutes for a direct train. NS International lists five direct ICE trains a day from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin, taking 5 hours 51 minutes. You need a direct Eurostar that arrives early enough for one of those five departures.

Going via Brussels and Cologne gives you more choice of departures. Eurostar says London to Cologne takes just over 5 hours, with a quick change at Brussels-Midi/Zuid. Deutsche Bahn's Cologne to Berlin page says there are about 64 connections a day, up to 17 of them direct. A direct ICE on its sample day took 5 hours 43 minutes. Together that is about 11 hours of train time.

Unsure? Take Amsterdam. One fewer change means one fewer thing to go wrong.

Step 3: Book the Eurostar and the onward train

Book the Eurostar first and the German or Dutch train second, because the Eurostar sells out earlier and the later train is easier to move. Eurostar lists London to Amsterdam from £39 one way in Standard class, with limited availability. NS International lists the ICE to Berlin from €38 in second class, a fare tied to one train that cannot be changed or cancelled.

On the day, bring a valid passport, and fill in your Advance Passenger Information before you travel, as Eurostar asks. Seat reservation on the ICE is optional, but NS International says it becomes compulsory on international ICE trains from 25 June to 5 September 2027.

No official page lists one total price for London to Berlin. Add the two legs yourself.

How early should you book? Neither Eurostar nor NS International publishes a booking window or says when fares are lowest. Both sell their cheapest fares in limited numbers. Eurostar's page has a lowest fare finder calendar, so check your dates there and book the Eurostar as soon as your plans are firm.

Pro Tip Book the ICE to Berlin for a departure that leaves at least an hour after your Eurostar arrives. A late Eurostar then costs you a wait, not a lost ticket.

Step 4: Change trains without stress

At Brussels-Midi/Zuid or Amsterdam, plan the change before you leave London. Eurostar says that on a ticket it sells through to Amsterdam you follow the signs to platforms 3 to 6 and board at least five minutes before departure. You do not go through a second passport check.

Eurostar does not publish a minimum change time for these routes. Its Dortmund page says its booking system only offers two trains that give you enough time to connect. When your first train is late on one of those tickets, Eurostar books you on the next available train at no extra cost.

Eurostar describes that protection only for its own connections, and its pages show no through ticket to Berlin. When you buy the Eurostar and the German train separately, leave a long gap, and do not count on the second train waiting for you.

Step 5: Arrive in Berlin and plan your first days

Most trains from Amsterdam and Cologne arrive at Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the main station. NS International also says some ICE services stop at Spandau and Südkreuz. The guide to train stations Berlin explains how to get from each station to your hotel, and a single ticket for the city's AB zones costs €4.00 in 2026.

After a ten-hour day, keep the evening free. You can explore Berlin on your own, but for history a guided walk is worth the money, because a historian explains places that look like empty ground. Both walks below are run by On the Front Tours. A historian-led Third Reich and WWII walk is from €45 per person, has free cancellation and runs 2.5 hours in English from Pariser Platz. It is rated 4.9 from 264 reviews on GetYourGuide. A walk on the resisters who helped Jews is from €40 per person for 3 hours, in English or German, for ages 14 and over. It is rated 4.7 from 54 reviews and also has free cancellation.

The Best Travel Destinations' count of GetYourGuide listings for Berlin on 27 October 2026 found 35 of 352 experiences are Third Reich or WWII tours, with a median price from €23.63 per person.

For a wider choice, a Jewish tour of Berlin is one of several themes on the tours overview. Still choosing a bed? Read where to stay in Berlin. The guide to Amsterdam to Berlin by train covers the ICE in more detail if you start there.

A long journey feels shorter when the last step is already planned.

One honest limit: this trip is a poor choice if you are short on time or money. A flight is faster, and the train rarely wins on price once you add both legs together.