Train stations in Amsterdam (in orange; centre in bright orange). Black lines: railways. Red lines: metro lines.
Most trains arrive and depart from Amsterdam Centraal Station (with one extra 'a' in Dutch), located on an island between the Amsterdam/Old Centre and the IJ waterfront. Other important train stations are Duivendrecht and Bijlmer-ArenA in the southeast, Amstel and Muiderpoort in the East, RAI and Zuid-WTC in the South, and Lelylaan and Sloterdijk in the West. Schiphol Airport also has its own train station, which functions as a major interchange station. It has at least seven trains an hour to Amsterdam Centraal, with additional trains going to other stations in Amsterdam.
Most international trains run directly to Amsterdam Centraal Station:
Thalys is a high-speed train that connects Amsterdam with Paris (3h19), Brussels (1h54), and Antwerp (1h12). Thalys trains rup up to ten times a day. The cheapest tickets are sold early, so book in advance if possible. There is a bar coach avalaible; if you're travelling in first class, a snack and drinks are included in the price.
The Intercity train to Brussels runs every hour to Antwerp (2h09) and Brussels (2h51). This train is slower, but also cheaper than the Thalys. Seat reservation is not possible, just buy your ticket at the station and hop on the train. Tickets are also sold online. There is a refreshment trolley on board of each train for drinks and snacks.
ICE International connects Amsterdam up 7 times each day with Düsseldorf (2h16), Cologne (2h41), and Frankfurt (3h46). One ICE-train runs to Basel (6h43). There is a BordBistro-coach available on each ICE-train.
The Intercity train to Berlin runs every two hours and connects Amsterdam with Osnabrück (3h08), Hanover (4h20), and Berlin (6h22). Note that this train doesn't attend the Centraal Station. The train does stop at Amsterdam Zuid, from where you can reach the city centre with tram 5 or metro 51, in the direction Centraal Station. You can also change trains in Hilversum, and get a domestic train to the Centraal Station from there. A BordBistro-coach is available on each train to Berlin.
CityNightLine/Euronight runs overnight trains from Amsterdam Centraal Station directly to Copenhagen (1 night), Warsaw (1 night), Minsk (1 night and 1 day), Moscow (2 nights and 1 day), Prague (1 night), Munich (1 night) and Zurich (1 night). Travelling with these trains might save you a hotel night. You can choose to spend the night in ordinary seats, reclining seats (only to Warsaw/Munich/Zürich), 6- or 4-bedded couchettes, or a 3, 2 or 1-bedded private sleeper-compartment with washing bassin or private shower/toilet. A breakfast is included in the sleeper-compartment, other snacks/drinks are also on sale onboard the trains.
Eurostar runs a high speed service from London St Pancras Station to Brussels Zuid/Midi Station. From Brussels you can continue to Amsterdam by Thalys or take the Intercity to Amsterdam. Tickets are sold on the Eurostar website and (sometimes cheaper) on the website.
If you plan to take a train to Amsterdam, it's advisable to check the train times in the international journey planner. Most tickets are sold online, and often it is cheaper to book tickets in advance. Tickets are also sold at the international ticket offices at Amsterdam Centraal Station and at Schiphol Airport. Or visit the Treinreiswinkel (Singel 393).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Amsterdam
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Amsterdam - updated Apr 2024
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Amsterdam Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
