Eurostar will not run services from Amsterdam to London from June 2024 for six months, due to renovation work at Amsterdam's central station meaning that officials will not be able to process cross-Channel passengers.
Passengers will be able to change at Brussels to make the trip.
The Dutch government, the local rail operator and Eurostar have been negotiating over the impact of the station renovations, but were unable to agree a way forward that would allow services to continue.
Since Britain left the European Union, passengers travelling from Amsterdam to London need more extensive security checks and passport checks that those travelling to other European countries. The station renovations mean that there will not be enough space for these checks to be carried out.
Eurostar launched its London-to-Amsterdam in 2018, and runs four services per day on the route, which stop at Brussels and Rotterdam.
Eurostar feared that it would have to suspend the service for twelve months, and has expressed relief that the suspension will last half that time.
Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar Group said, “Eurostar has always aimed to find a solution that would have the least possible impact on customers, the environment and its business. We acknowledge that a final decision has been made.
“We are pleased that the discussions have shortened the gap in services between Amsterdam and London from 12 to six months and we continue to work on reducing the inconvenience for passengers, local residents and the economy of Amsterdam and surrounding areas. It is very important that all the parties involved are responsible and supportive of each other to meet the deadlines.
“Our focus must now turn to how we can offer the best experience and journey connections for Eurostar customers in this period. As part of this work, we will still run services directly between London and Amsterdam one way as a minimum.
“We will be working collaboratively in the coming weeks to further mitigate the impacts for Eurostar and its customers over the six-month gap and more information will be made available in due course.”
