Train from Amsterdam to Berlin

Did you check the airfares and flight schedule with KLM--the other airline going to Berlin? Lots of times, the legacy carriers are just a few dollars more than the budget airlines.

It's 400 miles from Amsterdam to Berlin and 6 to 9 hours on a train is much longer than I care to be on one.

If you're going from Berlin to Prague, you should consider stopping for a couple of days in Dresden. It was one of the premier cities in Europe prior to WWII. We enjoyed it much better than Berlin when we were there a year ago.

No, and I’ve been riding Europe’s rails since 1981. There have been a couple times when I was two hours late and my sister was six hours late. This is why it’s best to travel to places that are nearby i.e., Netherlands, Belgium, France and England in case of the unexpected although it can happen on shorter distances too.

Berlin and Prague are closer than Amsterdam to Berlin which is something to consider when planning. With that said fortunately there is a direct train from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf twice daily taking 6h 30m. I would take my chances and take the earlier train in case something does go wrong so you have a better chance of arriving that night.

Normally, the train between Amsterdam to Berlin is just over six hours with one change. No one can predict problems on the line unless there are planned engineering works or a strike.

If you're in second class, I always suggest bringing your own food.

However, there are numerous flights on KLM that will save some time but cost a bit more.

Hi,

Never had any mishap experience going from Holland to Germany but only to Frankfurt, Duisburg, or Düsseldorf from which you can transfer to Berlin.

Normally, going from Amsterdam to Berlin requires one transfer of trains, as pointed out, making the ride between 6-7 hours. If you can get that, take it. That change of trains , ie, taking the ICE is in Duisburg Hbf. I've taken this direct northern route, ie Duisburg to Berlin. I say " normally " but detours might well make the trip more circuitous.

Bottom line: However you depart from Amsterdam by train with Duisburg as the destination, then it's direct to Berlin. No problem doing a 6-7 ride. A bit more southerly is a direct connection from Düsseldorf to Berlin. I am basing these direct connections on
summer schedules which were always the times I was there.

I don't know how that would be in March since I don't go over off-season.

There are direct trains between Amsterdam and Berlin as mentioned, but you can save a bit of time with one change. It usually works fine, but as always there can be problems and delays.

Given the current state of Schiphol and Berlin airport, I would not bet on flying being the fastest option.

Thanks all for the helpful advice.

We ended up booking an ICE train from Amsterdam to Berlin that appears to have no connections. Multiple stops, but no switching trains as far as I can tell. It cost $99 for both of us (I'm a Senior), a substantial savings over airfare. We'll find something to occupy our time for 6+ hours and also make sure to take food with us.

Of course it varies, but Zoologische Garten station was walkable to our Berlin hotel, and had a less busy local transit ticket building nearby. I think our Prague train stopped there.

Hi,

Great. You got a direct connection Amsterdam to Berlin Hbf on the ICE with a senior price (I'm one too) is as good as it gets. That would be my choice too.

A few weeks ago there was a freight train derailment on the line from Hannover to Berlin. Unfortunately the train carried some dangerous stuff, so it took them a long time to get the line back in service, and unfortunately one of the obvious deviation routes was out of service as well...

So chaos ensued. But because DB runs a lot of trains, and is rather flexible when it comes to permitting passengers alternative routings without much fuss the couple in this case arrived in Berlin only 2 hours late. Which is an order of magnitude better than what they would have experienced had something similar befallen them in the US...

So just book the train. The train in question is an IC, not an ICE btw, and because it is overtaken by an ICE en route you can indeed save 10 minutes of your trip by changing trains in Hannover. Do not do this. Just stay on the direct train...

WengenK, thanks so much for explaining what had happened with the train situation that the couple online had posted about. Good to know that DB resolved things without much fuss.