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So when do the fast trains to Amsterdam finally start?

kyser_soze said:
OOO...might have to give them a call on a price for Ldn to Berlin...

Or maybe not...£700+ from Rail Europe...
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It shouldn't be that much. Most likely route is Eurostar/Thalys to Cologne on a combined ticket and then a DB train straight through to Berlin. I think you can do that overnight (might be possible from Brussels too) and you can get some pretty cheap tickets ("Sparnight") on the DB overnights - 20/30 Euros if you're lucky.
 
Have a look at seat61 website !

Berlin is a bit of a treck as there are some trains direct from Brussels - but its more frequent via Brussels / Koln / Berlin

Have a mooch anyway - all do-able :D
 
Yay, it's the Crackanooga Choo Choo!

4 hours? Fuck that, 45 minutes by plane is far more civilised.
 
pk said:
Yay, it's the Crackanooga Choo Choo!

4 hours? Fuck that, 45 minutes by plane is far more civilised.
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Once the new line's open let's have a race centre to centre, and if i get there first by train you can pay me the cost of the ticket.
 
teuchter said:
Once the new line's open let's have a race centre to centre, and if i get there first by train you can pay me the cost of the ticket.
Click to expand...

Schipol to A'dam Centrum is less than an hour, even with fucking about with the check in at Gatwick it'll take less than 4 hrs, and it's only £50 by plane. You can bet the train will be pricier.

I'd be up for a race though. We could update progress live on urban. :D
 
pk said:
4 hours? Fuck that, 45 minutes by plane is far more civilised.
Click to expand...
But it's not 45 mins is it. It takes ages to get to the airport and then you've got to hang about with luggage checks, check ins, security checks and all the other dull palaver that goes with air travel, then get squeezed into a tiny seat (with a good chance of no view at all) and then hang around waiting for your luggage at the other end (assuming it's not lost) and then have to get a train/bus/cab to the centre of town.

Compare with: get train, sit in comfy seat, watch the view, have tea when you fancy it, arrive and go.
 
editor said:
But it's not 45 mins is it. It takes ages to get to the airport and then you've got to hang about with luggage checks, check ins, security checks and all the other dull palaver that goes with air travel, then get squeezed into a tiny seat (with a good chance of no view at all) and then hang around waiting for your luggage at the other end (assuming it's not lost) and then have to get a train/bus/cab to the centre of town.

Compare with: get train, sit in comfy seat, watch the view, have tea when you fancy it, arrive and go.
Click to expand...

Last time I flew to Schipol I made it in 2 1/2 hours, door to door.

OK I live fairly close to Gatwick, but still...
 
Schipol's the easiest airport I've encountered, in terms of getting downtown rapidly. You can be enjoying a cup of coffee in the RLD within 45 minutes of touching down.
 
pk said:
Schipol to A'dam Centrum is less than an hour, even with fucking about with the check in at Gatwick it'll take less than 4 hrs, and it's only £50 by plane. You can bet the train will be pricier.

I'd be up for a race though. We could update progress live on urban. :D
Click to expand...

It could be an episode of Top Gear. Just need someone to try it by speedboat and someone by Ferrari.
 
I use www.seat61.com for all my train travel planning, then I phone raileurope.co.uk for the best deal, they also work out all the connections for you too. :)
Its fantastic!
 
teuchter said:
Not just that but it's a real shame the Nightstar trains never came to be. Being able to leave London (or other UK cities) in the evening and arriving at a European destination the next day without changes would be really handy and a genuine alternative to flying to places in central Europe.

(Just came across this article too about making a second attempt to get such a service going.)
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When going to Holland I use the Rail Ferry deal. You leave Liverpool Street station around 8pm, get on the overnight ferry at Harwich and arrive in the Hoek van Holland for around 7am. The ticket includes train travel on to any Dutch train station.

I use this over the Eurostar as I always take my bike to Holland and I think it's much easier to do this by ferry. Not the fastest way but it's quite handy as you can get a cabbin and get a good night's sleep on the ferry.

This costs around £40 each way.
 
My usual Amsterdam train trip is 10.57 from St Pancras, and I can usually be in Amsterdam by 5pm.
Its easy and hassle free, also you can get a seat in 1st class from Brussels to the Dam by paying the ticket inspector 5 euros.
 
kyser_soze said:
All European HST journeys can now be booked via Railteam

VERY cool site, and the journey time from London to Amsterdam is 5h.

London to Berlin via Brussells 8:34 travel time...so say you can get a 20 min connection time, London - Berlin in 9hrs by train...flying (assuming 1hr check in each side,60 mins debarking time total, 120 mins travelling to and from airports and a 2.5hr flight)...6.5 hrs...
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Took Greebo and I 13 hours door-to-door, from Tulse Hill, London to Moabit, Berlin, in comfy trains (Eurostar to Bruxelles midi, Thalys to Cologne, ICE to Berlin) with seats wide enough and with enough legroom for even a lanky fat cunt like me.
Night journey would have been quicker rail-travel time-wise (London-Brussels then Brussels-Berlin, so one change less), but it was still doable during the day.
 
christonabike said:
Checked two different operators on that site

Eurostar was 107 return to 'dam and another was 78

Quids that is

Doesn't sound right at all, thay would all charge the same for travelling from London to 'dam and back, wouldn't they?

:)
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Not necessarily, because some transport companies block-reserve seats if they have regular custom on a route, so get a cheaper deal, part of which they pass on to you.
 
kyser_soze said:
OOO...might have to give them a call on a price for Ldn to Berlin...

Or maybe not...£700+ from Rail Europe...
Click to expand...

We paid £184 return pre-booked to Berlin Hbhf via Rail Europe. Then again, Greebo went to their meatspace outlet in Regent Street. A VERY civilised alternative to using their website or call-centre (who always seem to try to palm you off with the most expensive option, IME. Are they on commission, perhaps?).
 
editor said:
But it's not 45 mins is it. It takes ages to get to the airport and then you've got to hang about with luggage checks, check ins, security checks and all the other dull palaver that goes with air travel, then get squeezed into a tiny seat (with a good chance of no view at all) and then hang around waiting for your luggage at the other end (assuming it's not lost) and then have to get a train/bus/cab to the centre of town.

Compare with: get train, sit in comfy seat, watch the view, have tea when you fancy it, arrive and go.
Click to expand...

This is why Greebo and I chose the train over flying to Berlin. We worked out it'd take us 2-3 hours longer by train, but that most of the train journey would be in comfort, as opposed to the pissing about involved with flying.

Trains ftw!
 
pk said:
Dunno - hang on... £56 one way.

£88 return with KLM.
Click to expand...

KLM don't fly from Gatwick :hmm:


If you live within easy striking distance of St. Pancras, the train is quicker. From Brixton tis a piece of piss. For me, when they moved out of Waterloo it made it better to fly, only just, but better.

Plus I get free upgrades on BA, so that seals the deal ;)
 
pk said:
Clapham Junction to Gatwick is only 25 mins ride, £8.60 each way.
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It takes me about 30 mins to get to Clapham Junction on a bus (if I can get on with my luggage in the rush hour), so that's well over an hour's travelling before all the hanging about at the airport - and then the hassle of the bus/cab at the other end.

So that'll be £20 return on top for the UK part and more at the other end.

Or, I could just go tube -> St Pancras -> train -> Amsterdam in a nice comfy seat.
 
quickest way to gatwick from brixton is to victoria on the tube then the gatwick express. About 45-50 minutes.
 
Crispy said:
quickest way to gatwick from brixton is to victoria on the tube then the gatwick express. About 45-50 minutes.
Click to expand...
Alternatively go by train from Tulse Hill, changing at East Croydon. You won't save any time, mind, but it's deffo cheaper.
 
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