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London to Amsterdamby Dutch Flyer train & ferry,from £45 + £30 cabinLow-cost but high-comfort overnight service from London to Amsterdam with private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi - saves a hotel bill too! Click here for timetable & fares What's it like? Watch the video! Buy tickets starting in Amsterdam London to Amsterdam by Eurostar from £99 return...London to Amsterdam in 4½-5 hours by Eurostar with an easy change in Brussels... |
London to Amsterdam, in comfort without flying...
Fed up with flying? This page explains how to travel from London or anywhere in the UK to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands, avoiding airport hassle and reducing your impact on the environment. Upgrade from a stressful flight to the civilised Dutch Flyer or Eurostar!
London to Amsterdam Dutch Flyer train & ferry...
Leave London at 7.32pm by train, sleep in a private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi on the luxury Stena Line superferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, then take a Dutch train to Amsterdam Centraal next morning, arriving 09:47. See the video! One ticket covers both trains and ferry from £45 each way plus £30 for a single cabin or £43 per cabin for a 2-berth. Ideal for a weekend break or eco-friendly business trip, with your emissions cut by up to 80% compared to a flight. There's a daytime service too, with cabins optional. Click here for timetables, fares, and how to buy tickets.
London to Amsterdam by Eurostar in 4h37...
High-speed trains take as little as 4 hours 37 minutes from central London to central Amsterdam, compared to around 4 hours of hassle by air. Take Eurostar from London to Brussels and change onto a high-speed Thalys train from Brussels to Amsterdam, stress-free & relaxed compared to flying. Click here for timetables, fares and how to buy tickets
North of England to Amsterdam by cruise ferry...
Don't fly, cruise! Take a train to Newcastle or Hull then a luxurious overnight cruise ferry to Holland, a comfortable, convenient & time-effective way to go, by-passing London. Click here for DFDS Seaways ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Click here for P&O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.
London to Rotterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem & other Dutch destinations...
Dutch Flyer train+ferry tickets are valid to any station in the Netherlands, not just Amsterdam. Simply take the train & overnight luxury superferry to Hoek van Holland, then use Netherlands Railways intercity trains to travel just about anywhere: Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Apeldoorn, Groningen... Or travel by Eurostar and Thalys to Rotterdam or Amsterdam then connecting trains, book at www.b-europe.com.
Other Amsterdam travel information...
Buy Dutch Railways train tickets online with Visa or MasterCard
Trains from Amsterdam to other European cities
Trains from other European cities to Amsterdam
Amsterdam to Brussels & Paris by Thalys high-speed train
Useful country information - tourist info, currency, dialling code...
Short breaks in Amsterdam by Eurostar
City tour by hop-on hop-off open top bus
Luggage arrangements left luggage lockers in Amsterdam
Taking a bike Taking a dog General train travel info
Interactive map: Click a route for information...Holland or the Netherlands?What's the difference?Holland is a region made up of 2 of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands, Noord Holland & Zuid Holland. The other 10 provinces are not Holland. Telling someone from Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Groningen or Maastricht that they come from Holland is like telling a Glaswegian that he comes from England... |
Hotels in Amsterdam...Click here for suggested hotels in Amsterdam At booking.com you can book with free cancellation months before train bookings open, risk-free. I also suggest hotelscombined.com for a price comparison, a remarkable site. Sponsored links... |
Useful country information
Train operator: |
NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen), www.ns.nl for train times & fares in the Netherlands, but to buy Dutch train tickets online with a credit card use www.b-europe.com. Eurostar times & fares. All-Europe online train times. Amsterdam bus & tram info: www.gvb.nl. |
Ferry operators UK-Holland: |
Harwich-Hoek van Holland: www.stenaline.co.uk. Train+ferry London-Amsterdam: www.dutchflyer.co.uk. Newcastle-Amsterdam: www.dfds.co.uk. Hull-Rotterdam: www.poferries.com |
Railpasses: |
Beginner's guide to European railpasses Buy a rail pass online |
Time zone: |
GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October). |
Dialling code: |
+31 |
Currency: |
£1 = approx 1.15 euros Check current exchange rates |
Tourist information: |
Hotels, hostels & tours: |
Page last updated: |
3 March 2014. Train times valid from 15 Dec 2013 to 14 June 2014. |
London to Amsterdam by Dutch Flyer train & ferry
Buy tickets starting in the Netherlands
Take the train from London to Harwich...
Watch the City of London skyline disappear behind you
as the train heads out through the suburbs, then enjoy the scenery as
the train runs through rural Essex and along the
pretty Stour Estuary
to arrive
right alongside the brightly-lit ferry at Harwich
...and board the world's largest superferry.
At Harwich, you simply walk off the
train, up the steps or use the lift onto the
footbridge and straight into the ferry terminal.
Walk through the departures door and through a quick
& easy
security check & passport control to the
check-in desk. You show your passport
& e-ticket and are given your cabin key, then
you walk up the gangway onto the ferry to Hoek van
Holland. It's unbelievably quick &
painless compared to airports, train to ferry takes
just 10 minutes. The
Stena Hollandica
is the largest RoPax ferry in the world, a 63,000
ton floating hotel with over 1,400 beds in 538
cabins. Steady as a rock!
Snuggle down in a private cabin with shower,
toilet, satellite
TV, free WiFi.
All passengers on the night crossing get a private cabin,
and even the cheapest cabins come with en suite
shower & toilet, satellite TV, free WiFi, top quality Swedish Dux mattresses, fresh towels, soap
shampoo/shower gel. There's a desk with power
sockets for laptops & mobiles. Cabins are
optional but half price on the day crossing.
See the full range of cabins.
Dinner in the à la carte restaurant?
Add a 3-course dinner to your booking for £22
and you'll find a table reserved for you in the
Metropolitan à la carte restaurant...
Free WiFi & free internet access. Forgot your
laptop? You can use these PCs on the Stena
Line ferry free of charge. If you've a laptop
or smartphone there's free WiFi throughout the ship...
...There are bars, lounges, a cinema & shop.
This is one of the bar areas on the Stena Hollandica...
Next morning, egg & bacon from the breakfast buffet
in the Taste restaurant - or there are healthier options if you prefer! Add
an unlimited buffet breakfast to your booking for £10...
...then step ashore in Holland. Simply walk down
the gangway into the terminal,
through Dutch passport control & onto the platform for the train to Rotterdam.
It takes just minutes, totally painless. Above, the
giant ferry
Stena Hollandica has arrived
at Hoek van
Holland on a bright &
sunny morning, spot on time...
...and take a modern Dutch
train to anywhere in the Netherlands. Air-conditioned Sprinter trains leave Hoek van Holland
Haven (platform 2) every 20-30 minutes for Rotterdam
Centraal, change there for
InterCity trains to Amsterdam
Centraal or anywhere in the
Netherlands. Many InterCity trains are
double-deck, choose a top deck seat for the best
You arrive at Amsterdam Centraal, a stroll from most
hotels and walking distance from all the sights...
One ticket covers the whole journey from London to
Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands, from £45
each way!
Buy a ticket online...
See the video...
Standard cabins (1, 2 or 5-berth) have comfy beds with top-quality Swedish Dux
mattresses, en suite toilet &
shower, satellite TV, European-style power sockets for laptops
mobiles, free WiFi & a small dressing table.
Towels, shower gel/shampoo & bedding are provided.
Above, here's a
Standard 1 or 2-berth outside
cabin. Sold as a single, you pay just £39 for the
room plus a travel ticket from £45. As a double, it's
£51 for the room plus a travel ticket for each
Outside means with window, much nicer
than an inside cabin & worth the extra few pounds.
The new Stena Hollandica has
extra-large cabin windows for great sea views...
This is a
Standard 5-berth outside cabin.
Comfort Class 2
or 3-berth: All the features of a standard cabin
plus a bit more room,
tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, complimentary fruit bowl & complimentary minibar with
fruit juice and soft drinks.
Ideal for an eco-friendly business trip or special
weekend away to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or
Den Haag... One berth is extra-wide,
effectively a double bed.
This is a
Comfort Class cabin. £72 for the
room, plus a travel ticket (from £45) for each
Captain's Class
For even more space, book a Captain's Class cabin.
All the facilities of a standard cabin, but with a double bed, tea/coffee
making facilities, hairdryer, fruit bowl & complimentary minibar with beer, juice
& sparkling wine.
This is a
Captain's Class cabin with double
bed. You pay £98 for the room (£49 on the day
crossing) plus a travel
ticket (from £45) for each passenger.
Captain's Suite
The ultimate choice, with double bed, separate sitting
room with satellite
TV, Nespresso coffee maker, fruit bowl & complimentary minibar.
This is a Captain's Suite sitting room, a
bedroom with double bed is next door. It's £123
for the suite (£62 on the day crossing), plus a travel ticket (from (£45) for each
Still unsure which cabin?
See cabin video...
Booking tips... - This system can book one-way or return tickets starting in the UK. Booking opens up to 12 months ahead. - For one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands, see the advice here. - The booking process makes sense if you realise that you're first telling it you want a rail & sail ticket from London to Amsterdam, then booking the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, as the train connections don't need reservations. - At the end of the booking you are emailed an e-ticket in .pdf format. - Overseas credit cards accepted, but if you're from the USA and have any problems paying, call Stena Line's USA toll-free number 1-866-261-0359 (08:00-22:00 CET). - If your travel date is less than 24 hours away, you'll need to book by phone, 08445 762 762 (UK callers only). Put the romance back... Flying has lost its glamour. It's time to put the romance back. Upgrade from a cheap flight to the Dutch Flyer. This is a glass of complimentary cava in a Captain's Class cabin... Stena Plus Lounge. On the day crossing, you can pay a small supplement to access to the quiet Stena Plus Lounge with complimentary tea, coffee, red & white wine and newspapers. Although a half-price private cabin with TV may be a better buy! Fresh air. If you're an airline passenger, you may have forgotten what this is... |
An increasingly popular way to reach Amsterdam...
A Dutch Flyer ticket covers the train from London or any station on the Great Anglia network to Harwich, the luxurious Stena Line superferry to Hoek van Holland and an onward train to Amsterdam Centraal or any rail station in the Netherlands. It's the traditional way to reach Amsterdam! There are two services a day, one using the Harwich-Hoek overnight ferry and the other the daytime ferry. Stena Line brought two new 63,000 ton superferries into service in 2010, the largest of their kind in the world, with classy private cabins with toilet, shower, free WiFi & satellite TV. They now report that passenger numbers are growing fast, and it's being used by an increasing number of young professionals keen to avoid airport stress, cut their environmental impact, and save on expensive hotels in Amsterdam or London. The Dutch Flyer service is run by Stena Line, Greater Anglia Trains & Dutch railways (NS) working together. See the video...
CO2 savings: Flight = 68 Kg CO2 per passenger, Dutch Flyer = 13.6 Kg, an 80% saving (Source).
In this section...
London ► Amsterdam overnight...
London 19:32, sleep on ferry, Amsterdam 09:47
This comfortable overnight train & ferry service is the most civilised & time-effective way from central London to central Amsterdam. You sleep in a private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi on board the Stena Line superferry. Runs every day except 24, 25, 31 December. There's a direct connection from Cambridge & Ipswich, too.
Leave London Liverpool Street Station at 19:32 every day by train to Harwich International, arriving at 20:54 on Mondays to Saturdays or 21:14 on Sundays. Your ticket is in fact valid on any train to Harwich, you can take an earlier one if you like, or if you're delayed for any reason, a slightly later one. The train arrives directly at the ferry terminal, you simply walk off the train, up the steps (or use the lift) onto the footbridge which leads straight into the ferry terminal, walk through the departures door to the left of the Stena Line desk, through the brief and painless X-ray and passport check, then check in at the Stena Line desk to get your cabin key and walk up the gangway onto the ferry. You can be on board the ferry within 10 minutes of arriving on the train! You can board the ferry any time from around 20:35 onwards, so you can have a late dinner in the ship's à la carte or self service restaurant and settle into your private en suite cabin. Check in closes at 22:30. To check train times from other UK towns & cities to Harwich, use www.nationalrail.co.uk.
The Cambridge & Ipswich connection: There's a direct train from Cambridge & Ipswich to Harwich, leaving Cambridge at 19:43 on Mondays-Saturdays or 19:12 on Sundays, leaving Ipswich at 21:00 on Mondays-Fridays or 20:35 on Sundays, arriving Harwich at 21:29 (21:04 on Sundays).
Sail from Harwich to Hoek van Holland on Stena Line's overnight luxury superferry, sailing at 23:15 & arriving at 07:45 next morning. Remember that Dutch time is 1 hour ahead of UK time. This is Stena Line's superb new superferry Stena Hollandica, the largest ferry of her kind in the world at over 63,000 tons. She's a floating hotel with over 1,400 beds, as all passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite toilet & shower, satellite TV, free WiFi internet access, power sockets for mobiles or laptop, and soap, shampoo/shower gel, towels & bedding all provided. The ferry has a bar, wine bar, self-service & à la carte restaurants, shop, cinema showing the latest releases, Guest Services desk, & children's play area. The giant superferry is rock-steady in almost all weathers and the crossing is almost always smooth, making it very easy to sleep (and the cabins have top quality Swedish 'Dux' mattresses, of which Stena Line are very proud, even putting the Dux logo on the cabin doors!). See the range of cabins available here. A cooked breakfast is available in the restaurant in the morning. At Hoek van Holland, the ferry terminal is right next to the station, you walk off the ferry via the passenger gangway, through passport control and straight onto the station platform.
For Rotterdam, travel from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam by frequent Sprinter train, leaving every 15-30 minutes from platform 2. There's a train at 08:11 Mondays-Fridays arriving Rotterdam Centraal at 08:41, or one at 08:26 every day arriving Rotterdam Centraal 08:57.
For Amsterdam, travel from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam Centrum by Sprinter train, leaving 08:11 on Mondays-Fridays from platform 2 and arriving Schiedam Centrum at 08:36. You arrive on platform 1, nip across to platform 5 for the 08:42 InterCity train to Amsterdam arriving Den Haag HS 08:56 & Amsterdam Centraal at 09:47. On Saturdays & Sundays you leave Hoek van Holland at 08:26 arriving Schiedam Centrum 08:51, nip across to platform 5 for the 08:57 InterCity train to Amsterdam, arriving Den Haag 09:11 and Amsterdam Centraal at 10:01. Many of these InterCity trains are double-deckers, take a top deck seat for the best views.
If you're heading for anywhere else in the Netherlands, check train times using www.ns.nl. High-speed Fyra trains can be used between Rotterdam & Amsterdam, but a €2.80 supplement must be paid.
London ► Amsterdam by day...
London depart 06:38 Mon-Sat, Amsterdam 19:01
London depart 07:55 Sundays, Amsterdam 20:31
This is the leisurely daytime cruise option, but make sure you can get to Liverpool Street station in time for the early start. Book a private cabin on the ferry (cabins are optional but half-price on the Day Boat), enjoy a meal in the restaurant at sea, and chill out. Runs every day except 24, 25, 26 December.
Depart London Liverpool Street Station at 06:38 on Mondays-Saturdays or 07:55 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International arriving at 08:09 Mondays-Fridays or 09:25 on Sundays. At Harwich, the train arrives directly at the ferry terminal, simply walk up the steps (or use the lift) onto the footbridge which leads straight into the ferry terminal, walk through the departures door to the left of the Stena Line desk, through the brief and painless X-ray and passport check, then check in at the Stena Line desk and walk up the gangway onto the ferry. For train times from other places to Harwich, check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Always check train times, especially if travelling at weekends.
Cruise from Harwich to Hoek van Holland by daily Stena Line luxury superferry. On Mondays-Saturdays she sails at 09:00 arriving 16:45. On Sundays she sails at 10:00 arriving ay 18:00. This is the Stena Line Superferry 'Stena Britannica'. There are two bars, self service & buffer restaurants, coffee shop, cinema showing the latest releases, children's play area, free WiFi & internet access. There's mobile phone access throughout the voyage. Cabins are optional, but are half price on the day crossing, so well worth it for privacy and somewhere to work, freshen up or snooze. At Hoek van Holland, the ferry terminal is right next to the station, you walk off the ferry through passport control and onto the station platform.
Take the local Sprinter train from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam or Rotterdam, leaving every 15-30 minutes from platform 2. On Mondays-Saturdays there's one at 17:26 arriving Schiedam Centrum at 17:51 & Rotterdam Centraal at 17:57. On Sundays there's one at 18:56 arriving Schiedam Centrum 19:21 & Rotterdam Centraal at 19:27.
Travel from Schiedam Centrum to Amsterdam by InterCity train, leaving Schiedam Centrum at 17:57 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Den Haag 18:11 & Amsterdam Centraal at 19:01. On Sundays, you leave Schiedam Centrum at 19:27 and arrive Den Haag 19:41 & Amsterdam Centraal at 20:31. Many of these InterCity trains are double-deckers, take a top deck seat for the best views. If you're heading for anywhere else in the Netherlands, check train times using www.ns.nl.
Amsterdam ► London overnight...
Amsterdam 18:42, sleep on ferry, London 08:54
This overnight train & ferry service is the most time-effective way from central Amsterdam to central London. You sleep in a luxurious private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi on board the Stena Line ferry, saving an expensive hotel night in Amsterdam or London. Runs every day except 24, 25, 31 December.
Leave Amsterdam Centraal daily at 18:42 or Den Haag HS at 19:34 by InterCity train to Rotterdam Centraal, arriving at 19:53. Many of these InterCity trains are double-deckers, so take a top deck seat for the best views.
Travel from Rotterdam to Hoek of Holland by local Sprinter train. This local train runs every 15-30 minutes, normally leaving from platform 1. There's a train at 20:02 arriving Hoek Van Holland Haven at 20:32. By all means catch an earlier train, your ticket is valid on any train, and the ship starts boarding from around 20:00. At Hoek, the train arrives right next to the ferry terminal.
Sail from Hoek van Holland to Harwich by overnight Stena Line luxury superferry, sailing at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 Saturdays & Sundays, arriving at 06:30 next morning. Remember that UK time is 1 hour behind Dutch time. This is Stena Line's new superferry Stena Britannica. She's a floating hotel, as all passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite toilet & shower, free WiFi internet access, LCD satellite TV, power sockets for mobiles or laptop, with soap, shampoo/shower gel, towels & bedding all provided. The ferry has two bars, self-service & a la carte restaurants, shop, cinema showing the latest releases, Guest Services desk, & children's play area. The crossing is almost always smooth & comfortable, making it very easy to sleep, as do the top quality Swedish Dux mattresses (of which Stena Line are very proud!). See the range of cabins available here. At Harwich, the ferry terminal is right next to the station, you walk off the ferry through passport control and onto the station.
Travel from Harwich to London by direct train, leaving Harwich International at 07:15 Monday-Friday or 07:20 Saturdays & Sundays, arriving London Liverpool Street station at 08:54 Monday-Friday, 08:45 Saturday or 08:59 Sunday. You can check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
The Cambridge & Ipswich connection: There's a direct train from Harwich to Ipswich & Cambridge. It leaves Harwich International at 07:50 on Mondays to Saturdays arriving Ipswich at 08:17 and Cambridge at 09:39. On Sundays, it leaves Harwich at 08:30, arriving Ipswich at 08:53 and Cambridge at 10:24. You can check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Amsterdam ► London by day...
Amsterdam depart 11:12, London arrive 22:14
This is the leisurely daytime cruise option: Book a private cabin on the ferry (cabins are optional but half-price on the Day Boat), enjoy a meal in the restaurant at sea, and chill out. Runs every day except 24, 25, 26 December. In this direction, the Day Boat is conveniently timed, and just as good an option as the Night Boat.
Leave Amsterdam Centraal daily at 11:12 or Den Haag HS at 12:04 by InterCity train to Rotterdam Centraal, arriving at 12:23. Many of these InterCity trains are double-deckers, so take a top deck seat for the best views.
Take the local Sprinter train from Rotterdam Centraal to Hoek of Holland. This runs every 15-30 minutes, normally leaving from platform 1. There's one at 12:32 arriving Hoek Van Holland Haven at 13:02.
Cruise from Hoek van Holland to Harwich by daily Stena Line luxury superferry, sailing at 14:30 & arriving at 20:00. Remember that UK time is 1 hour behind Dutch time. This is Stena Line's superb new superferry Stena Hollandica. The ferry has two bars, self-service & à la carte restaurants, shop, a cinema showing the latest releases, Guest Services desk, children's play area, free WiFi & internet access, a TV news room, and the Stena Plus club lounge. There's mobile phone access throughout the voyage and an area with free internet access computers if you haven't brought your own laptop. At Harwich, the ferry terminal is right next to the station, you walk off the ferry through passport control and onto the station. Cabins are optional on the day crossing, but are half price so well worth it for privacy and somewhere to work, freshen up, watch satellite TV or snooze. Bring a bottle of wine (or buy one on board) and chill out in your cabin. See the range of cabins available here.
Travel from Harwich to London by direct train. On Mondays-Saturdays a train leaves Harwich International at 20:45 arriving London Liverpool Street station at 22:14. On Sundays, leave Harwich at 20:35, arriving London Liverpool Street at 22:02. You can check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
How much does it cost? |
London to Amsterdam £45 one-way, £90 returnChildren (aged 4-14 inclusive) £22.50 one way, £45 return Children aged 0-3 inclusive travel for free. Slightly higher fares (perhaps £50-£55 each way) may apply on peak dates or if travelling at short notice. The fare covers train+ferry+train travel from London or any Greater Anglia station including Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Romford to Amsterdam or any Dutch station including Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Arnhem, Utrecht, Groningen, Maastricht. How to buy tickets |
Cabins You must pay for a cabin on the overnight ferry... |
Per cabin, not per person |
Overnight ferry... (essential) |
Daytime ferry... (optional) |
Single berth cabin |
£30 |
£15 |
Single berth cabin with window |
£39 |
£20 |
2-berth cabin |
£43 |
£22 |
2-berth cabin with window |
£51 |
£26 |
3 or 4 berth cabin with window |
£76 |
£38 |
5-berth cabin with window |
£83 |
£42 |
Comfort Class 2-berth cabin, window |
£72 |
£36 |
Captain's Class deluxe 2-berth, window |
£98 |
£49 |
Captain's Suite deluxe 2-berth, window |
£123 |
£62 |
About these fares...
What does the fare include? The fare includes the train from London, Cambridge or any Greater Anglia rail station to Harwich, Stena Line ferry to Hoek van Holland, and the Dutch train from Hoek to Amsterdam or any Dutch station, all on one ticket.
Cabins are compulsory on the overnight ferry: You must add the cost of a cabin to the cost of travel tickets for each person (in other words, two people would pay for 2 x £45 travel tickets plus 1 x £43 cabin = £133 = £66.50 each. A solo passenger would pay £45 fare + £30 cabin = £75.
Standard cabins have satellite TV, WiFi internet access, incredibly comfortable beds with Dux mattresses, fresh clean sheets & snug duvets, private shower & toilet with fluffy towels & shampoo/shower gel, and a small writing desk/dressing table with European 2-pin power sockets for mobiles or laptops, see the photo above. 'Inside' means without porthole inside the ship. There are special cabins available for passengers with disabilities.
Comfort & Captain's Class cabins all have large windows, satellite TV, WiFi internet access, tea & coffee making facilities, fresh fruit & complimentary minibar (mineral water and soft drinks and in Captain's class, small bottles of sparkling wine, red & white wine, cans of beer) all included in the cabin price. Ideal for a civilised low-carbon business trip to the Netherlands or a special weekend away!
Cabins are optional but half price on the daytime ferry. The privacy & comfort of a private cabin with satellite TV, WiFi, power sockets for mobile phones or a laptop is highly recommended for the 6 ½ hour daytime crossing. Have a snooze, freshen up in the shower, get some work done, or relax with your family. Self-service and waiter-service restaurants are available for meals on the ferry, plus bars, cinema, shop, games area, Stena Plus club lounge, free internet computers & TV news screens.
Pre-book lunch, dinner or breakfast: When you buy your tickets at www.dutchflyer.co.uk you can add a meal to the booking. For example, a good 3-course dinner on the night crossing costs £22, or pre-book both dinner & breakfast for £29. A 2-course lunch on the day crossing costs £16. This saves a few pounds over what you'd pay on board and you'll find a reserved table with your name on it in the Metropolitan à la carte restaurant. Recommended!
You can't use Fyra or Thalys high-speed trains: The ticket is not valid on Thalys or the fast Fyra-branded trains between Rotterdam & Amsterdam, only on the frequent Dutch domestic InterCity trains.
Useful links...
The Dutch Flyer website is www.dutchflyer.co.uk.
To check ferry sailing times see www.stenaline.co.uk.
To check UK train times see www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Check Dutch train times to/from Hoek van Holland Haven at www.ns.nl.
Travel to any station in the Netherlands...
These fares are valid to any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam, meaning almost any town or city in the Netherlands. For example, from central London to Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Haarlem, Utrecht, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Groningen, Enschede, Deventer, Amersfoort, in fact any Dutch railway station you like... Simply check train times from Hoek van Holland to anywhere in the Netherlands using the Dutch Railways website, www.ns.nl.
Travel from any station on Greater Anglia...
These fares are valid from any Greater Anglia railway station, not just London, including Cambridge, Colchester, Chelmsford, Norwich, Ipswich, Ely, Romford, Ilford, or Bishop's Stortford. There are direct trains from Cambridge and Ipswich to Harwich, as well as from London, Chelmsford & Colchester. Simply check train fares & times from your local station to Harwich International using www.nationalrail.co.uk. Allow plenty of time (at least 40 minutes, preferably more) to connect with the ferry at Harwich.
From Edinburgh, York, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham (and so on) all you need is a ticket to Peterborough, as your rail & sail ticket to Amsterdam is valid from any Greater Anglia station, which includes Peterborough.
Luggage, dogs & bikes...
Luggage: You can take as much luggage as you can carry, there are no weight or size limits. Just remember you will have to handle it! You keep your luggage with you throughout the journey, putting it on the luggage racks on the trains and taking it into your cabin on the ferry. On the day sailing, if you don't have a cabin it can be left in a luggage room that will be locked during the crossing.
Bicycles: You can't use a special Dutch Flyer ticket if you want to take a bike, as they have removed the ability to add a bike to your booking. But you can still take a bike on the Dutch Flyer service if you buy separate train & ferry tickets, still great value, especially if you use an advance-purchase ticket for the rail part of the journey. Full details of costs and how to buy tickets with a bike are explained on the bikes by train page.
Dogs or other pets: You can take your dog or cat under the PETS travel scheme, if you reserve an on-board kennel for around an extra £15 each way. Buy a Dutch Flyer ticket in the normal way at www.dutchflyer.co.uk, and at the stage where you enter the number of passengers and select a cabin, simply enter the number of animals requiring a reserved kennel. Dogs go free on the train from London to Harwich. On Dutch trains, small dogs or cats go free if they are in a container on your lap, for a larger dog you'll need to buy a Dog Day Card (Dagkart Hond) for about €3 - you can buy this at the information desk on deck 9 on board the Stena Line ferry. For more information see the taking your dog or pet page.
How to buy tickets starting in the UK: Click here
Buy tickets online (recommended): www.dutchflyer.co.uk sells one-way or return train+ferry tickets from London or any Greater Anglia railway station to Amsterdam or any Dutch station. It's part of Stena Line's website and can offer the full range of cabins & on-board meals. I recommend reading the booking tips in the red box on the right!
By phone: You can buy train+ferry tickets by phone from Stena Line on 08445 762 762 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays, all cabin & meal options can be sold) or from Greater Anglia on 0845 600 72 45 (lines open 08:00-22:00 daily, may not be able to offer all cabin types or on-board meals). A booking fee of around £4 applies to phone bookings.
In person: At London Liverpool Street station ticket office. You can buy tickets on the day, but places are limited and fares cheaper if you book in advance, so it's best to book ahead. It's also better to buy from Stena Line, as rail companies can only offer basic cabin options, not Comfort or Captain's class.
Journeys starting in the Netherlands: www.dutchflyer.co.uk will only book one-way or return tickets starting in the UK. If you want to book one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands you'll need to use the equivalent Dutch website, see the section below.
If you're from the USA, Canada, Australia, South America, Africa or Asia, you can book journeys starting in the UK online at www.dutchflyer.co.uk and they will email you an e-ticket, which you just need to get checked & stamped at London Liverpool Street station ticket office before boarding the train. Easy! However, for journeys starting in the Netherlands, you must book at Stena Line's Dutch website as explained here.
Travellers from the USA may possibly have their card rejected at the payment stage as Stena recently changed their anti-fraud credit card controls. If you have a problem paying simply call Stena Line's toll-free U.S. number 1-866-261-0359 (open 08:00-22:00 CET). I'd really appreciate feedback if you're from the US and do or don't succeed in booking online.
Any other travellers who have problems with online booking can book by phone with Stena Line on +44 8445 762 762 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays, UK time).
The Man in Seat 61's top tips: (1) Book a cabin on the daytime crossing even though it's optional, as cabins are half-price and it's somewhere to relax, freshen up, work, or watch TV. Comfort or Captain's Class cabins give you tea/coffee facilities and a free minibar. (2) Add a meal to your booking, this saves a few pounds over what you pay on board and you'll find a reserved table with your name on it in the Metropolitan à la carte restaurant. For example, you can add a good 3-course dinner to your booking for £22, or both dinner & breakfast for £29. (3) Here are some suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
How to buy tickets starting in the Netherlands...
You need to use the Netherlands version of Stena's website (www.stenaline.nl) to buy one-way or return tickets starting in the Netherlands, because their UK website only sells one-way or return tickets starting in the UK.
Go to www.stenaline.nl and select English language at the top.
Select 'To/from England' then 'Rail & Sail London' at the top.
Now use the journey planner on the right to book from Any Dutch NS-Station (which includes Amsterdam Centraal and every other station run by Dutch Railways in the whole of the Netherlands) to Any Great Anglia Station, which includes London Liverpool Street as well as other stations all over East Anglia such as Norwich, Ipswich & Cambridge.
Amsterdam to London starts at €52 + cabin cost.
Anyone from any country can use this system, the ferry ticket will be emailed to you as a print-at-home e-ticket, and your UK train tickets will be handed to you at the ferry terminal at Hoek van Holland when you check in for the ferry. I believe that the Dutch train tickets will be posted to you, but feedback would be appreciated as they have recently changed their system.
If you're from the USA and have any problems paying, call Stena Line's USA toll-free number 1-866-261-0359 (08:00-22:00 CET). Their site can be fussy about US credit cards.
To buy tickets by phone: UK residents can try and buy tickets starting in the Netherlands through the UK Stena Line telesales office on 08445 762 762, lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays, though if they can't sell inward tickets you may end up having to call their Dutch office.
You can call Stena Line's Dutch office on 0900-8123 (if calling from the Netherlands) or +31 174 315 811 (if calling from overseas), lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays, Dutch time.
Remember that even at short notice you can always book from Hoek van Holland to London by Dutch Flyer at www.stenaline.nl or by phone to Stena's Dutch office, without the Dutch rail part. This way, nothing needs to be sent to you in the post, no delay, no problem. All tickets will be e-tickets or collect-at-port from Stena Line at Hoek van Holland. You can then buy a Dutch train ticket to Hoek van Holland separately, Amsterdam to Hoek van Holland Haven costs €17.50 one-way, any train, nay date, no reservation necessary or possible, just buy at the station or buy online at www.b-europe.com with print-at-home train tickets, MasterCard & Visa accepted.
Video guide: London to Amsterdam by Dutch Flyer...
Want to see more? See the Green Traveller Dutch Flyer video...
London to Amsterdam by Eurostar
London to Amsterdam by high-speed train...
Take Eurostar to Brussels in just 2 hours then a connecting high-speed Thalys train to Amsterdam in 1 hour 49 minutes. This high-speed rail option is faster than train+ferry, in fact it's not much slower than a flight, and there's a choice of departures. It's a fast, comfortable and stress-free way to reach Amsterdam that beats flying, any day... How much does it cost? How to buy tickets.
Top tip for a plane-free weekend in Amsterdam...
Catch a Friday night Eurostar from London to Brussels, spend the night in Brussels & continue to Amsterdam by Thalys on Saturday morning. Or see a bit of Brussels and head for Amsterdam Saturday afternoon. There are Thalys trains from Brussels to Amsterdam every hour or two all day. Travel back from Amsterdam to London via Brussels on Sunday afternoon. You can either book the trains yourself then book suggested hotels here, or for a tailor-made short break try www.railbookers.com. Map of Amsterdam.
London ► Amsterdam, by Eurostar + Thalys |
Eurostar (30 min check-in) |
Mondays-Fridays |
Saturdays |
Sundays |
London St Pancras depart |
08:04** |
08:58 |
10:58 |
12:58 |
15:04 |
17:04 |
06:57 |
08:58 |
10:58 |
12:58 |
16:04 |
08:58 |
12:58 |
14:04 |
15:04 |
17:04 |
Pick up at Ebbsfleet (M25) |
| |
09:15 |
11:15 |
13:15 |
| |
| |
| |
09:15 |
11:15 |
13:15 |
| |
09:15 |
13:15 |
| |
| |
| |
Brussels Midi arrive |
11:05** |
12:05 |
14:05 |
16:08 |
18:05 |
20:05 |
10:11 |
12:08 |
14:05 |
16:08 |
19:05 |
12:08 |
16:08 |
17:05 |
18:05 |
20:05 |
Change trains in Brussels onto a high-speed Thalys train, seat reservation required. |
Brussels Midi depart |
11:52 |
12:52 |
15:52 |
16:52 |
18:52 |
20:52 |
10:52 |
13:52 |
15:52 |
18:52 |
20:52 |
13:52 |
16:52 |
17:52 |
18:52 |
20:52 |
Rotterdam Centraal arrive |
13:02 |
14:02 |
17:02 |
18:02 |
20:02 |
22:02 |
12:02 |
15:02 |
17:02 |
20:02 |
22:02 |
15:02 |
18:02 |
19:02 |
20:02 |
22:02 |
Amsterdam Centraal arrive |
13:42 |
14:42 |
17:42 |
18:42 |
20:42 |
22:42 |
12:42 |
15:42 |
17:42 |
20:42 |
22:42 |
15:42 |
18:42 |
19:42 |
20:42 |
22:42 |
No service on 25 December. How much does it cost? How to buy tickets Suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
Tip for changing trains in Brussels Buy connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities Map of Amsterdam Left luggage in London & Amsterdam
* Only runs on Thursdays & Fridays.
** The 08:04 runs most but not all Mondays-Fridays, on the dates when it doesn't run, there's an alternative 06:50 Eurostar from London.
Ashford (Kent): Outbound, only the 06:50 Mon-Fri & 06:57 Saturdays Eurostars from London call at Ashford, at 07:28. Inbound, the only Eurostars from Brussels that call at Ashford are the 16:56 Mon-Fri, 17:56 Sunday and 19:52 Saturday.
Alternatives to Thalys: There are also regular InterCity trains on the classic route Brussels-Rotterdam-Den Haag (-Amsterdam), see the info here.
Amsterdam ► London, by Eurostar + Thalys |
By Thalys |
Mondays-Fridays |
Saturdays |
Sundays |
Amsterdam Centraal |
06:18 |
08:18 |
09:18 |
11:18 |
13:18 |
15:18 |
17:18 |
08:18 |
11:18 |
13:18 |
15:18 |
08:18 |
11:18 |
13:18 |
15:18 |
17:18 |
Rotterdam Centraal |
06:58 |
08:58 |
09:58 |
11:58 |
13:58 |
15:58 |
17:58 |
08:58 |
11:58 |
13:58 |
15:58 |
08:58 |
11:58 |
13:58 |
15:58 |
17:58 |
Brussels Midi arrive |
08:08 |
10:08 |
11:08 |
13:08 |
15:08 |
17:08 |
19:08 |
10:08 |
13:08 |
15:08 |
17:08 |
10:08 |
13:08 |
15:08 |
17:08 |
19:08 |
Change trains in Brussels. Remember the 30 minute Eurostar check-in. |
Brussels Midi depart |
08:52 |
10:56Fri |
12:52 |
14:56 |
16:56 |
17:56 |
19:52 |
10:56 |
14:52 |
16:56 |
19:52 |
11:56 |
14:52 |
15:56 |
17:56 |
19:52 |
Ebbsfleet (M25) |
| |
| |
13:45 |
| |
17:45 |
18:45 |
20:45 |
| |
15:45 |
17:45 |
| |
| |
15:45 |
| |
| |
20:45 |
London St Pancras |
09:57 |
11:57 |
14:03 |
16:03 |
18:11 |
19:03 |
21:03 |
11:57 |
16:03 |
18:03 |
21:06 |
12:57 |
16:03 |
16:57 |
19:10 |
21:03 |
▼ Book online here ▼Anyone from any country can book London to Amsterdam or Amsterdam to London at www.b-europe.com, with print-at-home tickets. |
A Thalys at Amsterdam Centraal... |
How much does it cost?
London to Amsterdam from £64 one-way, £99 return...
Eurostar offers special fares for travel by Eurostar+Thalys from London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam from £99 return. Like air fares, the price rises as the cheaper seats are sold, see the how to buy tickets section for advice. Children under 4 go free, children aged 4-11 travel at a reduced child rate. Both the Eurostar & Thalys parts of the ticket are only valid on the specific train on which you have been booked, with the cheaper ticket there are no refunds or changes to travel plans. If you want to stop off in Brussels, you'll need to book each leg separately.
London to other Dutch stations...
Unfortunately, the London to Any Dutch Station fare from £89 return has been discontinued, but you can still buy tickets to anywhere in the Netherlands as one transaction at www.b-europe.com. This simply adds up the cheapest fare for each leg of the journey. To places like Groningen or Arnhem or Eindhoven, you may now find it cheaper to go by Dutch Flyer train & ferry, even with the price of a private cabin with shower & toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi!
How to buy tickets...
Option 1: Buy online at www.b-europe.com...
You can buy Eurostar & Thalys tickets between London and Amsterdam, Rotterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands in either direction at www.b-europe.com and simply print out your own ticket. Booking usually opens 92 days ahead. B-europe.com is Belgian Railways international site, and it simply adds the cheapest price for Eurostar London-Brussels to the cheapest price for Thalys Brussels-Amsterdam. It doesn't matter where you live, as www.b-europe.com accepts UK & overseas credit cards and issues print-at-home tickets for travel in either direction, London to Amsterdam or Amsterdam to London. You can also book at the Dutch railways site www.nshispeed.nl with the same prices, but some people report that it struggles with overseas credit cards. For journeys starting in the UK, I also recommend checking prices at www.eurostar.com as explained below.
Option 2: Buy online at www.eurostar.com...
You can buy through tickets from London to Amsterdam or Rotterdam at www.eurostar.com. It's a good idea to check prices at www.eurostar.com as well as www.b-europe.com, because Eurostar offers special through fares from London to Amsterdam from £99 return, which can be cheaper than the sum of the cheapest Eurostar fare to Brussels plus the cheapest Thalys fare, which is what b-europe.com offers. You can only use www.eurostar.com for one-way or return journeys starting in the UK, for journeys starting in Amsterdam & the Netherlands you should use www.b-europe.com as shown above.
Option 3: Split the journey, using both www.eurostar.com & www.thalys.com...
It's sometimes best to split the journey into its two components, and book London-Brussels at www.eurostar.com then Brussels-Amsterdam at www.thalys.com. You should book this way if you want a stopover in Brussels.
Both sites allow you to print your own ticket, so this booking method works for anyone from any country, in either direction. Booking London-Brussels with Eurostar.com allows you to choose an exact seat on Eurostar, and you can book through tickets from 130 UK towns & cities to Brussels, not just from London.
Just remember to allow at least 17 minutes to change in Brussels when travelling east from London to Amsterdam, and at least 42 minutes to change trains in Brussels (including the 30 minute Eurostar check-in) when travelling west from Amsterdam to London, as those are the 'official' minimum connection times.
How to buy tickets if you're in the Netherlands...
Buy a ticket from Amsterdam or any Dutch station to London online at www.b-europe.com or www.nshispeed.nl or by calling NS (Dutch Railways) on 0900 92 96, lines open 08:00-21:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-18:00 Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be printed out on your own PC printer, or (if you use NSHispeed) posted to any Dutch address, or (again, if you use NSHispeed) collected at major stations in the Netherlands. Or you can book in person at the international booking offices at ten largest stations in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Arnhem. But remember, you'll need to book in advance for the cheapest fares, as buying tickets on the day can be expensive.
How to buy tickets if you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, India, Africa etc.
For travel between London & Amsterdam in either direction by Eurostar+Thalys, buy tickets online at www.b-europe.com, overseas credit cards accepted and you simply print out your own tickets. Easy!
You can also split the journey, booking London-Brussels or vice versa at www.eurostar.com then Brussels-Amsterdam or vice versa at either www.thalys.com or www.b-europe.com. This gives you more control, allows you to book a stopover in Brussels if you like, and at eurostar.com you can select an exact seat on Eurostar. Just make sure you allow at least 17 minutes to change in Brussels when travelling east from London to Amsterdam, and at least 42 minutes to change trains in Brussels (including the 30 minute Eurostar check-in) when travelling west from Amsterdam to London, as those are the 'official' minimum connection times.
Short breaks: Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...
If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761. Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you. They get very positive reviews. Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices. US residents can call them on (646) 770 2894 (please quote seat61) and Canadian residents on (416) 800 0732 (please quote 'seat61'). Australian residents can call their Australian office, www.railbookers.com.au on 02 8096 0550.
What's the journey like?
On board the Eurostar...
First class fares include an airline-style meal and complimentary drinks. All passengers have access to two buffet-bar cars serving drinks and snacks. For more information about travelling by Eurostar, see the Eurostar page. Eurostar arrives at platforms 1 or 2 at Brussels Midi (Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South in English).
A Eurostar at St Pancras... |
Eurostar 1st class... |
Eurostar 2nd class... |
Brussels to Amsterdam by Thalys high-speed train...
Thalys is a joint venture of the French, Belgian & Dutch railways formed to run the high-speed trains between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne. Thalys trains have 1st & 2nd class seats (marketed as Comfort 1 & Comfort 2) plus a cafe-bar car. Between Brussels & Amsterdam, the Thalys trains are more comfortable, but less frequent and less flexible than the regular hourly InterCity trains. 1st class fares include complimentary refreshments served at your seat and 1st class passengers may use the first class lounges at Amsterdam Centraal or Schiphol stations with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks and beer (look for signs to the 'NS HiSpeed Lounge'). However, the first class lounge at Brussels is only for special frequent traveller cardholders. All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles, and all Thalys trains have WiFi on board, free in 1st class, chargeable in 2nd class. Like Eurostar, advance reservation is obligatory, and special fares apply. You can check Thalys train times & fares at the Thalys website, www.thalys.com. You can check London to Amsterdam Eurostar+Thalys times and fares at www.eurostar.com. Combined Eurostar+Thalys tickets can only be used on the specific Eurostar and Thalys trains on which your seats have been reserved. In Brussels, Thalys trains to Amsterdam normally leave from platforms 5 or 6, but always check the indicator boards. Advice on changing trains at Brussels Midi. More information about Thalys. Seating plan for Thalys.
2nd class (Comfort 2) seats on Thalys... |
1st class (Comfort 1) seats on Thalys... |
A Thalys about to leave Brussels... |
See full-screen panorama photos of seats & cafe bar on Thalys
Alternatives to Thalys: Brussels-Rotterdam-Den Haag InterCity trains & the FYRA disaster...
On 9 December 2012 Belgian and Dutch railways replaced the hourly InterCity (Benelux) train on the classic Brussels-Amsterdam non-high-speed route with new 250km/h Fyra trains on the high-speed line, cutting journey time from 3 hours to 2. The new V250 Fyra trains were built by Italian firm Ansaldo Breda, delivered 5 years late, and from the start proved unreliable. When components fell off in the icy weather in January 2013, the trains were banned from Belgium and then withdrawn altogether. The Belgian and Dutch railways have cancelled their contracts with Ansaldo Breda, and Fyra will never run again.
Current situation: A conventional Brussels-Rotterdam-Den Haag InterCity train has been reinstated, best described as hourly but with some hours missing. You need to change trains at Den Haag to reach Amsterdam, as all available train paths between Den Haag and Amsterdam were given to other services when Fyra started. However, a full hourly through service to Amsterdam is due to be reinstated in December 2014.
If you want to use the classic route via Roosendaal instead of a high-speed Thalys, there are two options for buying tickets. Option 1, NS HiSpeed (Dutch railways) offer tickets from London to Any Dutch Station from €60 one-way, €119 return via Eurostar and classic non-high-speed InterCity train, book online at www.nshispeed.nl and print your own ticket. Option 2 is to buy a ticket from London to Any Belgian Station at www.eurostar.com, this covers you as far as the last station in Belgium, a small place called Essen (not to be confused with the big Essen in Germany). If you then buy a print-at-home ticket from Essen to Rotterdam, Den Haag or Amsterdam at www.b-europe.com, you're covered for the whole journey, even though the train doesn't actually call at Essen, and this is the cheapest way to travel from London to Rotterdam, den Haag or Amsterdam, cheaper than buying a London-Brussels ticket then buying a Brussels-Rotterdam/Den Haag/Amsterdam ticket.
For the record... Some photos of the ill-fated Fyra V250 train, no longer in service.... |
London to other destinations in the Netherlands
Above: A Dutch double-deck InterCity train. |
Above: These are top deck seats on a Dutch double-deck InterCity train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam... |
London to Rotterdam, Den Haag (The Hague)...
The London-Netherlands by train & ferry section & the London-Netherlands by Eurostar section cover Rotterdam & Den Haag as well as Amsterdam.
London to Maastricht...
Maastricht, right down in the southern tip of the Netherlands, is most easy reached by Eurostar changing in Brussels. There are hourly Belgian InterCity trains from Brussels to Maastricht with one easy and quick change in Liège, journey time 1 hour 46 minutes.
You can buy a through ticket from London to Liège, simply go to www.eurostar.com and buy a ticket from London to a destination listed as Any Belgian Station from £45 one-way or £79 return. This is valid on a specific Eurostar to Brussels, then onwards to any station in Belgium using any suitable connecting train (including Belgian InterCity trains but not international Thalys or ICE trains) within 24 hours of arrival in Brussels, and (on your return) within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure from Brussels. This will take you all the way to Liege, you can easily buy an onward ticket from Liege to Maastricht online at www.b-europe.com. Note that at www.eurostar.com all you are reserving is your Eurostar seat, from Brussels to Liège a seat reservation is unnecessary you can just hop on any train you like. The Eurostar website won't give schedules for the onward trains, but you can use the online journey planner at www.b-europe.com to find train times between Brussels and Maastricht.
Alternatively, you can travel from London to Maastricht by overnight train+ferry if you like using the special 'London to any Dutch station' train+ferry ticket, see the section above.
London to anywhere else in the Netherlands: Utrecht, Apeldoorn, Groningen, Arnhem, Eindhoven, etc...
Other destinations in the Netherlands can also be reached just as easily as Amsterdam, using either train+ferry or Eurostar. Decide which you want to use by reading the London-Amsterdam train & ferry and Eurostar information above, then check connections to your chosen destination as follows:
By train+ferry to any Dutch station: Dutch Flyer train+ferry tickets from London to Amsterdam are in fact valid to any Dutch station, not just Amsterdam. Buy online at www.dutchflyer.co.uk as explained above. So you can travel from London to anywhere in the Netherlands for the same price as Amsterdam. Simply take the sprinter train from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam, where you'll find frequent direct trains to Utrecht, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Groningen and so on, usually every hour or better, with no need to go via Amsterdam. To check train times to other Dutch destinations, first check what time your chosen train+ferry service reaches Hoek van Holland using the London to Amsterdam train+ferry timetable above. Then go to www.ns.nl, enter 'Hoek van Holland' as origin and your Dutch destination as 'destination', enter your travel dates and time of departure from Hoek (allowing at least 20 minutes from the arrival of the ferry) and hit 'search'.
By Eurostar to any Dutch station from €60! It's back!! The popular ticket from London to Any Dutch Station by Eurostar and connecting InterCity train (not valid on high-speed Thalys), one-way from €60, return from €119. But it's currently only bookable, in either direction, at the Dutch railways website www.nshispeed.nl. You print your own tickets. In the search results you can compare prices with faster options via Thalys high-speed trains, and make a choice on speed versus price.
North of England to Amsterdam
P&O Ferries superb ship Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort, just arrived from Hull... |
Dinner in the à la carte restaurant on board the Pride of Rotterdam... |
A standard outside cabin on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam... |
We don't all live in London and the South! From the North of England to Amsterdam, you have three options, including a luxurious direct cruise ferry from Hull to Holland that by-passes London:
Option 1, by Eurostar: Option 1 is simply to catch a train up to London, then take Eurostar to Brussels and either a high-speed Thalys or lower speed InterCity train to Amsterdam, as explained above. www.eurostar.com can sell through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Amsterdam covering the UK train, Eurostar & Thalys all on one booking. If your local station isn't one of the 130 Eurostar UK stations, you can buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nshispeed.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London. See this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.
Option 2, by Dutch Flyer train & ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland: Option 2 is to catch an afternoon train to London (or change at Peterborough for the cross-country route to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight Dutch Flyer train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail above. After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, book a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich. The slower cross-country route from Peterborough to Harwich can take longer and involve more changes than going via London, but avoids changing trains and stations in London.
Option 3, by P&O Ferries cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam: Option 3 is perhaps the most comfortable (even luxurious) way to go, which avoids having to travel up to London. See below...
By P&O cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam...
P&O's superb overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam is more than just a means of transport, it's a floating hotel that makes the journey as much fun as the destination. The ferry sails overnight, so it's a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break in Holland. You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub.
North of England ► Rotterdam, Amsterdam
Step 1, take a train from your local station to Hull. There are direct trains to Hull from Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. If you plan to use the transfer bus, time your train to arrive by about 16:40. If you are happy using a taxi, choose any train timed to arrive before 18:30. You can check train times & fares and buy online on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Step 2, take a taxi from Hull station to the P&O ferry terminal (Terminal 1), it's only about 3 miles, journey time 12 minutes, taxi fare around £7, and plenty of taxis will be waiting at the station. Alternatively, a transfer bus leaves from the the interchange next to the St Stephen's shopping centre at 17:15 taking 15 minutes to the ferry terminal, bus fare £3.25, pay on the bus. The ferry starts boarding at 17:30 with all her bars and restaurants open for business. Check-in for the ferry closes at 19:00.
Step 3, sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam Europoort with P&O, sailing from Hull International Ferry Terminal at 20:30 and arriving at Rotterdam Europoort at 08:15 (09:00 weekends), see www.poferries.com.
Step 4, a P&O transfer bus will be waiting outside the terminal building at Rotterdam Europoort to take you to Rotterdam Centraal railway station - this is quite a distance, about 24 miles, so expect the bus to take around 40 minutes. Fare around £7, you should book the bus along with your ferry tickets at www.poferries.com. They also run a bus to Amsterdam, but that's not as civilised as switching to a proper train once you reach the station at Rotterdam.
Step 5, take a train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. These run every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour. No reservation is required on Dutch trains, so you can easily buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one in advance to save time at the ticket office (where only cash is accepted, not credit cards), you can buy a Rotterdam to Amsterdam ticket online at www.b-europe.com and print it out at home. It will be valid on any train on the day you book it for.
Amsterdam, Rotterdam ► North of England
Take a train around 15:30 from Amsterdam to Rotterdam Centraal, these run every 10-15 minutes, journey time 1 hour. No reservation is necessary, so you can easily turn up and buy a ticket at the station on the day, but if you want to buy one in advance to save time at the ticket office, you can buy a ticket online at www.b-europe.com and print it out at home. It will be valid on any train on the day you book it for.
A special P&O bus leaves Rotterdam Centraal (Eurolines bus stop in front of the Woonbron building) at 17:00 for the 24 mile transfer to the P&O Europoort ferry terminal, fare around 4.50 euros, you should pre-book the bus with P&O when you buy your ferry tickets. Please check bus details at www.poferries.com when booking. The bus departure point is 200m from the station, and is not well marked, so ask for directions at the station info point and allow plenty of time for interchange.
Sail overnight from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull, leaving Europoort daily at 21:00 (20:30 at weekends), arriving in Hull at 08:00 next morning, see www.poferries.com. Boarding starts around 17:00, with all the ship's bars and restaurants open, and the ferry check-in closes at 19:30 (19:00 at weekends). A bus will transfer you from the ferry terminal to Hull city centre on arrival, bus fare £3.25.
How much does it cost?
Like most ferry companies, P&O vary fares by season and availability, so you need to go online at www.poferries.com to see what the cost is for your dates and your chosen cabin type. But expect a return trip for two people from Hull to Rotterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £123 return per person. However, solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin including the transfer bus to Rotterdam Centraal would pay around £214 return.
How to buy tickets...
Step 1, start by booking the ferry online at www.poferries.com. There's no ticket, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal. You can add the Europoort to Rotterdam transfer bus to your booking.
Step 2, book trains to Hull. You can do this at any train company website without any booking fees, for example www.virgintrains.co.uk. Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the P&O ferry terminal.
Scotland & Newcastle to Amsterdam
DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam... |
A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS 'Princess of Norway' from Newcastle to Amsterdam... |
A Commodore Deluxe cabin on DFDS ferry King of Scandinavia from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Commodore Deluxe offers genuine cruise ship standards with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet. Highly recommended! See the video... |
About as far away from Ryanair as you can get... The exclusive Commodore Deluxe lounge aboard the King of Scandinavia... |
From Scotland, Carlisle, Cumbria, Tyne & Wear to Amsterdam, you have three options:
Option 1, by Eurostar: Option 1 is simply to catch a train up to London, then take Eurostar to Brussels and either a high-speed Thalys or lower speed InterCity train to Amsterdam, as explained above. www.eurostar.com can sell through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Amsterdam covering the UK train, Eurostar & Thalys all on one booking. If your local station isn't one of the 130 Eurostar UK stations, you can simply buy a ticket from London to Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com or www.nshispeed.nl, then buy a separate ticket up to London. See this advice on buying special connecting train tickets to London.
Option 2, by Dutch Flyer train & ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland: Option 2 is to catch a train to London (or changing at Peterborough, cross-country to Harwich) then take the comfortable overnight Dutch Flyer train & ferry service from London to Amsterdam via Harwich-Hoek van Holland as explained in detail above. After booking the train & ferry from London or Harwich to Amsterdam as shown here, buy a separate train ticket for the UK part of the journey either to London (often quickest) or direct to Harwich. The slower cross-country route from Peterborough to Harwich can take longer and involve more changes than going via London, but avoids changing trains and stations in London.
Option 3, by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry direct from Newcastle to Amsterdam: Option 3 is perhaps the simplest and most comfortable (even luxurious) option, by-passing London aboard DFDS Seaways daily cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam). See below...
By DFDS cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
DFDS Seaways' overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) is not just a means of transport, but a floating hotel that makes the journey as much fun as the destination. The ferry sails overnight, a time-effective alternative to flying for a weekend away or a short break. You sleep in a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet after dinner in one of the restaurants on board or even a night dancing in the nightclub. And if you choose DFDS Seaways 'Commodore Deluxe' class then you're in for a real treat!
Scotland & Newcastle ► Amsterdam
Step 1, take a train from your local station to Newcastle, timed to arrive in Newcastle at or before 15:00. For example, you can leave Edinburgh around 13:00. You can check train times & fares on the UK page or at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Step 2, transfer from Newcastle Central to the International Ferry Terminal at North Shields. A clearly-marked DFDS transfer bus leaves Newcastle central station for the North Shields international ferry terminal 2 ½ & 1 ¼ hours before the ferry sails. To find the bus stop, walk out of the main exit at Newcastle Central Station onto the cab road and turn left along the station front for about 100 yards until you reach the bus stop marked 'Bus 327 DFDS ferry terminal only'. The bus fare is around £3 adults, £2 child, and the journey normally takes about 40 minutes. The buses are wheelchair accessible and have extra luggage space. Alternatively, a taxi from Newcastle station to the DFDS ferry terminal will cost about £16, journey time 35 minutes. Another possibility is to take the Tyne & Wear Metro to Percy Main station and walk from there, though it's a fair old walk.
Step 3, sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.co.uk), sailing daily at 17:00, arriving at IJmuiden (20km from Amsterdam) at 09:30 next morning. The two ships on this route are the Princess of Norway and the King of Scandinavia. Both are excellent, although the 'King' has Commodore Deluxe as well as Commodore & Seaways class cabins, and in my opinion is the nicer ship. Buy your ferry tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk.
A transfer bus will be waiting at IJmuiden to take you to Amsterdam Centraal station. Expect to arrive there around 11:00. A taxi to Amsterdam will cost around €60, and if you want one you'll have to pre-book it as there aren't many in IJmuiden. Try calling ATC Taxis on 00 31 251314422 or Taxi Tervoort on 00 31 255 513838.
Amsterdam ► Newcastle & Scotland
Step 1, a DFDS transfer bus leaves Amsterdam Centraal station (the stop is in front of the Hotel Victoria) between 15:00 & 16:00 for IJmuiden to connect with the ferry to Newcastle. Please check bus details when booking.
Step 2, sail from IJmuiden to Newcastle with DFDS Seaways overnight cruise ferry, leaving IJmuiden at 17:30 and arriving at Newcastle International Ferry Terminal at 09:00 next morning. A wide range of cabins, restaurants, bars are available, with cinema, shops & live entertainment.
Step 3, transfer by shuttle bus or taxi to Newcastle Central station for train travel home. A fleet of shuttle buses will be waiting for the ferry when it arrives, for Newcastle central station. You can check train times & fares and buy online at www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk.
How much does it cost?
DFDS ferry fares vary by season and availability, so go to www.dfds.co.uk to see what the cost is for your dates and your chosen cabin type. As an example, a ferry crossing for two people from Newcastle to Amsterdam with private standard 2-bed cabin with shower & toilet to cost from around £65 one-way or £130 return for both passengers (in other words, £32.50 one-way or £65 return per person) in low season, rising to perhaps £145 one-way or £290 return in high season. However, solo passengers must now book a whole cabin, they cannot book one bed in a shared cabin, so one person travelling alone with private en suite cabin might pay from around £136 return low season, perhaps £275 return high season or around holidays.
How to buy tickets...
Step 1, start by booking the ferry online at www.dfds.co.uk. There's no ticket, you simply bring your booking printout to the ferry terminal.
Step 2, book trains to Newcastle. You can do this at www.eastcoast.co.uk. Remember to allow plenty of time for the transfer to the ferry terminal at North Shields.
There is no need to book the transfer bus from Newcastle station to the ferry terminal, as you pay on board the bus.
Sponsored links...
Recommended guidebooks
Paying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a small part of what you pay for your whole trip. You will see a lot more, and know much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook. I think the Lonely Planets & Rough Guides are the best ones out there for the independent traveller. You won't regret buying one! My own book, an essential handbook for train or ferry travel to Europe based on this website called The Man in Seat 61, was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.
Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk
The Thomas Cook European Timetable
The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information. It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team have set up a private venture and published the first edition of a reborn European Rail Timetable in March 2014. You can buy it online with worldwide shipping at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best & most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south. High speed & scenic routes are highlighted. Highly recommended, if you can find a copy! Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery). A new edition will be published by the European Rail Timetable team in 2014. See map extract.
Find hotels in Amsterdam & the Netherlands
◄◄ Hotel search & price comparison.www.hotelscombined.com checks all the main hotel booking sites at once to find the widest choice of hotels & the cheapest seller. It was named as the World's Leading Hotel Comparison Site at the World Travel Awards 2013 and I highly recommend it, both to find hotels in even the smallest places and to check that another retailer isn't selling your hotel for less! www.booking.com is my favourite booking site. It's really clear and you can usually book with free cancellation and so confirm your accommodation at no risk months before train booking opens. |
Suggested hotels in Amsterdam...
Definitely book your accommodation in Amsterdam sooner rather than later, as it can get difficult to find rooms at peak periods at short notice, the better and cheaper rooms quickly sell out.
For the ultimate Amsterdam hotel, try The Grand, now the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. From around £250-£300 per night, 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 but equally special, try the Canal House boutique hotel, 15 minutes walk from the station.
Mid-range to top end: The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel gets great reviews and couldn't be more convenient, it's on the corner right across the road from Amsterdam Centraal railway station, with doubles from around £150 per night. In the same price bracket, try the Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, 6 minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal and also with excellent reviews. Or the Hotel Sebastians, around £130 per night, equally well located 10 minutes walk from Centraal station, another hotel which gets great reviews.
Cheap to mid-range: The Hotel Luxer is cheaper, from around £80 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.
Cheapies: There are lots of 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, 10 min walk from Dam Square though 20 minutes walk from the station, also around £45 per night.
Suggested hotels in Rotterdam...
Easily the most original place to stay in Rotterdam is aboard the moored 1959 transatlantic liner, the SS Rotterdam. It's a taxi ride or 50 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal Station.
Backpacker hostels...
www.hostelbookers.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.
City breaks in Amsterdam, Eurostar + hotel
Railbookers (www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761) are a reliable and helpful company offering city breaks to Amsterdam by train, combining Eurostar travel & hotel. A 2-night break starts at around £225 per person. US & Canadian residents can call Railbookers toll free on 1-800-408-3280, Australian residents toll-free on 1300 971 526, New Zealand residents on 0800 002 034. They can also arrange tours of Europe to your own specification, with train travel and hotels arranged.
Or put together your own break, using the overnight train+ferry option and booking a hotel separately.
City Tours by Open Top Bus
Buy a ticket for the hop-on, hop-off Open Top Bus...
City Sightseeing's red-and-yellow open top tour buses are now a familiar site in 100 major cities on 6 continents, and they do a hop-on, hop-off tour bus ticket for Amsterdam, with frequent departures every day from outside Amsterdam Centraal station. I find a bus tour a good way to orientate yourself in a city, returning to explore in more depth later. It's also less wearing on the feet, especially if you have kids!
Buy your tour tickets online before you go, redeemable on any day you like within 3 months of buying it, see www.city-sightseeing.com.
Travel insurance & health card
Get travel insurance, it's essential...
Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself). Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.
In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.
If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.
If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.
Get an EU health card, it's free...
If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS. This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk. It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.
Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees
Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen. In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others. Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.
You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.
Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...
Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill. Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%. Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries. It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home. It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs. A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.


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Home > About CORE
2908 East 26th StreetSioux Falls, SD 57103-4089605-336-2638
For over 39 years, CORE Orthopedics has provided quality orthopedic care including comprehensive spine care, joint replacement, sports medicine, and treatment of complicated foot and ankle problems. With the promise of experience and a spirit of compassion we offer the tri-state region a solution to a variety of orthopedic problems. We have convenient on-site facilities to accommodate your needs.
Our field is constantly evolving and we are always evaluating our own performance to find ways to improve the care we give our patients. Each patient is given a questionnaire regarding waiting times, admission process, nursing care, and more so we can stay in touch with our patients and address their needs and desires.
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health CenterGeneral Information: 605-322-8000 | Maps and Directions | Notice of Privacy PracticesAvera McKennan 2013 Community Health Needs Assessment
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Une Faim de Loup (The Black Wolf)
by Emychaoschildren
Stretched Canvas
Fine art print on bright white, fine poly-cotton blend, matte canvas using latest generation Epson archival inks. Individually trimmed and hand stretched museum wrap over 1-1/2" deep wood stretcher bars. Includes wall hanging hardware.
9 Animals is a series of illustrations about french expressions concerning animals. Technic is pencil with digital colors.
- 32Promote


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EAN: 5055269702979 Punky Princess Clutch Purse Case. The bright pink protective carry case with Punky Punky Princess centre strip and tartan design is suitable for use with DSi XL, DSi, 3DS and 3DS XL. The funky protective case can also be used as a stylish clutch purse and comes with a Punky Princess Signature Charm, please see the charm section of our Website to collect more. Press stud fastener to offer additional protection. Space to store 4 games. Punky Princess charm tag. Includes Punky Princess signature charm. Suitable for use with DSi XL, DSi, 3DS and 3DS XL. Stores and protects DSi XL, DSi, 3DS and 3DS XL. Suitable for children aged from 6 years. |
View all Punky Princess products | |


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The Takoma Park Recreation Center features two small meeting rooms (Front and Back), a gymnasium and a weight room. Sports, arts, fitness, dance, crafts, self-improvement, games, hobbies, martial arts, and do-it-yourself instruction are among the activities offered. The center also hosts clubs, camps, special events, workshops and drop-in programs at various times throughout the year. Tots, youth, teens, adults, and seniors will find a variety of recreation opportunities available at the center. Programs offered at the Takoma Park Recreation Center are co-sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Recreation. Find the perfect class or program for yourself or your family in our current Activities Guide.
Takoma Park Recreation Center
7315 New Hampshire Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Main: 301-891-7289
Monday-Friday 2:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
Capacity: 294
Montgomery County Resident: $30* per hour
Commercial: $70* per hour
*$50 security deposit required check or money order only.
Meeting Room - Back
Capacity: 40
Montgomery County Resident: $15 per hour
Commercial: $60 per hour
Meeting Room - Front
Capacity: 30
Montgomery County Resident: $15 per hour
Commercial: $60 per hour
To check for availability or to reserve a room for your next event, please use our activenet system. Permits are only issued 3 months in advance of the event date. Department of Recreation events and programming takes precedence in scheduling.
Please click here to review Administrative Regulation No. 2011-1 (PDF) for regulations governing public use, facilities rentals and general responsibilities of the user.
Program Offerings
To see a complete list of activities offerered at the Takoma Park Recreation Center view the latest version of our Rec Guide
To see a list of spring break and summer camp offerings click here


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This page is sponsored by Google Ads. ARN does not necessarily select or endorse the organizations or products advertised above. |
Moving SaleAll books now 50% off(price shown reflects discount) |
The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance through Small ProbabilitiesWilliam A. DembskiCambridge University Press, 260 pages, hardback, 1998 Item# B024
"In The Design Inference William Dembski asks, how do we know that something has been purposely arranged? how do we know there is a mind behind a particular event? In answer Dembski constructs the formal logical arguments necessary for rigorous evaluation of design hypotheses."
Michael Behe
Professor of Biochemistry, Lehigh University
Author of Darwin's Black Box
How can we identify events due to intelligent causes and distinguish them from events due to undirected natural causes? If we lack a causal theory, how can we determine whether an intelligent cause acted? This book presents a reliable method for detecting intelligent causes: the design inference.
This challenging and provocative book shows how incomplete undirected causes are for science and breathes new life into classical design arguments.
[ Previous Page ] [ Return to Book Catalog ] [ Printable Order Form ] |


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We use cookies to ensure we give you the best browsing experience on our website. Find out more on how we use cookies and how you can change your settings.
Reception of applications for 2014 traineeships is closed
Click here to access your application, previously encoded between 3 June and 2 September 2013
Please remember that only your contact details (address, phone, …) can be modified in your application after the submission date.
Each year the General Secretariat of the Council offers some 100 paid traineeships lasting 5 months.
Traineeships are offered to EU nationals who, by the deadline for the lodging of applications, have completed at least the first cycle of a course of university studies evidenced by a degree certificate or equivalent.
There are two five-month traineeship periods, as follows:
Applications for 2015 traineeships
The online application form will be accessible from2 June 2014 to 1 September 2014
To avoid overloading the system, given the very large number of applications, you are advised not to wait until the last day before submitting your application.
Selection procedure
The Secretariat receives about 4000 applications each year; unfortunately, there are only about 100 places available.
Online applications registered will be examined during October and November. Selected candidates will be contacted as of December.
If you are selected, you will be asked to supply the following supporting documents:
Any other optional document in support of your application for a traineeship – such as references, for example – can be included in your file.
These supporting documents do not need to be sent at this stage. You will be asked for them if we offer you a traineeship. You will not be admitted unless you supply the complete file. You will not be admitted unless you supply the complete file. You will have to deliver poof for all information in the application form (education, professional experience, language knowledge etc.), only include information in the application form for which you have supporting documents.
Successful applicants will receive an offer by e-mail stating the period of their traineeship and the department to which they will be assigned. When they have accepted the offer, the Traineeships Office will send them a contract.
Not selected candidates will be informed by e-mail or via their Epso profile at the end of January.


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What lies ahead for science and science writing?
March 27, 2012
10th anniversary of MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing celebrates past, looks to future.
Knight Fellows offer tips on tackling the energy and climate science beat
February 24, 2012
Science journalists discuss the current state of their profession and its future.
Fall Communications Forum explores local news, surveillance, cities and entertainment
October 14, 2011
Also labeled: Arts, Humanities, Literature, languages and writing, Media, Research, Special events and guest speakers, Technology
Ugandan journalist joins the Center for International Studies
September 1, 2011
Human rights journalist Jackee Batanda receives Neuffer fellowship, will study at MIT for the next academic year.
2011–12 Knight Science Journalism Fellows named
May 10, 2011
12 journalists from 8 countries to study science, environment, technology and more.
Digital forensics
April 8, 2011
Photo experts converge at MIT to discuss how to spot doctored images.
Journalist from Pakistan receives Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship
September 9, 2010
Denialism: Media in the Age of Disinformation
June 23, 2010
Panel discussion presented by the MIT Museum and the Cambridge Science Festival
Guerrilla reporting in 'difficult places'
April 19, 2010
Activists describe their experiences using new technology to build free media networks in countries with scant resources or oppressive regimes.
FCC's Eugene Huang on a National Broadband Policy
March 10, 2010
Presented by the Center for Future Civic Media and the MIT Communications Forum
Communications Forum on The Culture Beat and New Media
March 4, 2010
Featuring Bill Marx, Douglas McLennan, moderated by David Thorburn
What's new at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media?
December 7, 2009
Chris Csikszentmihályi, director of the Center for Future Civic Media, hosts this presentation by the MIT Communications Forum and the Center for Future Civic Media
Race, Politics and American Media
November 9, 2009
Juan Williams and J. Phillip Thompson discuss how the collapse of print and other traditional news and the rise of celebrity culture have contributed to the sharp decline of in-depth stories involving race and society.


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Free CMS Plone 3.0 with Version Control
The Plone Foundation has released version 3.0 of its content management software.
The popular, Zope-based Plone is available in 35 languages, and is used by numerous corporations and organizations including the US space agency, NASA, and Ebay. The developer team took over a year to produce the latest version, and has announced new features such as a new integrated version control system, automatic integrity checking and a full-text search function for Word and PDF files.
Thanks to the version control system users can now monitor changes to pages and revert to previous versions of documents. The integrity checker updates links when pages are moved. If referenced pages are deleted, the system issues a warning. The new version has an integrated Ajax-based editor which provides an additional, editable document view. The developers have also updated the graphical HTML editor to Kupu 1.4, and integrated a more clear-cut rights system for users and groups.
Plone 3.0 is released under the GPL and supports Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, and Solaris. The CMS can be downloaded free of charge from the project site.
Issue 161/2014
Buy this issue as a PDF
Digital Issue: Price $9.99
(incl. VAT)
Tag Cloud
New TLS Attack Takes the S out of HTTPS
Vulnerability affects many Linux web servers
Munich Adopts Kolab
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open source groupware solution.
Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.
Piviti Seeks Funding
Donors will get to vote on new features for the free video editor.
Debian Tech Committee Votes for systemd
Debian project puts init out to pasture and says no to Ubuntu's Upstart.
The Mask: Scary New Face of Internet Intrusion
Ultra-sophisticated attack tool might have originated from a state-sponsored intelligence service.
Epoch 1.0 Released
New alternative for init comes with a small footprint and minimal configuration.
Wayland 1.4 Challenges X11
X marks the target for the next-generation windowing system.
Red Hat Adopts CentOS
Super-clone CentOS Linux gets beamed up to the mother ship.
W3C Promotes Media Source Extensions
HTML technology will enable new video editing and playback options.


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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A two-year-old, $15 million coal industry project to fund research on mining's health, environmental and economic impacts is beginning to produce results. New papers have been published, conference presentations are being delivered, and a weeklong symposium is scheduled for later this month.
So far, the published studies have not disproved previous work that linked mountaintop removal to water pollution, deforestation and the risk of serious illnesses.
Company-backed reports are pointing out some potential flaws in earlier research. They also are generating questions of their own, in part because industry's role in funding the work has not been clearly disclosed.
Virginia Tech officials, who are coordinating the multi-university Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Science, or ARIES, have offered conflicting statements about the purpose of the project.
On its website, ARIES says the project's purpose is "to engage in detailed studies of the environmental impacts of the mining, gas and energy sectors in Appalachia, focusing on both upstream (mining, drilling, and processing) and downstream (water, land and air) issues.
Michael Karmis, director of Virginia Tech's Center for Coal and Energy, where ARIES is headquartered, describes the project as an effort to generate good science by the best minds at universities around the region.
"We want to have a scientific debate, not a political debate," Karmis said during an August 2012 interview.
A year before that interview, when ARIES was just getting started, Karmis described the program a bit differently during an appearance at a Society of Mining Professors meeting.
According to a slide presentation from that event, Karmis introduced ARIES by first citing a variety of statistics about coal's contribution to the world's energy supply. For example, one slide, titled "What coal did today," said that coal provided more than 40 percent of the power for 300 billion emails, "enhanced energy security for dozens of nations across the globe," and "enabled the production of 2.4 million metric tons of steel.
"Yet, the coal industry, at least in the USA, is under a major attack" by the government, the media and nongovernmental organizations, Karmis continued. He cited "unreasonable regulations based on "questionable science," "false assertions" and "self-serving interests"
Using some slides borrowed from industry groups, Karmis criticized a "train wreck" of new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air-pollution regulations and called EPA water-quality guidance for strip mining an "arbitrary" standard that would not be "enforced in an equitable manner.
"The coal industry needs help," Karmis said in the September 2011 presentation.
Later, in a February 2013 interview, Karmis said he is concerned about the EPA's crackdown on mountaintop-removal mining and about the agency's rules for coal-fired power plants.
"I'm questioning the prudence of some of those regulations out there and the timing of those regulations, and I'm encouraging more research," Karmis said. "We will question science and we will question regulations if we feel they are not properly documented."
'Break through years of distrust'
John Craynon grew up in McCreary County, in Eastern Kentucky's coalfields. He knows about the close-knit communities there, and about coal's longtime importance to local economics, but also about some of the environmental damage and the boom-bust cycle of the mining business.
Craynon spent nearly 30 years in Washington, working for the U.S. Department of the Interior, most of it with the federal Office of Surface Mining. Two years ago, Craynon landed at Virginia Tech, where he's working with Karmis to direct the ARIES project, as well as doing his own research and writing about mining issues.
While working for the federal government, Craynon said, he always felt like agencies never had adequate science to properly deal with questions that citizens groups were increasingly asking about large-scale surface-coal mining. Now, he's trying to fill that gap.
"The resolution of complex issues such as mountaintop mining may require radical boldness to break through years of distrust and allow for the adoption of a more public ecology," Craynon wrote in an article published last year in the journal Resources Policy. "Through the cooperation of all parties, mountaintop coal mining may be modified so that better social, environmental and economic goals can be achieved and the interests of all affected parties can be adequately considered."
At Virginia Tech, Karmis was already growing concerned about the lack of government funding for research on mining issues. Four years earlier, Karmis had served on a National Research Council panel that produced a report detailing the need for tens of millions of dollars annually in new money for coal-related research.
Meanwhile, Karmis was hearing growing complaints from coal industry executives who serve on his Virginia Tech research center's advisory board.
Companies, such as Alpha Natural Resources, were upset about efforts by the Obama administration's EPA to try to curb mountaintop removal's impacts on water quality. Mine operators said their own studies contradicted peer-reviewed research the EPA cited as evidence of mining damage. However, agency officials were hesitant to rely on industry work produced by company consultants for use in litigation.
"From my time in government, I know how we viewed that, with a little bit of suspicion," Craynon recalled. "Really, you would look at some of these studies, and say, 'This is really compelling,' but it's hard for us as an agency to base a decision on something that doesn't have third-party acceptance."
And thus, the ARIES project was born.
Virginia Tech announced it on March 31, 2011, calling ARIES "a new initiative to address the environmental impacts of the discovery, development, production and use of energy resources in Appalachia."
The initial funding companies -- Virginia Tech calls them "industrial partners" -- included Alpha Natural Resources, International Coal Group, Massey Energy Co., TECO Coal, Patriot Coal and Norfolk Southern. Virginia Tech's news release quoted Kevin Crutchfield, CEO of Alpha.
"We believe that good scientific research on natural resources, safety, and environmental issues is a key way to sustain the viability of the industry," Crutchfield said. "Only by knowing what the facts are about the impacts of mining can elected officials then make sound policy decisions that support jobs and energy security while maintaining the health and well-being of the environment and communities of Appalachia."
Industry officials who funded ARIES were given the ability to help choose the broad research topics for the project, but are not supposed to be directly involved in the actual studies, according to Karmis and Craynon.
"This is not consulting work and this is not advocacy," Craynon said. "We're just doing research."
'Mitigating environmental impacts'
So far, three ARIES-funded papers have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
One paper, by West Virginia University foresters, looked for ways to adequately measure damage to forests from mountaintop-removal mining. It found that mountaintop removal was targeting some of the most ecologically important forest areas in the region, and proposed that regulators and industry consider doing something about that.
Another study, by WVU's Paul Ziemkiewicz, focused on toxic selenium runoff, and concluded that mine operators might be able to find ways to keep the material from leaching into waterways, where it becomes much more difficult and expensive to treat.
A third ARIES-funded paper, by researchers at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia, examined recent studies that linked living near mountaintop-removal mining to increased risks of serious illnesses and premature death. That paper criticized existing work on the subject, complaining that it was produced mostly by WVU's Michael Hendryx or researchers working with Hendryx, and said that more studies by others were needed to confirm or disprove the findings.