Is it possible to get a sleeper train from Berlin to Amsterdam? I have a morning flight in Amsterdam at 8:30 in August, and was considering train instead of plane. I've looked on the Deutsche Bahn website and found a ticket, however, it uses a combination of train and bus. Also, should i book the ticket now, or should i wait until i'm there?
Thank you for your help.
To clarify: It sounds like you have a flight out of Amsterdam which departs 8:30 am. And you are looking to take a train from Berlin to Amsterdam late night/early morning on the day of your flight, and you want to sleep on that train?
Is your flight out of Amsterdam your international/trans-Atlantic flight home to the USA?
If so, you might consider the consequences of missing your flight out of Amsterdam (like, if you don't make it to the airport in time for your flight, you could easily have to buy a new ticket on the spot, which can be stunningly expensive).
Many of us are risk-averse when it comes to a scenario like this, and would plan to spend our last night closer to the departure airport, rather than in another city further away. Sure, there are lots of ways to get from Berlin to AMS (and most of them are quite reliable), but if you're choosing a night train, then a problem with that train/bus/whatever could delay you more than a few hours, putting your flight home at risk.
If it were me, I'd travel from Berlin to Amsterdam the previous day, allowing plenty of buffer time in case of a rail strike, bad weather, road traffic disaster, etc.
There is a train, but it is not a sleeper.
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/amsterdam-to-berlin-by-train.htm
Info on this route here: https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/amsterdam-to-berlin-by-train.htm
There is no overnight train. Sleeper trains are rare these days. It takes 6½ hours by day train.
You can get an overnight bus from https://global.flixbus.com/ but that would take 11 hours or more, sitting in a seat.
If you have an 08:30 departure, you want to be at the airport 07:00 for a European flight, earlier for an intercontinental flight. I would want to stay at the airport that night. And you need to allow time to get from Amsterdam to Schiphol airport.
Where are you flying to? Can you not fly direct from Berlin?
Unfortunately, the direct night train route Berlin-Amsterdam was abolished a few years ago. Now, if you want to do the route by night you go Berlin to Cologne, transfer to Amsterdam.
Take the day train on the day before and stay at an airport hotel. I've not flown back from Amsterdam but with such an earlier departure, I've had that in Paris, where the night before I stay at an airport hotel
Thank you for your help. I'm considering a flight the day before based on your comments.
Would anyone recommend driving from Berlin to Amsterdam?
I have 6 people and i'm considering renting a van. However, it looks like its 7 hours not accounting for getting lost. We arrive in Berlin at noon and have a flight out of Amsterdam the next morning at 8:30.
Just trying to do something different and maybe see more, than we would by flying, but dont want to miss my morning flight.
Driving from Berlin to Amsterdam will be much slower than the train. I agree with the people above - get a train from Berlin to Amsterdam once you arrive in Berlin, and spend the night near Schipol.
You will also pay a fee for dropping the car in a different country. Berlin has a lot of air traffic, it's too bad you didn't get open-jaw air tickets (not berating you, just advising the next vacation planner.) You need to check in three hours before your flight, and Economy lines are very long. DB tickets can be much cheaper three months in advance. It is not advisable to go directly from a six hour train trip to an airport check-in.
Do you have a chance to alter your itinerary? I love Berlin, but could you start (is it from Amsterdam?) by flying east, and working back to Munster or Cologne (or Apeldoorn or Utrecht) and spend the last night in Amsterdam?
