traveling from London to Amsterdam in September - 2 adults
what is the best way to travel
train versus air versus bus
one way only.
when does one book tickets
and what will be the fastest way to go
we dislike airports
thanks
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Bus will be the slowest (11 hours+) and most uncomfortable way, but probably the cheapest.
Train takes 3h48 city centre to city centre for one of the infrequent direct trains, or 4h45 changing trains in Brussels.
Look up times and buy tickets on the website of the company that runs the trains: https://www.eurostar.com/
Tickets for a random date in September are currently available for £35 to £85, depending on which train you choose.
Flying will take as long, when you include the trip to and from the airports, and check in time, and will be a lot less comfortable.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11301 posts
We enjoyed taking the Eurostar between the two and that was before the direct service began. Buy now for maximum discount.
Posted by
MPLS, MN
353 posts
Of the three choices you laid out, I would say 1. Train 2. Plane, and 3. Bus. However, you have another option: Ferry. I posted this question (https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/harwich-hook-of-holland) to the forum in front of our March trip. We didn’t end up taking any of the ideas given to me in my post, however, I will say, doing the overnight ferry from UK to Netherlands was nice. We had an extra full day in London and arrived in Netherlands first thing in the morning refreshed. It was a unique but enjoyable experience and we will likely do that again. Just another option to consider.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"Buy now for maximum discount."
This is important for all four options - bus, train, boat, or plane. For all of them, ticket prices can go up closer to travel - sometimes way up.
For flights, use Skyscanner https://www.skyscanner.com/ to search all options, then book directly with the airline so you learn about all fees and restrictions. Note that London has six airports (as far as the airlines are concerned); some will take more time and/or money to reach than others, which can negate the cost savings of a "cheap" flight.
For trains and boats, here's all you need to know including booking information, from The Man In Seat 61: https://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm
For buses, it looks like the two direct options (no bus changes) are Ouibus https://www.ouibus.com/ and Flixbus https://www.flixbus.com/