Amsterdam-Rotterdam-London, the fastest-growing of Eurostar’s intercity routes, is to shut for round six months, Dutch Railways (NS) has introduced.
Eurostar trains will run empty on the route between June 2024 and January 2025, selecting up London-bound travellers on arrival in Brussels.
Eurostar says passengers will nonetheless find a way to journey outbound from London to each Dutch cities.
Refurbishment of Centraal station within the Dutch capital is accountable for the closure. There is not going to be adequate house to deal with London-bound passengers on the station, given the extra intensive post-Brexit formalities.
For a number of months negotiations have been happening between NS, Eurostar, the Dutch infrastructure supplier ProRail and the Dutch authorities.
An NS assertion learn: “Unfortunately, we’ve got had to conclude that regardless of all efforts, there shall be a interval by which there shall be no direct prepare to London from Amsterdam. That interval is predicted to be six months (roughly June 2024–January 2025).
“That could be very disappointing as a result of we’ve got labored exhausting lately to make the Eurostar to London a gorgeous various to the airplane. It is a very tough puzzle to resolve. If there had been a easy resolution, all events would have seized it with each arms. Unfortunately, after numerous investigations, that easy resolution seems not to exist.
“We have collectively chosen to take a step again within the second half of 2024 and never run a Eurostar instantly to London for some time.
“The new, massive terminal shall be prepared from January 2025 and we can have the chance to enable many extra journey;ers to journey instantly from Amsterdam to London. In this manner we make Eurostar an much more engaging various to the airplane for many extra travellers.”
Until that occurs, passengers from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London will want to change trains in Brussels.
Gwendoline Cazenave, chief government of Eurostar Group, stated: “Eurostar has at all times aimed to discover a resolution that will have the least potential influence on prospects, the atmosphere and its enterprise. We acknowledge {that a} ultimate choice has been made.
“We are happy that the discussions have shortened the hole in companies between Amsterdam and London from 12 to six months and we proceed to work on decreasing the inconvenience for passengers, native residents and the financial system of Amsterdam and surrounding areas.
“|t is essential that each one the events concerned are accountable and supportive of one another to meet the deadlines.
“Our focus should now flip to how we are able to supply one of the best expertise and journey connections for Eurostar prospects on this interval. As a part of this work, we are going to nonetheless run companies instantly between London and Amsterdam a method at the least.”
