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       Amsterdam Centraal station guide

      Recommended hotels in Amsterdam

Where to wait for your train at Amsterdam Centraal:   With a 1st class international ticket including an Interrail or Eurail pass, you can use the NS Lounge at Amsterdam Centraal .  With any class of ticket, I recommend the beautifully retro Grand Cafe 1e Klas on platform 2B for a beer, coffee or meal before your train.  Give my regards to the cockatoo on the bar!

Before you buy your tickets

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets .  They answer the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €39 point-to-point ticket online?".   How far ahead can you buy train tickets?

European train travel FAQ

Starting from other dutch cities.

On this page I explain journeys assuming you are starting from Amsterdam, but you can start from anywhere in the Netherlands.

You can join the train at other stations

(1)  Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains from Amsterdam to Brussels & Paris also pick up at Rotterdam Centraal .

(2)  Intercity trains from Amsterdam to Osnabrück & Berlin also pick up at Hilversum, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Deventer, Almelo, Hengelo.

(3)  ICE trains from Amsterdam to Düsseldorf, Cologne & Frankfurt also pick up at Utrecht & Arnhem.

(4)  Nightjet sleepers from Amsterdam to Zurich, Munich, Innsbruck & Vienna also pick up at Utrecht & Arnhem.

(5)  The European Sleeper to Berlin & Prague also picks up at Roosendaal, Rotterdam Centraal , Den Haag HS, Schiphol, Amersfoort, Deventer.

You can book from almost any station in the Netherlands

On this page I explain how to book from Amsterdam.  Here's how to book if you are starting at another Dutch city:

(1)  Journeys heading to or through Germany, where I say book at int.bahn.de :

The German Railways website int.bahn.de can book from almost any Dutch station at an inclusive price.  So if I say 'Book from Amsterdam to Munich' and you were travelling from Groningen, book from Groningen to Munich and it'll work out connecting trains & issue a Groningen to Munich through ticket for one inclusive price.

Tickets are normally good for any train on the Dutch domestic section, I'd take an earlier train than the one the system suggests in case of delay.  Better a 35-minute connection & a coffee than a missed 5-minute connection.

(2)  Journeys to or via Brussels or Paris:

www.raileurope.com , www.thetrainline.com , www.nsinternational.nl can book you from anywhere in the Netherlands just as easily as Amsterdam.  In this case they add a separate ticket for the Dutch domestic train.

www.sncf-connect.com can book the Eurostar trains from Amsterdam & Rotterdam to Brussels, Paris & beyond, but can't book from other Dutch stations.

(3)  Journeys using Nightjet sleeper trains:

www.thetrainline.com , www.raileurope.com & www.oebb.at at can book Nightjet sleeper journeys to Switzerland, Munich & Austria from any Dutch station, not just from Amsterdam.  They add a separate ticket for the Dutch domestic connection.

However, when catching a sleeper I'd want at least 45 minutes between trains rather than the bare minimum the system allows, so take an earlier connecting train than the one the system shows.  The Dutch ticket will be good for any train that day.

Amsterdam to anywhere in the Netherlands

Intercity Direct supplement:  If you're travelling between Amsterdam (or Schiphol) and Rotterdam or Breda using a fast Intercity Direct (ICD) train, these use the high-speed line and you need to pay a small Intercity Direct supplement.  You can pay this at a ticket machine or by touching your contactless bank card against one of the special Intercity Direct supplement validator posts on the platform.

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Amsterdam to London & UK

Option 1, Amsterdam to London by Eurostar from £40 - just 4 hours centre to centre at up to 300 km/h

www.nsinternational.nl can book from any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 4 months ahead for an journey involving Thalys.  You print out your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.  You can also book at www.thetrainline.com .

Buy onward tickets from London to other British towns & cities at www.thetrainline.com .

You collect tickets from the self-service ticket machines or in many cases you can print them out or show it on your phone.

If you're booking a train-specific Advance fare and your onward train leaves from St Pancras, Kings Cross or Euston, I'd allow at least 1 hour between Eurostar arrival and any onward train to allow for delay, even though it only takes 3 minutes to walk across the road to Kings Cross or 10 minutes to walk to Euston.  I'd allow 90 minutes if booking a train-specific Advance fare and your onward train goes from Paddington, Waterloo or Liverpool Street as then you'll need to change stations by Underground or taxi.

Option 2, Amsterdam to London & Cambridge by train+ferry - the ferry alternative, with overnight 'sleeper' option

The ferry is a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.

Above left, a standard outside cabin.  Larger photo .   360º photo .  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.

Amsterdam to Hull or Newcastle

Amsterdam to dublin & ireland.

Option 1, Amsterdam to Dublin via London & Holyhead - daily departures

Fares from Amsterdam to London start at £51 one-way or £98 return.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book from Amsterdam to London at www.eurostar.com .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Dublin via Paris & Cherbourg - several departures a week

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 06:15 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare du Nord  09:35.

Eurostar trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .  You need to allow at least 1 hour between trains in Paris, ideally a bit more.  There's no train early enough at weekends, so travel to Paris the previous evening and stay overnight.  Indeed, you may choose to do this anyway, to make absolutely sure of catching the train to Cherbourg that connects with the ferry.

Step 2, travel from Paris to Dublin, taking a late morning train from Paris St Lazare to Cherbourg and the overnight ferry to Dublin.

Irish Ferries ( www.irishferries.com ) from Cherbourg to Dublin several times each week, usually leaving Cherbourg in late afternoon and arriving Dublin late morning next day (Day 2).

Amsterdam to Paris in 3h20 from €35, www.eurostar.com

Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line.  They're carpeted & air-conditioned, with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  They have 3 classes: Standard (2nd class), Comfort (1st class) & Premium (1st class with at-seat food & wine included in the fare and access to lounges in Paris & Brussels).  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

You can also buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  There's a small booking fee, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, and as they sell tickets for multiple operators including trains in France, Spain & Italy you can keep all (or most) of your European train bookings together in one place.  About Raileurope .  About Thetrainline .

Amsterdam to Strasbourg

Eurostar trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

Tip:   Use www.raileurope.com , and click More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station.  This ensures you are routed via Paris.  If you'd like a stopover in Paris, enter a suitable stopover duration.

Amsterdam to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, Lourdes, Nantes, Brittany

Option 1, via Paris - involves changing trains & stations in Paris, but the fastest, most frequent & usually cheapest option

Amsterdam to Paris starts at €35 in 2nd class (standard) or €79 in 1st class (comfort).

Paris to French cities starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

Option 2, avoiding Paris - less frequent, takes longer, usually costs more, but avoids crossing Paris if that's important to you

Step 2, take one of the direct TGVs from Brussels Midi to Marne la Vallée-Chessy in around 2 hours.

Amsterdam to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice & other French cities

Option 1, via Paris - involves changing trains & stations in Paris, but fastest, most frequent & usually cheapest

Paris to French cities starts at around €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

You can buy tickets from Amsterdam to Nice, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier & most other French destinations at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own tickets or can select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.

Tip:   Before running the enquiry on www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station to create a longer stopover in Paris.  You should allow at least 60 minutes between trains across Paris, ideally more.  If heading to Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier, Cannes or Nice, I recommend building in time for lunch at the amazing Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon .

Other ways to buy tickets

Alternatively, you can book from Amsterdam to major French cities as one transaction at the Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.nl .  You print your own tickets or can usually show it on your phone.

Option 2, avoiding Paris - avoids crossing Paris, but less frequent and usually costs more

Option 3, Amsterdam to Toulon, Cannes, Antibes, Nice using the Paris-Nice overnight train

The Intercité de Nuit overnight train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats.  You can book a 1st class 4-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1, 2 or 3 people if you like.  See more about Intercités de Nuit overnight trains .

Tip:   Book an earlier Eurostar and have dinner at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling across the bridge over the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz in good time for your sleeper south.  Or see restaurant suggestions at the Gare d'Austerlitz .

How much does it cost?

Paris to the South of France starts at €19 in a reclining seat, €29 in a 2nd class couchette or €59 in a 1st class couchette.

How to buy tickets

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead , but often less than this for French overnight trains.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Tip:   To make sure you have at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris, I'd book Brussels to Paris, add to basket, then Paris to Nice, add to basket & check out.  Otherwise by default the system allows as little as 40 minutes between trains in Paris which I consider too tight, especially when catching a sleeper you don't want to miss.

Tip:   To book a whole 4-berth couchette compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people, see the instructions on the Intercités de Nuit page .

Amsterdam to Brussels from €25, see the Amsterdam to Brussels page

You can easily travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels by train in as little as 1 hours 53 minutes with departures every hour or two and fares from €30.  Train is the safe & comfortable way to go!  You'll find full details on the Amsterdam to Brussels page .

Amsterdam to Bruges from €29, see the Amsterdam to Bruges page

You can travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Ghent or Bruges by train in as little as 2h43 with departures every hour or so and fares from €30.  Train is the safe & comfortable way to go!  You'll find details on the Amsterdam to Bruges page .

Amsterdam to Antwerp

Option 1, Amsterdam to Antwerp by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train - fastest, but less flexible

The fastest & most comfortable option is to take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Amsterdam Centraal to Antwerp Centraal in 1h15, leaving every hour or two.

Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

You can also buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  There's a small booking fee, you can book in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, and as they sell tickets for multiple operators you can keep all (or most) of your European train bookings together in one place.  About Raileurope .  About Thetrainline .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Antwerp by Intercity train - a bit slower, more flexible

Amsterdam to Luxembourg from €35.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Luxembourg by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) to Brussels & InterCity to Luxembourg - fastest, most comfortable, expensive at short notice.

Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .  There's no catering on the IC train from Brussels to Luxembourg so bring your own food & drink, but it's a nice run with some pretty scenery.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Luxembourg by Intercity (IC) trains - cheaper, more flexible

1.  Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels Midi by IC train then Brussels Midi to Luxembourg by IC train.  Takes 6h25 with just 1 change.

2.  Amsterdam Centraal to Maastricht by IC train, another IC train to Liege then local train to Luxembourg.  Takes 6h36 with 2 changes.

Amsterdam to Basel, Zurich, Geneva & Switzerland from €37.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Switzerland by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option

This comfortable Nightjet train has two air-conditioned AB33 sleeping-cars , one running Amsterdam-Basel-Zurich and one Amsterdam-Basel.  Each sleeping-car has 11 compartments, each compartment can be sold as 1, 2 or 3 berth (single, double or triple) with washbasin.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has an Amsterdam-Basel-Zurich couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments and one or two Amsterdam-Basel couchette cars , plus ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  Watch the Amsterdam-Switzerland sleeper video .

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at www.oebb.at .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead , sometimes less.  Child under 6?  See here .

Tip:   This train may be listed in the search results twice, once as an IC with seats, once as an NJ with couchettes/sleepers.  Choose the latter!

Option 2, Amsterdam to Switzerland by high-speed train from €37.90 upwards - the fast daytime option

Option 3, Amsterdam to Switzerland by classic train via the scenic Rhine Valley - the slower, scenic daytime option

Step 2, travel from Dusseldorf to Switzerland by Swiss EuroCity train, leaving Düsseldorf at 10:27 arriving Basel SBB 15:36 & Zurich HB 17:00.

This  EuroCity train (EC9) has spacious & comfortable Swiss Federal Railways cars and an elegant Swiss restaurant car, and a superb Swiss 1st class panorama car, see the photos below.

Tip:   By default, the ticketing system suggests the 08:08 from Amsterdam as connecting with EuroCity train EC9 which gives a tight 7-minute connection.  That connection works most of the time, but a 10-minute delay and you're toast.  If you're serious about using this route, and especially if you're booked into the lovely 1st class panorama car, I'd play safe and take the earlier train.  Have a nice breakfast in Düsseldorf!

Option 4, Amsterdam to Switzerland with overnight stop in Cologne - comfortable & time-effective

Amsterdam to Switzerland starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Option 5, Amsterdam to Switzerland by high-speed trains via Paris - a useful option, especially to Geneva or Lausanne, involves crossing Paris.

Option 6, Amsterdam to Switzerland by Eurostar to Brussels, direct TGV to Lyon, and local train to Geneva.  Saves crossing Paris, good for Geneva.

Amsterdam to Venice, Florence, Rome, Milan & Italy from €69

Option 1, Amsterdam to Italy using the daily Amsterdam-Zurich sleeper train - a time-effective sleeper then a scenic daytime ride

Book this train at www.oebb.at .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead , sometimes less.  Child under 6?  See here .

Step 2, travel from Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train , leaving Zurich HB at 09:33 arriving Milan Centrale at 12:50.

The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & fee WiFi.  It's a lovely ride across Switzerland through the Alps past various lakes.  The magnificent Milan Centrale is a landmark in its own right.

Update: A freight train derailed in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in August 2023, in 2024 trains are still being diverted over the original (very scenic) Gotthard line taking an extra hour and with fewer departures.  Whilst this continues, you'll need to leave Zurich HB at 10:33 arriving Milan Centrale at 14:50.  Check times online.  Do not risk a connection with the 08:33 in case the sleeper is late.

Milan to Venice or Florence starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Milan to Rome or Naples starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Book from Zurich to anywhere in Italy as shown above.

Step 1, Amsterdam to Zurich by Nightjet sleeper train .  This is the sleeping-car boarding at Amsterdam Centraal.  More about Nightjets .  Watch the video .

Step 2, Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train, through the Alps.  Operated by a modern Giruno train, seen here boarding at Zurich HB.  The train passes through the Gotthard Base Tunnel , the world's longest rail tunnel, the transit takes just 20 minutes.

Step 3, Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples by high-speed Frecciarossa .  This is a Frecciarossa 1000 at Rome Termini .  More about Frecciarossas & explanation of the 4 classes .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Milan in a single day.  Overnight stop, then Milan to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples next morning

Stay overnight in Milan :  Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .  Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel , Glam Hotel , Made to Measure Business , Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson .

Amsterdam to Basel starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

Step 2, book from Basel SBB to Milan looking for the early evening Basel-Milan EuroCity (EC) train, and add to basket.

For the Amsterdam-Basel train you simply print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  Basel to Milan is ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  Quicker journeys with more or tighter connections are possible, but this is the option I'd recommend.  It'll let you book Amsterdam to Milan in one go, but it may then suggest some tighter-than-desirable connections in Basel.

Step 3, if going beyond Milan, now book from Milan to your final destination for the following day.  Add to basket and check out.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Italy using the Stuttgart-Venice sleeper train - Time-effective, with dinner in Stuttgart

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Stuttgart by comfortable ICE train .

Until 15 July 2024, leave Amsterdam Centraal at 12:38, change at Düsseldorf, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:22.

From 16 July 2024, leave Amsterdam Centraal at 12:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf , arriving Stuttgart Hbf 18:38.

The ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  By all means book the earlier 10:38 departure to have more time in Stuttgart.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, will allow you to buy all your tickets in one place, small booking fee) or the German Railways int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. 

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Fares start at €59.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €69.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.  Child under 6?  See here .

Option 4, Amsterdam to Italy using the sleeper train from Munich to Milan, Verona, Bologna, Florence, Rome - time-effective, with dinner in Munich

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Munich, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 10:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf , arriving Munich Hbf at 18:07.

By all means book an earlier train and have more time in Munich.  You travel on luxurious German ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (this allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or at the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Each portion of this comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet.  There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.  Child under 6?  See here .

Step 3, onward trains from Rome to Naples, Rome to Sicily or La Spezia to Cinque Terre (for example) can be booked separately at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, recognisees English place-names) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at [email protected] afterwards) or Italian Railways' own website www.trenitalia.com (more fiddly, requires Italian language place names, read this advice on using it first ).  Booking for Italian trains normally opens 4 months ahead.

Option 5, Amsterdam to Italy using the Amsterdam-Innsbruck sleeper train and the scenic Brenner route - scenic & time-effective

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 arriving Innsbruck Hbf at 09:14.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Departure from Amsterdam Centraal is at 19:00 on some dates, check when booking.

Tip:   If you have a sleeper ticket or a 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Innsbruck Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.

Step 2, travel from Innsbruck to Italy by EuroCity train , leaving Innsbruck Hbf 11:24, arriving Verona P. Nuova 14:58 & Bologna Centrale 16:19.

This comfortable Austrian EuroCity train has a restaurant car for lunch, treat yourself!  It travels through the scenic Brenner Pass, a treat, see the Brenner Pass photos & video .

Tip:   Don't risk a tight connection with the earlier 09:24 EuroCity to Verona, I'd play safe and stick with the 11:24.

Change at Verona Porta Nuova for Venice.  Change at Bologna Centrale for Florence, Rome & Naples. 

Fares from Innsbruck Verona or Bologna (or, on the direct train, Venice) start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

Fares from Bologna to Florence or Rome start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 1, book the nightjet sleeper from Amsterdam to Innsbruck at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Dutch Railways international website www.nsinternational.nl (in €).  Look for the train marked NJ (Nightjet) with 0 changes. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.  Child under 6?  See here .

Step 2, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book from Innsbruck to Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere in Italy.  This connects to both the German, Austrian and Italian ticketing systems so you can book this as one transaction all in one place.  You print your own ticket for the Austrian train and the Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  There's a small booking fee.  The Austrian trains open for booking up to 6 months ahead, Italian trains may only open for booking up to 4 months ahead.

Option 6, Amsterdam to Italy via the Gotthard route - with overnight stop in Heidelberg.

The easiest way to book from Heidelberg to anywhere in Italy is at www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Basel SBB as a via point.  You can pay in €, £ or $, there's a small booking fee.

Alternatively, first book from Heidelberg to Basel SBB at German Railways int.bahn.de (in €, no booking fee) then book from Basel to anywhere in Italy at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, payment in €, $, £, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at [email protected] ) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian-language place names, see advice on using it ).

Option 7, Amsterdam to Italy via Munich & the scenic Brenner route - with overnight stop in Munich.

Amsterdam to Verona, Bologna or Venice when using a direct train from Munich starts at €46.90 in 2nd class, €99.90 in 1st class.

Verona to Venice or Florence starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.

Option 8, Amsterdam to Italy via Paris from €64.  Fast & comfortable, but involves crossing Paris by metro or taxi

This route is slightly faster than the route via Germany, if you don't mind changing trains & stations in Paris by taxi or RER express metro.

Stay overnight in Turin or Milan.  Both cities make a great stopover, but Turin is lovely. 

In Turin I suggest the Hotel Torino Porta Susa or Hotel Diplomatic or small Al Porta Susa B&B , all right next to Turin Porta Susa station where the Frecciarossa arrives and where your onward train leaves next morning, with good or great reviews.  Alternatively, the excellent Turin Palace Hotel is in the centre right next to Porta Nuova station.  It's a 7 minute taxi ride, 3-stop €1.50 metro ride or 20 minute walk from Porta Susa, but next morning you can board your train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples at Porta Nuova station where these trains start their journey. 

In Milan, affordable hotels & guesthouses with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .

Amsterdam to Paris start at €35 in 2nd class (standard) or €79 in 1st class (comfort).

Paris to Turin or Milan start at €29 in 2nd class (standard), €36 in 1st class (business) or €165 in executive class with food included.

Turin or Milan to Venice or Florence starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.

First book Amsterdam to Turin or Milan and add to basket.  You can book this as one journey, but I recommend clicking More options and entering Paris as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour.  You should always allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more.  Then book from Turin or Milan to your Italian destination for the following day, add to basket and check out.

Alternatively, travel Amsterdam-Paris on day 1, stay overnight, then travel Paris-Italy on day 2

Take an early evening Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Amsterdam Centraal to Paris Gare du Nord , stay overnight in Paris ( see suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord & Gare de Lyon ), then take the early morning Frecciarossa leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:25 for Turin & Milan ( see the timetable here ).  Change in Milan Centrale for Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples.

Amsterdam to Barcelona , Madrid & Spain from €74

Option 1, Amsterdam to Barcelona in a single day.  Onwards to Madrid, Alicante, Malaga, Granada or Seville next day

Step 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42 arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:27.

This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

It's a scenic ride, the train passes Beziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see more photos & information about the journey .

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Stay overnight in Barcelona.  The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users.  See other suggested hotels near the station .

Step 3, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish destinations next morning.

For Madrid:   AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35.

For Granada:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.

For Malaga:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.

For Cordoba & Seville:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.

For Valencia & Alicante:   EuroMed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.

For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna & Vigo , there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here .

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  These sites can book from Amsterdam to Barcelona in one go as one easy transaction with print-your-own tickets for both trains, and they connect to the Spanish Railways (Renfe) system to sell onward tickets in Spain.

You can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com wherever you live, overseas credit cards no problem.  There's a small booking fee.

Booking for Eurostar & the TGV usually opens 4 months ahead .  Spanish domestic trains open for booking 60 days ahead , but this varies greatly and it can be less or more than this.

First book from Amsterdam to Barcelona.  In the search results, look for an option with just 1 change.

Tip:   If you want to stopover a few hours for lunch in Paris when using www.raileurope.com , just click More options and enter Paris , with a duration of however many hours you want.  In fact, I'd click More options and enter Paris anyway, as it'll then show separate prices either side of Paris and you can upgrade to 1st class if it's cheap to do so on one leg or the other, without having to upgrade throughout.  I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more - by default, the system allows as little as 40 minutes.

If you are heading for Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Valencia or Alicante, first add the Amsterdam-Barcelona journey to your basket, then book Barcelona to your chosen Spanish destination for the following day, add this to your basket and check out, paying for both tickets as one transaction.

Alternatively, you can book each train separately direct with the relevant operator, avoiding any booking fee, although this takes more effort and is unlikely to make it any cheaper.  It's easier to book everything together in plain English at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com !

Book the Amsterdam-Paris Eurostar at www.sncf-connect.com with print-at-home tickets;

Then book the Paris-Barcelona TGV at www.sncf-connect.com with print-your-own or show-on phone tickets,

Then book onward trains within Spain at www.renfe.com (no booking fee, but very fiddly and may reject some overseas payment cards, see advice on using it here ) - easier to use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).

Option 2, Amsterdam to Paris, stay overnight in Paris, Paris to Barcelona & Spain next day

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 18:15, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 21:35.

By all means take an earlier train and spend some time in Paris, there's a train every hour or two.  Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

Stay overnight in Paris .  The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train next morning.  See other suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord & Gare de Lyon .

Step 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.

This impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a comfortable & scenic journey - I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, click here for the sights to see from the train on the way .

Step 3, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and so on by high-speed train.

A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

A fast EuroMed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.

For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station.  Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.

The easiest way to book from Amsterdam to Spain is at www.raileurope.com .

This connects to both French Railways for Eurostar & TGV and to Spanish Railways (Renfe) for onward tickets within Spain.  You can use it wherever you live as all overseas credit cards are accepted, fares in €, £ or $, small booking fee.

Booking for Eurostar & TGV usually opens 4 months ahead , booking for Spanish trains opens 60 days ahead , but it varies and it can be fewer. 

First book from Amsterdam to Paris, picking any direct Eurostar train you like.  Add this to your basket.

Now book from Paris to Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Valencia or Alicante as one journey.  In the search results, look for Paris-Barcelona options with 0 changes, or Paris to Madrid/Malaga/Seville/Valencia/Alicante options with 1 change in Barcelona.  Add this to your basket and check out, paying for both journeys as one transaction.

Alternatively , you can book each train separately, although this takes more effort and is unlikely to make it materially cheaper: 

Book the Amsterdam-Paris Eurostar & Paris-Barcelona TGV at www.sncf-connect.com with print-at-home or show-on-phone tickets.

Book onward trains within Spain at www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly, may reject some overseas payment cards, see advice on using it here ) or much easier to use alternative sites www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, small mark-up).

Option 3, Amsterdam to Paris by Eurostar, a French sleeper train to the Spanish border, then onward Spanish trains

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 16:15 daily except Saturdays arriving Paris Nord at 19:35.

Or any day of the week, leave Amsterdam Centraal at 15:15 arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:35 with time for dinner in Paris.

Step 2, travel overnight from Paris to Latour de Carol in the heart of the Pyrenees or from Paris to Cerbère on the Spanish border by French sleeper train, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz around 21:00.  Then take a local train from Latour or Cerbère to Barcelona Sants arriving at lunchtime.  See the Paris to Barcelona by sleeper train page for details, prices, tips & how to buy tickets .

Step 3, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish destinations in the afternoon.

For Madrid:   AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35, check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

For Cordoba, Seville & Malaga:   Take the direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 15:15 arriving Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano in the evening.  Fares start at around €45.

For Valencia & Alicante:   A EuroMed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla at 19:02 and Alicante at 21:34.  Fares start from €23, check times at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Book Spanish trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, in €, see my advice before using it ).  I'd allow at least 1 hour between trains in Barcelona.  Spanish trains should open for booking 60 days ahead , but it varies and can be less than this.

Amsterdam to San Sebastian from €63

Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Leave Amsterdam Central at 06:15 Mondays-Fridays, change in Paris, arriving Hendaye at 16:47.

Step 3, transfer from Hendaye to San Sebastian by Euskotren metro, every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes.

Simply walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is in a corner of the main station forecourt.  Buy a ticket for €2.75 at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren metro from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara station, journey time 37 minutes.  More about the Paris to San Sebastian journey .

Amsterdam to Ibiza & Mallorca

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Barcelona as shown in the Amsterdam to Barcelona section above .

If you use option 2 above , you can leave Amsterdam early evening on Day 1, stay overnight in Paris , reaching Barcelona at 16:31 on Day 2.

Step 2, sail overnight from Barcelona to Ibiza or Palma de Mallorca by ferry.

Ibiza:   Trasmed operate an overnight ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza on most nights of the week sailing at or around 22:00, arriving 07:00.  Times and dates vary, check times and buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website or www.trasmed.com .  Check-in for the ferry closes 30 minutes before sailing time.  You can pre-print your boarding pass to save time at the terminal.  Balearia also operate an overnight ferry to Ibiza on most nights of the week, sailing times vary but it typically sails at 22:00, arriving in Ibiza town (Ibiza Ciudad) at 06:00.  Check times and buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website or www.balearia.com .

Mallorca:   There are two overnight ferries from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca, both with restaurants, bars & cosy en suite cabins, both usually sailing from Barcelona around around 22:00 and arriving in Palma around 07:00.  One ferry is run by Trasmed ( www.trasmed.com ), the other run by Balearia ( www.balearia.com ).  You can check times & buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website .

Amsterdam to Algeciras & Gibraltar

Stay overnight in Barcelona  The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users.  See other suggested hotels near the station .

Day 2, travel from Madrid to Algeciras by Intercity train, leaving Madrid Atocha at 15:16 arriving San Roque-La Linea 20:59 & Algeciras 21:13.

Amsterdam to Paris starts at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.

Paris to Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

Barcelona to Madrid starts at €38 in standard class or €45 in comfort class.

How to buy the train tickets

You can buy all your tickets together at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

First book from Amsterdam to Barcelona, add this to your basket, then book Barcelona to Madrid and Madrid to Algeciras for the following day, add each of these to your basket & check out.

Booking for Eurostar & TGV opens up to 4 months ahead , for the AVE & Intercity train 60 days ahead , but it varies.  You print your own tickets. 

Amsterdam to Lisbon, Porto & Portugal from €122

Option 1, Amsterdam to Lisbon via Barcelona & Madrid .

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  You print your own ticket or can choose a mobile ticket. 

Using Raileurope or Thetrainline allows you to book your tickets in one place as they connect to both the SNCF & Renfe ticketing systems.

Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by 320 km/h TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.

This double-deck TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a comfortable & scenic journey, see an account of the sights to see from the train on the way .

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead .

Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE high-speed train , leaving Barcelona Sants at 18:25 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 20:55.

The AVE has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about trains from Barcelona to Madrid .

Fares start at €38 in Standard class or €45 in Comfort class.  Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead , but it varies & can be less than this.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Porto & Lisbon via San Sebastian & Vigo - slightly slower, can be cheaper

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to San Sebastian as shown above .   For example:

Leave Amsterdam Central at 06:15 Mondays-Fridays by Eurostar , change in Paris , then take a TGV Duplex Océane to Hendaye arriving 16:47.

San Sebastian to Vigo starts at €23 each way.  The price varies, book ahead for the cheaper prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  Booking for Spanish trains should open 60 days ahead , but it varies & can be less.

Tip:   If using the daily departure with a change in Madrid, you might need to treat San Sebastian-Madrid & Madrid-Vigo as separate bookings.

This can also be booked at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com ,  Booking opens 60 days ahead , but it varies and can be less.

Amsterdam to Andorra

Option 1, Amsterdam to Andorra in a day

Fares start from €35 in 2nd class (standard) or €72 in 1st class (comfort).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can choose a mobile ticket.

Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Andorra using the Paris-Toulouse-l'Hospitalet overnight train

Eurostars run at up to 300 km/h with 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

Fares start at €35 in 2nd class (standard) or €72 in 1st class (comfort).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  You print your own ticket or can choose a mobile ticket.

Amsterdam to Cologne, Frankfurt or anywhere in Germany from €18.90

1st class fares start at €49.90 to Cologne, €59.90 to Frankfurt or €69.90 to anywhere else in Germany.

Amsterdam to Berlin from €37.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Berlin by Intercity train - the daytime option

Option 2, Amsterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper - the overnight option, 3 times a week

A sleeper train links Amsterdam & Berlin on Monday, Wednesday & Friday nights, see the European Sleeper page .

The European Sleeper .  This is a 5-berth couchette car, beyond is a stainless-steel sleeping-car. Click the interior photos for larger images.

Amsterdam to Hamburg from €32.90

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 05:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 11:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 07:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 13:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 15:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 17:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 13:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 19:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 15:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 21:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 17:59, easy change at Osnabruck , arrive Hamburg Hbf 23:15.

Step 1, Amsterdam to Osnabruck by Intercity train, seen here at Amsterdam Centraal .  Power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about these Intercity trains .

Step 2, Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE4 .  These come with a waiter-service restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about ICEs .

Amsterdam to Munich from €37.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Munich by sleeper train - the most time-effective option :..

The sleeper leaves Amsterdam at 19:00 on certain dates.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Dutch Railways international website www.nsinternational.nl (in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.  Child under 6?  See here .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Munich by daytime trains

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 06:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf , arrive Munich Hbf 14:06.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 08:08, change at Mannheim Hbf, arrive Munich Hbf 15:27.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 10:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf , arrive Munich Hbf 18:07.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 12:38, change at Düsseldorf or Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (it varies), arrive Munich Hbf 20:06.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Munich with overnight stop in Cologne

Why not allow time for a wander round Cologne, visiting the cathedral right next to the station?  You can add a stopover of up to 48h duration.  Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get earlier or later trains for each part of the journey with a longer or shorter overnight stop in Cologne.

Amsterdam to Vienna from €49.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Linz & Vienna by sleeper train - the most time-effective option

Option 2, Amsterdam to Vienna in a single day

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 08:08, change Frankfurt Flughafen (an easy same-platform change), arrive Vienna Hbf 18:47.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 10:38, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf , arrive Vienna Hbf 23:05.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Vienna with overnight stop in Cologne or Nuremberg

You can programme in up to 2 stopovers over two days and still get end to end Sparpreis tickets.  Adjust the departure time and length of stay through trial & error until you see the trains that suit you either side of Cologne or Nuremberg.

Amsterdam to Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €37.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Austria by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option

This excellent Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Dutch Railways international website www.nsinternational.nl (in €, no fee).

Option 2, Amsterdam to Salzburg or Innsbruck by daytime trains

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 06:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Munich Hbf , arrive Salzburg Hbf 15:59.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 08:08, change at Mannheim & Munich Hbf , arrive Salzburg Hbf 16:58.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 10:38, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Munich Hbf , arrive Salzburg Hbf 19:59.

Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

You can book from Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands to Salzburg, Innsbruck or anywhere in Austria.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Tip:   int.bahn.de won't suggest impossible connections, with a through ticket you can take later onward trains if there's a delay and missed connection.  However, it will suggest 10-minute connections with a high likelihood of being missed due to delay, so feel free to change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes if you'd prefer a more robust journey.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Salzburg with overnight stop in Cologne.  Comfortable & time-effective

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Cologne by ICE , for example leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 18:38 arriving Cologne Hbf at 21:15.

ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Stay overnight in Cologne.  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view.  Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom , Hotel Domspitzen , CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom , Hilton Cologne , Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom .

Day 2, take any morning train you like from Cologne to Salzburg: A direct ICE4 train leaves Cologne Hbf at 08:17 daily running via the scenic Rhine Valley and arriving Salzburg Hbf at 15:59, or there are earlier or later departures with changes of train.

Fares from Amsterdam to Salzburg start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for cheapest prices.

Buy tickets from Amsterdam to anywhere in Austria at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To get the overnight stop in Cologne, click Stopovers and enter Cologne Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours.  Why not allow time for a wander round Cologne, visiting the cathedral right next to the station?  Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get earlier or later trains for each part of the journey with a longer or shorter overnight stop in Cologne.

I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Amsterdam to Legoland, Odense & Copenhagen from €49.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Copenhagen in a single day

You can travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Copenhagen in a single chill-out day, with three possible departures.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 05:59, an easy change of train at Osnabruck & Hamburg Hbf , arriving Copenhagen at 17:34.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 07:59, an easy change of train at Osnabruck & Hamburg Hbf , arriving Copenhagen at 19:34.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59, an easy change of train at Osnabruck & Hamburg Hbf , arriving Copenhagen at 21:34.

Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride.  You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabruck by comfortable Intercity train , then Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train .

The Hamburg to Copenhagen EuroCity trains also call at Kolding ( for Legoland ) & Odense.

Amsterdam to Copenhagen starts at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.

Book from Amsterdam or any station in the Netherlands to Copenhagen or any station in Denmark at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

If you're going to Malmö

Catch the next Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central , these run every 20 minutes taking 34 minutes, crossing the water to Sweden on the impressive Öresund fixed link .  You can buy a Copenhagen-Malmo ticket at the station, no pre-booking required, but you can save money by booking Amsterdam to Malmo rather then Copenhagen when using Bahn.de as German Railways offer through tickets.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Hamburg

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 17:59, changing at Osnabruck & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 23:15.

By all means leave Amsterdam on the earlier 13:59 or 15:59 departures for more of an evening in Hamburg.  You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabruck by comfortable Intercity train , then from Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers , enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours.  Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want.  If you have any problems you can book Amsterdam-Hamburg for day 1 and again Hamburg to Copenhagen for day 2, although this may work out slightly more expensive.

If you're going to Malmö , travel from Copenhagen to Malmö by Öresund train , these run every 20-30 minutes to Malmö, journey time 39 minutes.  Book from Hamburg to Malmö as one transaction at int.bahn.de .

Step 3, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train .  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this.  There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.

The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo .  Larger photo .

Amsterdam to Stockholm & Gothenburg from €56.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Stockholm using the new Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train - the time-effective option

You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabruck by comfortable Intercity train , then from Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  A later departure at 15:59 is possible, but with little room for manoeuvre in case of delay, so I'd stick with the 13:59.  Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near the station .

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Fares start at €44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per bed, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

Book tickets at SJ's website www.sj.se .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Stockholm with an overnight stop in Hamburg, from €56.90

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 17:59, change at Osnabruck , arriving Hamburg Hbf at 23:15.

By all means take the earlier 15:59 or 13:59 departure from Amsterdam for more of an evening in Hamburg.  You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabruck by comfortable Intercity train , then from Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 2, catch a connecting train from Copenhagen to Sweden:

If you're going to Stockholm , travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37.  The 200 km/h X2000 train crosses the water from Denmark to Sweden over the impressive Öresund fixed link . 

If you're going to Gothenburg , travel from Copenhagen to Goteborg Central by Öresund train , these leave every hour taking 3h53, also using the impressive Öresund fixed link .

If you're going to Malmö , travel from Copenhagen to Malmö Central by Öresund train , these leave at least twice an hour taking 39 minutes, also using the impressive Öresund fixed link .

To buy tickets

The cheapest way is to book from Amsterdam to Stockholm or Gothenburg as one transaction at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours.  Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg.  This way you'll get a Sparpreis Sweden fare from Amsterdam to Stockholm or Gothenburg with an overnight stop in Hamburg.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems you can break the journey down:  Book from Amsterdam to Hamburg & Hamburg to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de , then book Copenhagen to Stockholm at either www.sj.se (in Krona, can struggle with some overseas credit cards, no booking fee) or Omio.com (formerly GoEuro.com, in Krona, €, £ or $, small booking fee, quick & easy to use and readily accepts overseas credit cards).

Option 3, Amsterdam to Stockholm with an overnight stop in Copenhagen, from €56.90

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Copenhagen in a single chill-out day, with three departures to choose from.

Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride.  See photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen intercity train .

Stay overnight in Copenhagen .  The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here .  Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel , First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).

Day 2, take a train from Copenhagen to Sweden, these cross the water using the impressive Öresund fixed link .

For Stockholm take an X2000 train , one usually leaves Copenhagen at 08:19 arriving Stockholm Central at 13:35, or there are later trains.

For Gothenburg take an hourly Öresund train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg Central, journey time 3h53.

For Malmö , take an hourly Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central , journey time 39 minutes.  A same-day connection on Day 1 is also usually possible.

The cheapest way is to book Amsterdam to Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö as one transaction at German Railways int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To get the overnight stop in Copenhagen, click Stopovers and enter Copenhagen with a length of stay of (say) 11 hours.  Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Copenhagen.  You print your own ticket.  This way you'll get a Sparpreis Sweden fare from Amsterdam to Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö with an overnight stop in Copenhagen built in.

If you have any problems, you can book from Amsterdam to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de then Copenhagen to Stockholm at either www.sj.se (in Krona, can struggle with some overseas credit cards, no booking fee) or Omio.com (formerly GoEuro.com, in Krona, €, £ or $, small booking fee, quick & easy to use and readily accepts overseas credit cards).  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Step 1, Amsterdam to Osnabruck by Intercity train , seen here at Amsterdam Centraal .  Power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about these Intercity trains .

Step 2, Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE4 , with restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about ICEs .

Step 4, Copenhagen to Stockholm by tilting 200km/h X2000, seen at Stockholm Central .  More about X2000 trains .

Option 4, Amsterdam to Gothenburg using Stena Line's Kiel-Gothenburg overnight ferry

Book the train at the German Railways site int.bahn.de . 

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Tip:   Book the ferry first and confirm ferry times before booking the train, making sure you arrive in Kiel at least 2 hours before the ferry sails. 

The ferry normally sails at 18:45 and arrives around 09:15, but times may vary so check online.

The ferry is a floating hotel with restaurants & bars, all passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite toilet & shower.  You can add dinner & breakfast to your ticket when you book.

Fares vary, you might pay €39 per passenger as basic fare plus €75-€89 per cabin for a private 1 or 2 bed room.

Amsterdam to Oslo & Norway

Option 1, Amsterdam to Oslo with overnight stop in Hamburg - by train all the way

Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €43.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Gothenburg by EuroCity train & Öresund train :

Leave Hamburg Hbf 08:50, arriving Copenhagen 13:34.  Leave Copenhagen at 14:30, arriving Göteborg Central at 18:20.

The EuroCity train from Hamburg to Copenhagen has power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .  The Öresund train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg has power sockets & free WiFi, but bring your own food & drink.

Have an early dinner in Gothenburg.

Fares from Hamburg to Gothenburg start at €56.90.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy a ticket from Hamburg to Gothenburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Tip:   If you're clever, you may be able to book a through ticket all the way from Amsterdam to Gothenburg using int.bahn.de .  To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours.  Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the departure from Brussels you want and the 08:50 departure from Hamburg next morning.

Tip:   If you don't see any affordable fares (which may be the case if you want 1st class), split the booking:  First book Hamburg to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de .  Then buy a ticket from Copenhagen to Goteborg Central at www.oresundstag.se .

Day 2, travel from Gothenburg to Oslo by Norwegian train, leaving Göteborg Central at 20:10 and arriving Oslo Sentral at 23:47.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Oslo via Hamburg & Copenhagen - by train all the way

Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo by train, leaving Copenhagen at 07:30, change at Gothenburg Central, arriving Oslo Sentral 15:47.

Earlier & later departures are available, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable & how to buy tickets .

Option 3, Amsterdam to Oslo using the DFDS Copenhagen-Oslo ferry

Day 2, spend the day in Copenhagen, then sail from Copenhagen to Oslo overnight with a cosy private cabin with shower & toilet.  The ferry sails at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and arriving Oslo at 10:00 on day 3, as shown here .  This is remarkably affordable, and saves a hotel bill.  Book the ferry at www.dfds.com .

Option 4, Amsterdam to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo cruise ferry - the most luxurious way to Oslo

Money-saving tip:   It's considerably cheaper to book on Color Line's Norwegian website www.colorline.no in Norwegian Krone, for example a €274 fare becomes the equivalent of €164.  You'll need to use Google Chrome translation to translate the Norwegian.  You are still able to enter a UK or other European address and contact details.  Feedback appreciated .

Amsterdam to Helsinki & Finland

Option 1, Amsterdam to Helsinki using the Finnlines ferry from Germany to Helsinki - the easiest option

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59, change Osnabruck , arriving Hamburg Hbf 17:14.

Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .

Tip:   You should book from Amsterdam to Skandinavienkai Terminal, Lübeck as one transaction as this gets you a through ticket to the ferry terminal covering the train from Amsterdam to Hamburg, the regional train to Lübeck and the bus to the Skandinavienkai Terminal.  If you'd like time for dinner in Lübeck, click Stopovers and enter Lübeck Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 2 hours.

Day 1, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Lübeck by regional train, you've time for dinner in Lübeck's old town, see suggested restaurant here .  Then take a bus to the Skandinavienkai ferry terminal in Travemünde.

Sail from Travemünde to Helsinki by Finnlines ferry.  Finnlines sail from Travemünde to Helsinki every day, boarding at 23:30, sailing at 02:45 (the exact time varies) and arriving at Helsinki's Hansa Terminal in Vuosaari at 09:15 2 nights later (Day 3 from Amsterdam).

For full details of the transfer, check-in arrangements & ferry crossing, see here .

Book the ferry using the Direct Ferries website or at www.finnlines.com .

Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Helsinki by train to Stockholm & ferry to Helsinki

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Stockholm as shown above .

Amsterdam to Prague from €46.90

Option 1 , Amsterdam to Prague by European Sleeper - the most direct & time-effective option, 3 times a week

The European Sleeper leaves Amsterdam Centraal at 22:34 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Prague Hlavni at 10:56 next morning.

The European Sleeper has a comfortable sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed rooms with washbasin, economical couchette cars with 5 & 6 berth compartments and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in the sleepers.  More about the European Sleeper .

Buy tickets at www.europeansleeper.eu .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead although this varies.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  Easy!

On the glorious morning of 26 March 2024, the very first European Sleeper to Prague runs along the Elbe river valley between Dresden & Prague.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Prague by train in a single day - why not spend a few hours in Berlin?

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 05:59, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Prague Hlavni 17:24.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 07:59, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Prague Hlavni 19:24.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Prague Hlavni 21:24.

You travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by InterCity train , power sockets at all seats, refreshments available.  What's the Amsterdam to Berlin journey & scenery like?

You then travel from Berlin Hbf to Prague Hlavni by EuroCity train with restaurant car with draught beer on tap, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely scenic run down the Elbe river valley south of Dresden, sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views.  What's the Berlin to Prague journey & scenery like?   Suggested hotels in Prague .

Fares start at €46.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone or laptop.

It's also worth checking Amsterdam-Prague prices at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz as they sometimes have cheaper prices than the Germans for exactly the same trains, although booking only opens 90 days ahead on cd.cz.  See my tips for using cd.cz .

Option 3, Amsterdam to Prague with an overnight stop in Berlin - breaks up the journey nicely, with a chance to see Berlin.

By all means leave Amsterdam on the earlier 13:59 or 11:59 departures for more of an evening in Berlin, and perhaps an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from Berlin Hbf .

See the Amsterdam to Berlin by InterCity train page for tips, photos of the train and things to see along the way.

Stay overnight in Berlin.   Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf 's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station.  If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com .  Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Prague EuroCity train on any departure you like, see the timetable here .

For example, the 07:16 from Berlin Hbf will get you to Prague Hlavni at 11:24,  with breakfast in the restaurant car as you glide along the scenic Elbe river valley.  Or have a breakfast at your hotel and take a later train, they leave every two hours.  Bag a seat on the left-hand side of the train for the best views along the scenic Elbe river valley south of Dresden.  What's the Berlin to Prague journey & scenery like?   Suggested hotels in Prague .

Fares from Amsterdam to Prague start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 12 hours.  Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Berlin.

Amsterdam to Cesky Krumlov & other Czech destinations

Book from Amsterdam (or most other stations in the Netherlands) to most stations in the Czech Republic using the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Tip:   It's an all-day ride from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic, so select an early morning departure time to do it all in one day.

Tip:   You might prefer breaking up a long journey with an overnight stop, perhaps Nuremberg, if your route goes that way.  To get an overnight stop, click Stopovers and enter Nuremberg , with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours.

For Cesky Krumlov (a lovely town that's the second most-visited place in the Czech Republic, see the Cesky Krumlov page ) you need to book to Ceske Budejovice, not Cesky Krumlov, because the branch line between Ceske Budejovice and Cesky Krumlov is run by private operator GWTR and German Railways cannot ticket that part.

So simply book Amsterdam to Ceske Budejovice at int.bahn.de from €39.90, then buy the local ticket from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov either at the station in Ceske Budejovice from the distinctive green and orange ticket kiosk in the main hall, or on board the train using the self-service ticket machines, contactless cards accepted.  You can check train times from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov at www.gwtr.cz .

For Karlovy Vary or Plzen , book at int.bahn.de , looking for 3-change options via Frankfurt, Nuremberg & Cheb from €37.90.

For Brno , book Amsterdam to Brno at int.bahn.de .  It tends to route you via Vienna, as this is slightly quicker.  By all means click Stopovers and enter PRAGUE , this can be cheaper.  By adding a suitable length of stay you can build in an overnight stop if you like.

The most time-effective option from the Netherlands to Brno is to take the Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Vienna overnight as shown above , allow at least an hour between trains in Vienna, then take a Vienna-Brno train booked at either www.thetrainline.com (sells both Regiojet & ÖBB/CD trains), www.oebb.at (ÖBB/CD trains only) or www.regiojet.com (Regiojet trains only).

Amsterdam to Bratislava & Slovakia from €46.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Bratislava using the Amsterdam-Vienna Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option, recommended

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 and arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Dutch Railways international website www.nsinternational.nl (in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.

Tip:   If you have a sleeper ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train to Budapest, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Bratislava in a single day from €46.90

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 08:08, change Frankfurt Flughafen & Vienna Hbf , arriving Bratislava Hlavna 20:23.

Tip:   In the search results, look for journeys with just 2 changes.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Bratislava using the Berlin-Bratislava sleeper - A comfy & time-effective option

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by InterCity train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:51.

By all means leave Amsterdam on the earlier 09:59 or 07:59 departures to have more time in Berlin, there are left luggage lockers available and a stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate takes just 17 minutes, so even a few hours stopover is a worthwhile experience.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Bratislava on the sleeper train Metropol, leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:21 and arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 06:02.

Fares start at €49 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €59 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper with washbasin, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or €129 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin. 

Amsterdam to Budapest from €56.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Budapest using the Amsterdam-Vienna Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option, recommended

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Budapest in a single day from €56.90

Option 3, Amsterdam to Budapest using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper - Another comfy & time-effective option

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by InterCity train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:51.

By all means leave Amsterdam on the earlier 09:59 or 07:59 departures for more time in Berlin, there are left luggage lockers available and a stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate takes just 17 minutes, so even a few hours stopover is a worthwhile experience.

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, using this will allow you to book all your tickets together in one place, small booking fee) or the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Budapest on the sleeper train Metropol, leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:21 & arriving Budapest Nyugati at 08:29.

Fares start at €49 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €59 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper with washbasin, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or €129 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Option 4, Amsterdam to Budapest using the Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper - Another time-effective option with dinner in Stuttgart

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, will allow you to buy all your tickets in one place, small booking fee) or the German Railways int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.

Have dinner in Stuttgart.

Step 2, travel from Stuttgart to Budapest by EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 & arriving Budapest Keleti 09:19.

Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Option 5, Amsterdam to Budapest with overnight stop in Munich - if you prefer daytime trains & hotel to sleepers

Stay overnight in Munich.   The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews.  Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian , Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center .  For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.

Day 2, travel from Munich to Budapest on any railjet train you like.

The 07:23 from Munich Hbf will get you to Budapest Keleti at 14:19, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take the 09:29 from Munich arriving Budapest at 16:19, they leave roughly every two hours.

These swish Austrian railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Look out for views of Salzburg citadel as you cross the river Salzach approaching Salzburg Hbf .  If you like, you can incorporate a stopover in Salzburg of a few hours or a day or two at no extra charge using the Stopover feature at int.bahn.de .  Left luggage lockers are available .

Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class, €69.90 in 1st class or 84.90 in business class (= premium 1st class).

Amsterdam to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest from €109

Option 1, Amsterdam to Romania using a sleeper from Budapest

For example, you can leave Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 every evening by Nightjet sleeper train to Vienna Hbf and an onward railjet train to Budapest Keleti arriving 13:19 next day.  Buy tickets as shown above .

This sleeper train Ister has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.  Ister is the ancient name for the Danube.

Fares start at €39 with a couchette in 6-berth, €46 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu , see my advice on using it .  For Bucharest type Bucuresti .  You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Romania using a sleeper from Vienna

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train as shown in the Amsterdam to Vienna section above .  Book this as shown.

Spend a day in Vienna , left luggage lockers are available .

Step 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the sleeper train Dacia Express, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 every evening and arriving next day in Simeria 07:10, Sighisoara 09:13, Braşov 12:36, Ploeşti Vest 14:28 & Bucharest Nord at 15:06.

The Dacia Express has a modern & comfortable Romanian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus two deluxe compartments with shower & toilet) and a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.

A Hungarian restaurant car is attached between Vienna and Budapest, treat yourself to dinner with wine.  A bar car is attached in the morning between Arad & Bucharest, serving drinks & snacks.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.

The Dacia Express also conveys a portion from Vienna to Cluj Napoca, also leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 and arriving Cluj Napoca at 10:47. This portion has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.

Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself.  All per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at .

Booking opens up to 90 days ahead .  In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.  If it says not available you can't book it, but if a sparschiene fare is shown you can.  You collect tickets from an ÖBB ticket machine in Vienna.

You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro .

Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead .  For Vienna type Wien , for Bucharest type Bucuresti.   It can book seats, couchettes or sleepers.  For Austria to Romania journeys you can now print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Tip:   Prices might be cheaper on one website than the other, so check both sites!

Option 3, Amsterdam to Romania with overnight stop in Budapest - if you prefer day trains & a hotel to sleepers

Stay overnight in Budapest .  Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station.  Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel , the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.  Of course, if you want to push the boat out, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel opened in 1896 was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel , 20 minutes walk or 9 minutes by taxi from Keleti station .  More hotels in Budapest .

Day 2, travel on one of the daytime air-conditioned Intercity trains from Budapest Keleti to Cluj, Arad, Timisoara, Simeria, Sibiu, Brasov & Bucharest.  See details of these trains here .

You can also book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro .  Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead .  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.   You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Amsterdam to Ljubljana & Slovenia or Zagreb & Croatia from €72

Option 1, using the Amsterdam-Munich Nightjet sleeper train then scenic EuroCity train to Ljubljana & Zagreb

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (in €, same prices, more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

Booking tip :  If you don't see any cheap fares from Munich to Ljubljana or Zagreb using bahn.de (for example, if it says No special fares available ), try going to the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and booking from Salzburg to Ljubljana or Zagreb on exactly the same train (the train leaves Salzburg about 1h55 after leaving Munich), then using www.oebb.at again to add a ticket from Munich to Salzburg on the same train.

Option 2, by daytime trains to Stuttgart and Croatian sleeper train to Ljubljana & Zagreb - time-effective with dinner in Stuttgart

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, using Trainline will allow you to buy all your tickets in one place, small booking fee) or the German Railways int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.

Option 3, by daytime ICE train to Munich, overnight stop, then scenic EuroCity train to Ljubljana & Zagreb

Tip:   For dinner, I recommend the Bavarian food & beer at the Augustiner Keller ( www.augustinerkeller.de ) at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf , see walking map .

Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Tip :  If you don't see any cheap fares from Munich to Ljubljana or Zagreb using bahn.de (for example, if it says No special fares available ), try going to the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and booking from Salzburg to Ljubljana or Zagreb on exactly the same train (these trains leave Salzburg about 1h55 after leaving Munich), then using www.oebb.at again to add a ticket from Munich to Salzburg on the same train.

Option 4, using the Amsterdam-Vienna nightjet sleeper train, morning in Vienna, EuroCity train to Zagreb. 

This is a slower option, if only because of the morning at leisure in Vienna, but it's straightforward & comfortable.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

The train travels along the famous Rhine Valley between Koblenz (23:46) and Mainz (00:39), so if you're still awake and your compartment happens to be on the left-hand side of the train, switch off the lights and watch the Rhine pass by, mountains, vineyards, castles & the legendary Lorelei Rock lit by moonlight.  Wonderful!

In Vienna, you've the best part of a day to enjoy the city.  Left luggage lockers are available .

Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Amsterdam to Belgrade & Montenegro

Option 1, Amsterdam to Belgrade & beyond using the Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper. 

The line between Budapest and Belgrade is currently blocked by long-term track upgrading work, so the way to go is via Zagreb.  The most direct and fastest way is usually to take the Munich-Zagreb sleeper as shown below.

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, will allow you to buy all your tickets in one place, small booking fee) or the German Railways int.bahn.de .

Step 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 and arriving Novi Beograd at 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended.

This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Belgrade & beyond using the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Zurich, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 08:08, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arriving Zurich HB at 16:00.

You travel on comfortable ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Do not risk any tight connections when catching a sleeper, I'd want at least an hour between trains in Zurich.  Have dinner in Zurich before boarding the sleeper, I recommend the steak-frites at the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB .

Book this at either www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee, using Thetrainline allows you to buy both tickets together in one place) or the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Step 2, travel from Zurich to Ljubljana or Zagreb by sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 19:40 and arriving in Zagreb at 10:39 next morning.

The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video .

This train will revert to its traditional departure time, 20:40, from 25 October 2024.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, a bit more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket.

Step 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 and arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.

Amsterdam to Sofia

Option 1, Amsterdam to Sofia via Bucharest

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna using the Amsterdam-Vienna Nightjet sleeper train , as shown above .

Day 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by railjet train , leaving Vienna Hbf at 11:40 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 14:19.

The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  By all means take an earlier train if you'd like more time in Budapest, perhaps for lunch.

Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

The Muntenia has 4 & 6-berth couchettes and ordinary seats.  A Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments is attached from Arad (depart 21:04) to Bucharest.  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.

Fares start at €40 with a couchette in 6-berth or €47 with a couchette in 4-berth.  These are limited-availability advance-purchase fares

Book this at the Romanian Railways international website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en .  You print your own ticket.

The fare is around €34.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Sofia via Belgrade

Not currently viable while Zagreb-Belgrade, Budapest-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.

Amsterdam to Warsaw & Poland from €49.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Warsaw in a single day - why not spend a few hours in Berlin on the way?

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 05:59 daily, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Warsaw Centralna 19:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 07:59 daily, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Warsaw Centralna 21:14.

Leave Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59 daily except Saturdays, change at Berlin Hbf , arrive Warsaw Centralna 23:18.

You've time between trains in Berlin for a meal or for a stroll past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class.

Booking to Poland normally only opens 60 days ahead .  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Warsaw using the Amsterdam-Berlin European Sleeper - the most time-effective way, runs 3 times a week

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 22:34 on Monday, Wednesday & Friday arriving Berlin Hbf 06:18.  In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Wednesdays, see the European Sleeper page .

Fares start at €49 in a seat, €79 with a couchette in 6-berth, €99 with a couchette in 5-berth, €109 with a bed in 3-bed sleeper, €129 with a bed in 2-bed sleeper, €159 with a bed in single-bed sleeper.  All per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book the sleeper at www.europeansleeper.eu .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead although this can vary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:52, arriving Poznan at 12:36 and Warsaw Centralna at 15:14.

This EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive lunch and a beer or two, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup and Kotlet Schabowy.  More about this EuroCity train .

Buy a ticket for the Amsterdam to Warsaw train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens 60 days months ahead , you can book the sleeper and leave this until later if necessary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Step 1, Amsterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper .  This is a 5-berth couchette car at Amsterdam Centraal, beyond is a stainless-steel sleeping-car.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Warsaw with overnight stop in Berlin - breaks up the trip nicely, with a chance to see Berlin.

Day 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Warsaw Centralna in around 5h30 on any EuroCity train you like, see the timetable here .

Daily except Sundays the 05:51 from Berlin Hbf will get you to Warsaw Centralna at 11:14 with breakfast in the restaurant car.

Or have a leisurely breakfast and take the daily 09:52 arriving 15:14.  By all means take a later train to have a morning in Berlin.

Amsterdam to Krakow from €49.90

Option 1, Amsterdam to Krakow in a day - possible from 10 December 2023

By all means take the earlier 07:59 departure for a more robust connection and time for lunch in Berlin.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf 16:52, arriving Wroclaw 20:56, Katowice 23:05 & Krakow Glowny 23:54.

The EuroCity train Oder is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks & meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive dinner with a beer or two, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup & Kotlet Schabowy.  More about this EuroCity train .

Option 2, Amsterdam to Krakow using the Amsterdam-Berlin European Sleeper - runs 3 times a week

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 22:34 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays arriving Berlin Hbf at 06:18.  In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Wednesdays, see the European Sleeper page .

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf 10:52, arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

This EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train called the Wawel , with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive lunch and a beer or two, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup & Kotlet Schabowy.  More about this EuroCity train .

Buy a ticket for the Amsterdam to Krakow train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Option 3, Amsterdam to Krakow with overnight stop in Berlin - if you prefer day trains & hotel to sleepers, departures every day

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 every day, arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.  The Wawel is comfortable & air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.

Amsterdam to Vilnius . Riga, Tallinn

Amsterdam to Lithuania with overnight stop in Warsaw

Amsterdam to Kyiv & Ukraine

Option 1, Amsterdam to Lviv & Kyiv via Prague - easiest to book and usually has plenty of availability.  Includes a free day in Prague!

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Prague by European Sleeper , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 22:34 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays arriving Prague Hlavni 10:56 next morning (day 2).

The European sleeper has 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers, 5 & 6 berth couchettes and 2nd class seats.  Enjoy the scenic ride along the Elbe river valley over breakfast.  For details see the European Sleeper page .

Fares start at €49 in a seat, €79 with a couchette in 6-berth, €99 with a couchette in 5-berth, €109 with a bed in 3-bed sleeper, €129 with a bed in 2-bed sleeper, €159 with a bed in single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.  Children under 4 travel free, without their own berth.  Children under 12 travel at a child rate.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead although this can vary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

You now have a day free to explore Prague.  Left luggage lockers are available .  Suggested restaurants for dinner in Prague .

Day 2, travel from Prague to Przemysl by Regiojet sleeper train, leaving Prague Hlavni at 21:56 every day, arriving Przemysl 08:08 (day 3).

A connecting Ukrainian Intercity train leaves Przemysl at 09:35, arriving Lviv 12:27 & Kyiv Pass at 19:57 (day 3).

The Regiojet sleeper train has 3 & 4 berth couchettes set up with full bedding like a sleeping-car.  You can book an inexpensive berth in a shared compartment or you can book a whole compartment for sole occupancy if you like.  Refreshments are available from the train staff.

The Ukrainian intercity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with cafe-bar.  Regiojet have an allocation of seats and a Regiojet ticket from Prague to Lviv or Kyiv includes a 2nd class seat on this train, booked as one combined ticket from Prague to Lviv/Kyiv.

Prague to Lviv or Kyiv starts at €58 with a berth in a shared compartment, or €119.90 for sole occupancy of a 4-berth couchette compartment for 1 to 4 people.  Fares vary slightly according to demand.  The fare includes the sleeper and a 2nd class seat on the connecting Ukrainian train.

Book from Prague to Lviv or Kyiv at www.regiojet.com .

1. Amsterdam to Prague by European Sleeper , seen here at Amsterdam Centraal.  This is a 5-berth couchette car, beyond it is the stainless steel sleeping-car.

In the morning, the European Sleeper runs along the Elbe river valley between Dresden & Prague.  See more photos .

2. Prague to Przemysl by Regiojet sleeper train

Option 2, Amsterdam to Kyiv via the Warsaw-Kyiv sleeper - runs daily, but can be tricky to book & sells out fast

By all means take the earlier 13:59 or 11:59 departure for more of an evening in Berlin and perhaps a stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate takes just 17 minutes from the station.

The Kyiv Express has modernised Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 2-berth & 3-berth compartments.  All bedding is supplied, and washrooms and toilets are at the end of the corridor.  Berths convert to seats for daytime use.  A smartly-uniformed Ukrainian railways sleeper attendant travels with each car.

Option 3, Amsterdam to Lviv & Kyiv via Vienna - comfortable, but sells out fast

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train as shown in the Amsterdam-Vienna section above .  Enjoy the best part of a day in Vienna, left luggage lockers are available .

Day 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv or Kyiv by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day and arriving Lviv at 09:20 & Kyiv at 16:03 next day (Day 3).

Introduced in 2017, this train consists of 2 or sometimes 3 direct Ukrainian sleeping-cars attached to a Vienna-Zahony EuroCity train.  The sleeping-cars have comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-cars are jacked up to have their wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

Vienna to Kyiv costs €89.60 in a 3-berth sleeper, €99.60 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €170 in a single sleeper.

Booking for these direct sleeping-cars opens 20 days ahead, but tickets sell out a day or two after booking opens, so book as soon as the booking period opens.  If the ÖBB website says Ticket not available within 20 days it means fully-booked , if it says that more than 20 days ahead it means booking isn't open yet.

Tickets can now be printed out so you can book in either direction.  However, you must print the ticket, it cannot be shown on a mobile device.

Amsterdam to Moscow , St Petersburg & Russia

Option 1, Amsterdam to Moscow using the daily Warsaw-Moscow sleeper train - suspended due to sanctions

By all means take an earlier train for a leisurely afternoon or evening in Berlin.

This train uses impressive Austrian-built sleeping-cars with 4-berth compartments built in 2014, see photos of this type of sleeper here & see panorama photo inside one of these modern sleepers .  Each compartment can be sold as 1st class 1-berth, 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth.  The train consist of two or three sleeping-car which start their journey in Prague.  There's a bistro car in Poland and a Russian restaurant car is attached between Brest (on the Polish/Belarus border) & Moscow.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Moscow using the Berlin-Moscow Strizh (Swift) sleeper train, twice a week - suspended due to sanctions

Russian track gauge is 5', but most of Europe (including the UK) is 4' 8½", so at Brest on the Belarus frontier the Talgo train runs through a special gauge-changing shed and the axles automatically adjust to the new gauge.  Once in Russia, the scenery is rolling hills, birch tree forests, and villages of small wooden houses.  Approaching Moscow, you may glimpse the plaques on the station building marked '1812' and '1942' as the train passes through the small station of historic Borodino.

You can book the Berlin-Moscow train at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket, it's a little fiddly but usually works, or you can easily buy it online with English language after-sales service if you need it, using the Real Russia online system here .

Option 3, Amsterdam to Moscow via Kyiv - avoiding the need for Belarus visa

Amsterdam to Athens , Corfu & Greece

Option 1, Amsterdam to Athens by train & ferry via Italy - the leisurely option with an Adriatic cruise thrown in

The best and most comfortable option is to pick up a ferry in Bari.  The whole scenic and relaxing journey from Amsterdam to Athens will take around 3 nights, depending how the connections work out on your particular date.

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to Milan in Italy as shown above , using whichever option you like best.

Stay overnight in Milan:   Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .  Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel , Glam Hotel , Made to Measure Business , Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson .

Day 2, travel from Milan to Bari, leaving Milan Centrale at 08:05 on a pleasant journey along the Adriatic coast arriving Bari Centrale 15:27.

Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, easy to use, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly).  Italiarail will refund their small booking fee if you email them at [email protected] with your booking reference.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

In Bari, transfer from station to port, see map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth .

You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!

Alternatively, bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes.  A taxi will take 10 minutes.

Day 2, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with Superfast Ferries.

The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras at 13:00 next day (Day 3).

On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.

You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com .

You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.

You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.

The ship is comfortable, with self-service restaurant, lounge, bar and sun deck.  You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet.  Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.

Day 3, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.

Hellenic Train (Greek Railways) operate an integrated bus/train service from Patras to Athens every hour or two, total journey time 3h02, fare around €18.  No prior reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket to Athens at Patras railway station ticket office.

Corfu:  The Bari-Patras ferry calls at Corfu on certain dates in summer.  It calls at Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland on all departures year-round.  If you can't find a direct ferry to Corfu, book the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa, then take the local ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu with Kerkyra Lines ( kerkyralines.com ).  These sail half a dozen times a day, crossing time 60-90 minutes, fare around €5-€10.  Buy a ticket at kerkyralines.com or when you get to Igoumenitsa.

Option 2, Amsterdam to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade - a rail adventure across the Balkans, currently suspended

Amsterdam to Istanbul & Turkey

This is an overland adventure, taking 3 nights

Step 1, travel from Amsterdam to Bucharest using any option shown above .

Do not risk any tight connections in Bucharest, I'd allow a minimum of 2 hours, or plan an overnight stop.

Book online as shown on those pages, but you should consider using an Interrail pass for the flexibility it gives.  You'll find more info about using a pass for a journey like this on the London to Istanbul page .

Railbookers custom-made tours

If you just want to buy train tickets at the cheapest price, book online as shown on this page.  However, if you want someone to sort out your whole trip for you as a package, arranging trains, hotels & transfers, and to look after you if anything affects your arrangements, talk to Railbookers.  Railbookers can tailor-make a train trip around Europe to your own specification.  Just tell them what you want and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels.  They now have offices in the UK, North America and Australia.

Hotels in Amsterdam

Book your accommodation in Amsterdam early, it can be difficult to find rooms at peak periods at short notice, the better & cheaper rooms quickly sell out.  You'll also find prices vary significantly even at the same hotel, depending on the season and what's going on in the city.

The ultimate Amsterdam hotel:   The Grand

The ultimate place to stay is The Grand, now the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam .  From around €300 per night upwards for a double room, this is one of the most famous hotel in Amsterdam, 5 minutes walk from Dam Square and 10 minutes walk from Centraal Station.  For something smaller, slightly cheaper but equally special, try the Canal House boutique hotel , 15 minutes walk from the station, €205 upwards.

Mid-range to top end

The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel gets great reviews and is very convenient as it's on the corner just across the road from Amsterdam Centraal station, doubles from around €135 upwards per night.  In a similar price bracket, try the Kimpton de Witt Amsterdam Centre , 6 minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal and also with excellent reviews. 

The Hotel Luxer is cheaper, from around €109 upwards per night, and also just 7 minutes walk from Centraal station with great reviews.  Also try The Times Hotel , Hotel Tourist Inn or Daily Rooms Hotel .  Or the Hotel Sebastians , around €115 per night, equally well located 10 minutes walk from Centraal station, another hotel which gets great reviews.

Cheap but good

There are many cheap hotels, including many near the station, but very few get outstanding reviews.  For ones that do, try the floating boat hotel AmiciA (formerly Friesland), around €45 per night 15 minutes walk from the station or the Rembrandt Hotel from €80, 10 min walk from Dam Square though 20 minutes walk from the station.

Backpacker hostels

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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Find cheap flights from Venice to Amsterdam from $40

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from venice to amsterdam departing on 10/15. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to amsterdam.

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Cheap flight deals from Venice to Amsterdam (VCE-AMS)

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In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Amsterdam was $40 for a one-way ticket and $126 for a round-trip.

Do I need a passport to fly between Venice and Amsterdam?

Yes, you’ll need a passport to travel to Amsterdam from Venice.

Which airports will I be using when flying from Venice to Amsterdam?

Venice airport is called Venice Marco Polo and the only airport in Amsterdam is Amsterdam Schiphol.

Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Venice to Amsterdam?

KLM, Air France, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Venice to Amsterdam flight route.

Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Venice to Amsterdam?

The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Venice to Amsterdam flight route.

Which airline alliances offer flights from Venice to Amsterdam?

SkyTeam is the only airline alliance operating flights between Venice and Amsterdam.

On which days can I fly direct from Venice to Amsterdam?

There are nonstop flights from Venice to Amsterdam on a daily basis.

Which is the best airline for flights from Venice to Amsterdam, KLM or Lufthansa?

The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Venice to Amsterdam are KLM and Lufthansa. With an average price for the route of $247 and an overall rating of 7.8, KLM is the most popular choice. Lufthansa is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $213 and an overall rating of 7.0.

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Venice to Amsterdam?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Venice to Amsterdam.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Venice to Amsterdam?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Amsterdam from Venice is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Venice to Amsterdam?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Amsterdam with an airline and back to Venice with another airline. Booking your flights between Venice and AMS can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Venice to Amsterdam?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Amsterdam from Venice up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from VCE to Amsterdam

• Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $134 or less one-way and $208 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly non-stop from Venice to Amsterdam?

Find which airlines fly direct from Marco Polo to Schiphol, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

Venice Marco Polo to Amsterdam Schiphol

Aeromexico, China Eastern, Delta, +6 more

Aeromexico, China Eastern, +7 more

Nonstop returns

Amsterdam Schiphol to Venice Marco Polo

Aeromexico, China Eastern, Delta, +5 more

Aeromexico, China Eastern, +6 more

Top 4 airlines serving from Venice to Amsterdam

The food from Lagos to Amsterdam was was very poor compared to AMS-YYZ

The flight was again delayed for more then 2 hours with some lousy explanation regarding the reason of the delay. Although the flight was delayed for more than 2 hours, no refreshments were offered (according to EU regulations). Last 4 flights on KLM - always at least 2 hrs late. So be prepared that you cannot plan anything with KLM.

Booked connecting flights with KlM. My serving flight was the furthest part of the airport. On arrival in Zurich. My two cases arrived but only one carry on belong to my son. His three suitcase didn't arrive. After enquiring we discovered they were still in Amsterdam. We landed at 11.12. We eventually left the airport just after one.

Seats are fair enough for medium tall people. Good food all the trip. Fight attendances are warm

I thought KLM was the best airline but the Lima - Amsterdam was 1 hours late, the Brussels - Amsterdam was 2.30 hours late and the Amsterdam - Lima was 30 minutes late

no issues at all... Kudos to the food. This time was really really good

Overall a good experience. We were disappointed when we had to check our carry on due to the plane being full. KLM hadn’t notified us and we had valuable items in the carry on but they still made us check it. Some of the food was great and some was mediocre. Crew is really kind and funny.

One of the vstewardeses wanted to bump me of the plane for absolutely nothing. There is CCTV in the plane ans everything can be verified. Very disappointing , you all will see, o other 5 years and the passangers who does not smile to flight attendent will be bumped off...

I travel frequently. The flight was late again... KLM should really try and be on time

The flight itself it was great nice food the crew were very nice and helpful, Checking in from Birmingham wasn't great long queues for bag dropped, And I had my hand luggage case taken away from me even though I requested to have it with me as I had breakables items. I was told I can not because of the length of the flight with no explanation at all no options was given for me to take my fragile items out of my case it was taken away with hold buggage I find the staff member who was checking me in very unpleasant !! Can we please be advise if the rules have changed about the the carry on hand luggage it will be easier to be advise on booking your tickect if we not allowed to take the hand luggage with me. Overall I had a good flight .

I missed my connecting flight due to long lines at security and immigration. Need improvements

Food quality is deteriorating each time, last year was very good. I avoid the plane food lately.

Been flying on various airlines, all over the world, for 50+ years. The food on Brussels Air was easily the worst I ever endured.

I felt the overall quality of the plane and food service was less than that of their partner airlines, United. An example was wine was served in paper cups in premium economy class. There was no real silverware, napkins or a welcome kit other than a pillow and blanket.

Boarding time was a bit slow causing the flight to not leave right at 5 pm,but other than that it was fine.

I like the frequent mails we get when there is an update. Please keep it up

in the front - higher class of business - sitting in the same seat (with one empty in the middle) is not acceptable any more. need the business class to be as we paid for.

my husband's monitor did not work. there was a visibly ill family in my husband's row.

we had to unexpectedly check a bag, the flight was late getting in

There was a two hour delay because of incompetence in scheduling fuel truck. Further, upon arrival in Roanoke, hand baggage was sent to baggage claim. We carry hand baggage because it contains valuable or sensitive materials that we do not want going through the baggage system. This is very poor and United needs to perform better.

Made us check our car seat that could have been used on the 11 hour connecting flight, we explained we wanted to use it and they said we could. When we arrived at our connecting flight the car seat was at the bottom of the plane. This made our flight home 11+ hours pretty hard at times with our toddler. We wished we had our car seat which he had rode on the flight there earlier in the week. The air dolomiti staff were mixed- some were so nice while others (one in particular in Genoa) seemed bothered to be assisting us.

The WiFi didn’t work. The screens for movies were sticky and didn’t have a lot of options.

Worst comfort that I’ve ever experienced on a flight

Got auestioned multiple times by gate agents. They ran out of chicken for the first meal. Slept pretty good on it and had good entertainment.

My incoming flight from Rome to Munich was on time. But part of the deplaning process is that we had to take a bus to the terminal. The layover time was too short so me and other passengers that were going to make the Munich to Diussepdorf plane were stressed. We all ran through the terminal and we got there right on time to find out that our plane to Dusseldorf was 15 mins late.

Flight cancelled then rebooked. Waited hours for help. Customer service lady at airport (who was great) gave us seat upgrade. When we got the the gate to board, gate crew was rude, they switched our seats back to economy and made us and one other couple check our luggage. Dozens of other people with bigger bags weren’t asked to, just us and a couple other foreign passengers. When we boarded the plane, there was plenty of room in overhead storage AND our upgraded seats were empty the entire flight. Awful experience and we missed an entire day in Amsterdam because of this.

The distance between terminals was not clear to me and on my return flight i almost missed y flight in Frankfurt.

The flight was cancelled and I had nothing but problems with Lufthansa for 5 months leading up to the flight. I will never book with Lufthansa or through Kayak again.

my screen did not work, but the middle seat was empty so I used the middle screen. Also, I appreciate that I was allowed to switch to an earlier flight and avoid short delay during boarding

Loved the chocolate treat in the very short flight and the legroom (it was an exit seat) and the service was awesome, very polite and helpful to all.

You booked my 7 year old son to sit on his own without his mum and dad in s separate row between two unfriendly adult strangers. The plane was disgusting and dirty, aisles and everywhere sticky. The lounge waiting area was filthy carpet and had insufficient seats so we had to sit on it to wait for 35 minutes and my 7 year old sone played on this filthy lounge carpet. The outside of the plane appeared clean. The pilot was helpful with the route and what to expect weather etc.

Staff had been really impolite at the boarding area and for both ways charged high extra fees without a reason. For the check-in luggage which was measured 3.5 kg and was confirmed by the stuff to cost 40 € , 60 Euros had been purchased from our credit card. When confronted staff did call us both liars and claimed to never have announced anything. Flight back , when not wanting to press a backpack in a measuring metal instead of hand measuring , staff got angry that one did not follow her order, which was than escalated by the team. Although carrying a baby anyways staff did not offer any help in the unreasonable process and than charged again extra money. Cabine crew has been friendly but this experience LL lead to not booking easy jet at all in the future. Check in process in Edinburgh anyways chaotic,to the family check-in and disabled check-in everybody else was guided for check in process, so people just getting in between each other, not possible to monitor your own stuff.

EverEverything was actually great. Except one of the male flight attendants had the worst BO and needed to shower and wear deodorant. It was horrible.

Trip was completely cancelled with no other reasonable option for that day; no reason given. I will avoid booking anything with easy jet

Speedy boarding is a waste of money when they herd you on to a bus and take you to the plane and it turns in to a free for all …very unsatisfactory

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Whether it’s for an obligation or the sake of your sanity, sometimes you need to get away. Maybe you need flights from Amsterdam to Venice to attend your cousin’s wedding, to pitch a business idea to your boss, or perhaps simply to treat yourself to a mini vacation. Regardless of the reasons behind packing your bags and needing to find the cheapest flights from AMS to VCE, we’ve got you covered here at Flights.com.

We present you with some of the hottest deals on airfare so stop that Google flights search. We want you to spend less on your flight from Amsterdam to Venice, so you can spend more during your getaway. With Flights.com, you’ll find it simple to land airline tickets with itineraries matching your travel schedule. What’s more, we provide you with all the information you need to confidently make reservations on your family, business, or personal trip.

Frequently Traveled Flights from Amsterdam

• Amsterdam to Chennai (AMS - MAA)
• Amsterdam to Hobart (AMS - HBA)
• Amsterdam to Leeds (AMS - LBA)
• Amsterdam to Mombasa (AMS - MBA)
• Amsterdam to Washington (AMS - DCA)
• Amsterdam to Larnaca (AMS - LCA)
• Amsterdam to St. George's (AMS - BDA)
• Amsterdam to Seattle (AMS - SEA)
• Amsterdam to Agadir (AMS - AGA)
• Amsterdam to New York (AMS - LGA)

Popular Flights to Venice

• Hobart to Venice (HBA - VCE)
• Leeds to Venice (LBA - VCE)
• Washington to Venice (DCA - VCE)
• Larnaca to Venice (LCA - VCE)
• Adana to Venice (ADA - VCE)
• Seattle to Venice (SEA - VCE)
• New York to Venice (LGA - VCE)
• Managua to Venice (MGA - VCE)
• Chattanooga to Venice (CHA - VCE)
• Shanghai to Venice (SHA - VCE)

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15 European Destinations That Travel Experts Say To Avoid in 2024

Posted: March 30, 2024 | Last updated: March 30, 2024

If you're ready to plan your next summer vacation, there are several tourist hot spots that travel experts are suggesting vacationers skip. 

Many of the destinations on this list are stunning, world-famous cities that most travelers hope to visit at some point in their lives. But 2024 may simply not be the year.

So, if you're stepping up your travel game this summer, here are 15 hot travel destinations across Europe that experts suggest you avoid this year — and why.

Earn Points and Miles: Find the best travel credit card for nearly free travel

Paris, France

Paris is like no other city in the world, but if you’re not planning to go to the 2024 Summer Olympics, which the city is hosting, you should probably avoid it.

Price hikes on everything from food to accommodations are likely as the city prepares for the Games. If the City of Lights is on your travel bucket list, consider trying next year.

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Venice, Italy

Each year, tourism company Fodor’s releases a list of cities to avoid traveling to — and Venice topped this year’s list.

The stunning city, made up of more than 100 small islands, has been dealing with over-tourism for years, and a summer trip is guaranteed to be packed — even as the city attempts to curb overcrowding by charging vacationers a small entry fee.

Athens, Greece

Athens also made Fodor’s “No List” as the ancient city doesn’t appear to have a good plan for handling the high volume of tourists who seek out its top attractions, like the Parthenon and the Erechtheion.

The historic site is sure to be packed again all summer, so those looking to avoid crowds should consider visiting another time.

Grow Your $$: 11 brilliant ways to build wealth after 40

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam, with its quaint canals and beautiful bikeable roads, is another city plagued by overtourism. The city has taken several measures to try to limit crowds, including capping the number of accommodations allowed in each district.

Still, if you want to experience Amsterdam, consider the off-season.

Positano, Italy

As beautiful as it may be, Italy’s Amalfi Coast, including tourist hotspot Positano, may not be worth its price this summer.

This picturesque coastal town has garnered a reputation for being oh-so-Instagrammable, and with that fame has come price hikes and massive crowds. There are many beautiful Mediterranean destinations to consider instead.

Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos is beautiful — there’s no doubt about that — but it’s also pretty much packed to the brim from June through August.

Would-be vacationers may have better luck booking slightly off-season, like May or September, to enjoy warm temperatures and far fewer crowds.

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Prague, Czech Republic

Last year, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) listed Prague as one of the cities where locals were suffering the most due to over-tourism.

The stunning city, which experiences pleasantly mild summer temperatures, attracts about 8 million tourists annually (and only has about 1.3 million residents). This is another destination where off-season may be the answer.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Stunning sea views, ancient architecture, and a starring role in Game of Thrones have made Dubrovnik a hot tourist destination.

Yet hopeful travelers may want to wait until the allure of visiting King’s Landing dies down a bit — the city was another one that made DW’s over-tourism list in 2023.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the most visited city in Spain, with DW estimating that the city of just 1.6 million residents gets about 12 million tourists a year.

The reasons are obvious: Barcelona is beautiful and sunny most of the year, but it also gets extremely hot in the summer. A visit in May or perhaps late September would mean milder temps (and milder crowds).

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Lisbon, Portugal

With just about 1 million residents, Lisbon sees a whopping 4 to 5 million tourists every year, according to DW. The summer months are quite hot (with averages above 80 degrees through July and August), and visitors can expect densely crowded shores.

Dublin, Ireland

Dublin also tends to be packed with travelers (11 tourists per resident, according to Forbes). While there’s plenty to do and see (and drink) in Ireland’s capital, summer may not be the best time to do it.

Heavy tourist traffic means big crowds and hiked prices. Since Dublin’s weather tends to be mild year-round, an off-season visit may be the smart move.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is another city that has far more tourists than residents. With breathtaking architecture and cobblestone streets, Bruges tends to attract the largest crowds between June and August.

While spring temperatures tend to be mild (around the mid-50s), it may be a better time to vacation to avoid crowds.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland is becoming more and more popular with tourists who want to experience its natural wonders. Its capital, Reykjavik, is another city that’s gotten the Instagram/influencer treatment.

If you visit during summer, you’ll get to experience “midnight sun” (or up to 21 hours of daily sunlight), but you’ll also get the summer crowds and prices.

Marseille, France

France’s second-largest city is one travel experts recommend you check out in the fall, between September and November.

After the peak summer season, between May and August, the ancient city tends to clear out, allowing easier access to beaches, art, and accommodations (often for much cheaper).

London, England

London tends to be packed with tourists year-round, especially in the summer — when travelers can expect higher prices for flights and hotels.

Plus, since the summer weather is often mild in England’s capital, many hotels don’t have air conditioning — which will be quite the predicament if there’s a surprise 90-degree day.

Pro tip: No matter when you travel, make sure to bring a top travel credit card so you earn rewards while you relax.

Bottom line

Every city listed here is worth a visit for a myriad of reasons — but this summer may not be the time. If you’re still longing for a European getaway in 2024, there are often nearby options to hot tourist destinations that are far less crowded and costly.

As always, make sure to do your research ahead of time so you don’t throw money away on a disappointing travel experience.

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The halfway point between Amsterdam, Netherlands and Venice, Italy is:

Uhingen, germany.

• Amsterdam and Venice midpoint

Map of halfway point

View a map with driving directions using your preferred map provider: Google Maps , Bing Maps , or MapQuest .

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Halfway between Amsterdam, Netherlands and Venice, Italy

The best city between Amsterdam, Netherlands and Venice, Italy to meet is Uhingen, Germany which is about 6 miles from the exact midpoint.

The exact latitude and longitude coordinates are 48° 36' 47" N and 9° 37' 3" E .

The closest major city that is roughly halfway is Stuttgart, Germany .

The total driving distance from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Venice, Italy is 850 miles or 1 368 kilometers .

Each person would then have to drive about 425 miles to meet in the middle.

It will take about 6 hours and 18 minutes for each driver to arrive at the meeting point.

For a flight, the straight line geographic midpoint coordinates are 48° 57' 47" N and 8° 52' 2" E .

The city at the geographic halfway point from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Venice, Italy is Muhlacker, Germany .

related links

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Venice, Italy

• airlines serving Venice, Italy
• hotels near Venice, Italy
• airports near Venice, Italy
• cities near Venice, Italy

Halfway point calculator

Travelmath helps you figure out the midpoint between two locations based on the driving directions from each starting point. You can find the closest town that is an equal distance from two cities. Use this tool to determine the best city to meet, or to look for interesting stops along the way if you're planning a long road trip and you need to take a break or stay overnight. Search for hotels at the midpoint city to split up your drive, or explore other nearby cities and discover local towns on your trip. If you're meeting a friend halfway in-between, you can figure out how far each person has to drive and how long it will take to arrive at the center. Even if you're separated by water, you can still calculate the straight line geographic midpoint to determine the closest flight distance.

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Venice's plan to charge tourists descended into chaos, showing how much of a headache overtourism has become

• Last week, Venice introduced a 5 euro, or $5.40, fee for day-trippers to mitigate overtourism.
• The fee is part of a trial that's running until July 14 and will apply on 29 "peak" days.
• The move sparked protests, highlighting the problems city officials face when tackling overtourism.

Venice is one of many cities grappling with the effects of overtourism as its number of visitors has bounced back from pandemic-era lows.

When cities become overrun with tourists, officials are often tasked with finding ways to make them more livable for residents.

Officials in the Italian city took action last week by implementing a trial fee of 5 euros — about $5.40 — for day-trippers on certain days. But the residents it aims to help aren't all happy about it.

While the hoards of tourists that descend on Venice's narrow streets can be a headache for people who live there year-round, many locals don't believe that charging people is the answer.

About 500 people protested the fee after it came into effect on Thursday. Some of them clashed with riot police; others held up signs and banners saying, "No to ticket, yes to houses and services for all," The Guardian reported.

Opponents claim that the fee, which kicks in on 29 "peak" days from April 25 to July 14, is against the principle of freedom of movement and is too low to deter tourists.

The fee's introduction immediately caused frustration — and not just among locals.

Related stories

The Guardian reported that some visitors were confused about how to prove they'd registered. Though overnight visitors were not required to pay the day fee, some didn't realize they still had to register their exemption.

The office of Simone Venturini, the city's tourism councilor, did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Venturini previously said the plan wasn't designed for the purpose of raising cash, and that the money raised would only cover operating costs.

Tourists visiting Venice on peak days need to buy a ticket online or at booths to enter the city. Those who fail to register risk being stopped by a ticket inspector and charged between 50 and 300 euros. On Thursday, the city's municipal council said that 113,000 people registered, of which 15,700 were paying guests.

Locals don't need to pay the fee to enter the ticketed area, but they do still need to book online, which has become a point of contention.

One opponent to the measure said on Thursday that Venice was "becoming a museum, a theme park," Reuters reported. Photos show some protesters holding up signs saying, "Welcome to Veniceland."

Other examples of overtourism crackdowns include Amsterdam's city council voting to ban cruise ships from docking in the city center. The move aims to reduce big crowds and limit environmental damage from the ships.

Amsterdam also launched a campaign to reduce the number of "messy" young, male British tourists traveling to the city to party and take illicit drugs.

In other cases, officials in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, opted to erect an 8-foot-tall mesh fence to discourage tourists from flocking to take photographs of Mount Fuji . The officials said it was a last resort after tourists crowded the area, left trash, and ignored traffic laws.

Elsewhere, a town in Austria that inspired the film " Frozen " also installed a fence to deter tourists from taking selfies. The temporary wooden fence was one of several tourist-curbing measures trialed in the 800-person town of Hallstatt, where the number of visitors can reach up to 10,000 a day , the BBC reported.

Other tourist hot spots have implemented caps on the number of daily visitors. In September, Greek officials introduced a 20,000-person daily cap on visitors to the Acropolis in Athens. Several US national parks also have daily caps.

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Venice launches world first tourist entrance fee in bid to fight overcrowding

VENICE, Italy — Ancient and beautiful, this city is sometimes referred to as an open air museum — and now visitors to Venice will have to pay an entry fee after the tourist hub on Thursday became the first in the world to introduce a charging system for day-trippers.

In a bid to thin out the crowds that throng to see the canals, bridges and striking architecture during vacation season, day-trippers will have to pay 5 euros ($5.35) to enter the lagoon city on 29 peak days, mostly on weekends, as part of a trial phase until July 14. 

Tourists who have booked at least one night at a hotel in the city will be exempt from the charge, as will residents, workers and students in the city. Visitors under age 14 will also be exempt. But like the day-trippers, they will also have to ensure they have registered online and received QR codes.  

Those without smartphones will have to go to the city’s Santa Lucia train station to buy tickets. 

Among the thousands of people lining up at the station for a ticket Thursday was Donna Porter-Mutchler, a tourist from Tennessee, who told NBC News she thought the charge was “a wonderful idea.”  

“Venice deserves to be taken care of,” she said. “I think it’s more than worth it. I come here often, and I’ll pay every time.” 

While there will be no limits on the number of people who can register, officials hope the fee will put people off on days it applies. 

“We are not looking to collect money, tax people or introduce a police state,” Simone Venturini, Venice’s tourism councilor, told NBC News. “We are being democratic about it, but the important message is: ‘Please, if you are a day-tripper, choose another day.’”

While there are no turnstiles at the city’s entrance points to make sure people have passes, inspectors will make random checks and issue fines of 50 to 300 euros to anyone who has failed to register.

Prominent signs across the city and a TV and newspaper advertising campaign have been launched in Italy and some other countries to let people know about it. And with the help of artificial intelligence , Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has also recorded a video message in several languages to inform tourists about the charge.  

Officials in the city estimate an average of 50,000 people a day visit Venice, an influx that almost matches the resident population, some of whom are unhappy about the new charge.  

“Venice has turned into Disneyland, where tourists are catered more than residents, and charging $5 is not going to stop anyone,” Federica Toninello of the Social Assembly for Housing and the Solidarity Network for Housing in Venice said Thursday. “It’s just propaganda.”

Others, like tourist guide Luisella Romeo, said they were concerned about the use of personal data collected by the new system. “That’s an invasion of privacy. Those details will remain in the system for five years and could be given to third parties, public and private,” she said. 

But officials in the city, which narrowly escaped being placed on UNESCO’s “World Heritage in Danger” list last year, in part because the United Nations body decided that it was not addressing concerns that its delicate ecosystem risked being overwhelmed by mass tourism, have insisted that something needed to be done. 

Three years ago, large cruise ships were banned from sailing into the Venetian lagoon , and the city has also announced limits on the sizes of tourist groups.

While the charge in Venice is still in its experimental stage, other popular Italian tourism destinations, like Lake Como, which has struggled with overcrowding for years, are watching closely.

Only time will tell whether it ends up dead in the water.  

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.