We will be flying to Amsterdam next month to spend a week or so, then take the train to Berlin for another week. My question is about the return trip, Berlin back to Amsterdam. We wanted to take an overnight train Berlin-to-Amsterdam, directly to Schiphol airport to fly back to the U.S. However, there seem to be no really good train schedules to do so; multiple changes or extended layovers so we couldn't sleep on a single, continuous train route. Should we instead travel back to Amsterdam during the day and stay in a hotel the night before we fly home? Any other suggestions?
Posted by
Seattle
544 posts
The night train used to go to Amsterdam, but now it terminates in Oberhausen.
For direct travel between Berlin and Amsterdam, flying is the best option. Check Skyscanner or Google Flights for the best flights. Be sure to book your Berlin-AMS flight the day before your transatlantic flight home. Also make sure to account for the checked baggage fees of the various flight choices.
Missing a transatlantic connection would be a very costly mistake, so I can't stress enough the importance of getting to Amsterdam the day before.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
chuck,
Under the circumstances, I'd suggest using a direct day train for travel from Berlin to Amsterdam, the day prior to your return flight. I'd probably use a nice relaxing departure at 10:42, arriving 17:00 (time 6H:18M, no changes, current fares as low as €69 PP). It's a very pleasant and relaxing trip.
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Maybe, depending on your exact date, even EUR 44 when bought well in advance on www.bahn.de.
The countryside is maybe not the most exciting in Europe, but pleasant enough. And I find the train so much more pleasant than flying. No check-ins. No passport controls. No waiting lines. No body scans. No lists of forbidden liquids. No luggage belts. No risk of your luggage getting lost. No travelling to and from the airport.
Posted by
(Berlin, Germany)
70 posts
My suggestion would be to fly from Berlin via Amsterdam to the US. KLM make the connection flights for Delta.
Posted by
8 posts
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi,
This past June was my most recent time in Berlin, also at Berlin Ostbahnhof where I found out to my pleasant surprise that Berlin Linienbus has an office. When you're in Berlin, inquire at its office at Ostbahnhof. Going by bus with the 10 hr. ride, presumably, Berlin Linienbus is not only one of the cheapest and but direct since the night train Berlin-Amsterdam was taken out.