London, UK: Eurostar has announced the suspension of its services from the Netherlands to London for a period of six months starting from June next year.
The interruption is a result of renovation work at Amsterdam’s central station, where officials will be unable to process cross-Channel passengers until 2025.
Passengers travelling from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London will face a temporary inconvenience, as they will be required to change trains in Brussels during this period.
However, outbound travel from London to the Netherlands will continue unaffected, according to Eurostar.
Negotiations between the Dutch government, the local railways operator, and Eurostar failed to yield an agreement that would allow services to continue during the renovation works.
The station renovations in Amsterdam pose a logistical challenge, as there will not be sufficient space to process London-bound passengers who undergo more extensive security and passport checks compared to those travelling to the Netherlands and neighbouring countries.
While Eurostar did not provide specific details on why works in Amsterdam would affect Rotterdam, the disruption will impact the four daily trains that operate between London and Amsterdam, making stops in Brussels and Rotterdam on the way.
The London-Amsterdam connection, launched in full in October 2020, has become a vital link for travellers between the UK and the Netherlands.
According to Eurostar’s statement, the six-month suspension is a revised timeline, initially expected to last 12 months.
The company cited challenges, including post-Brexit border checks and staff shortages, as contributing factors to the decision.
This move follows the end of direct services to Disneyland Paris earlier this summer and the discontinuation of connections between London and Marseille via Lyon during the pandemic.
Eurostar has faced various challenges in recent times, including disruptions to services that no longer stop at two stations in Kent since 2020 – Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
In January, Eurostar’s chief executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, acknowledged a 30% decrease in passengers on the flagship London to Paris route, highlighting the broader impact of ongoing challenges in the travel sector.
As Eurostar navigates these hurdles, the temporary suspension of services between the Netherlands and London underscores the complex web of factors influencing cross-border travel and highlights the need for ongoing adaptability in the face of evolving circumstances.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
