Eurostar has announced that a new direct service between London and Amsterdam will begin on 4 April.
There will initially be two trains per day from London’s St Pancras station, each taking three hours and 41 minutes to reach Amsterdam Centraal.
Return journeys will require a change at Brussels, a temporary measure until the UK and Dutch governments reach an agreement on passport procedures.
Until then, passengers will need to go through security and get their passports checked in the Belgian capital.
But Eurostar said that, with up to 10 trains a day from Brussels to London, the connection “should be quick and smooth”.
Nicolas Petrovic, chief executive of Eurostar, said: “The launch of our service to the Netherlands represents an exciting advance in cross-Channel travel and heralds a new era in international high-speed rail.
“With direct services from the UK to the Netherlands, France and Belgium, we are transforming the links between the UK and three of Europe’s top trading nations.
“Our new route marks the culmination of the extensive investment in high-speed rail on both sides of the Channel.”
Tickets go on sale on 20 February and start at £35 one way.
