Eurostar......and Holland

There is a smidge of a possibility we can fit in a small side trip before we head to the US.

Options are Scotland (Edinburgh again or Hubby would like to see Amsterdam before we leave- thinking of going by Eurostar which I have never done- has anyone any opinions?

No-one been on Eurostar?? or connected to another City?

Anyone.......

Someone at work did this, but well, he's a complete train freak, so I'm not sure he would be any help.      Plus, they took the train up, stayed over night and took the train back.  It seems like it might be a longish journey.  Can't you get cheapie flights or is your heart set on Eurostar? 
I've done the ferry and drive to Amsterdam and it took for freaking ever.   

If we want Amsterdam I think it's cheapie flights, we did France by Ferry, Scotland by cheapie flight and I just wanted to do another country by train for him, just something different. I don't think it's terribly practical, so considering Bruge or Lille now

Thanks M.

Brugges is stunning!  The beer is pretty darn nice too! 

Brugges is stunning!  The beer is pretty darn nice too! 

I was thinking more of the chocolate

OMG, get your priorities straight, woman!   

OMG, get your priorities straight, woman!   

LMAO I DID! Choc for me, beer for him, oh hang on, belgium equals diamonds too.......ho hum

OK.  Then go to Bruge on the train.    Holland is too much of a hike.  Eat chocolate, drink beer.   

Last Summer a friend and I took a train from Paris to Amsterdam - one of the fast train - and it took about three hours, maybe? My friend paid so I don't know how much it was but I don't think it was very cheap. I would really suggest looking into cheap flights like EasyJet  as it's only about £50 R/T - less, I'm sure, for one-way.

Speaking of Bruges, it's really a shame that Ryan Air stopped their daily flights from Ostende (used to be something like 3 or 4 pm).

We took a flight out of Stansted to Charleroi.  Once in Charleroi, you have to take a bus to the train station, change at Bruxelles Midi, then train it to Bruges.  I think total journey time was pushing 2.5-3 hours.

We returned via Ostende which is about 45 minutes total from Bruges train station to Ostende Airport, including a bus ride.

Easyjet has some good flights to Amsterdam- I used to go at least once a year. Only been on Eurostar to Paris, and have gone to Amsterdam by coach

I enjoyed the Eurostar, but for quick and cheap....airlines

Easyjet has some good flights to Amsterdam- I used to go at least once a year. Only been on Eurostar to Paris, and have gone to Amsterdam by coach

I enjoyed the Eurostar, but for quick and cheap....airlines

Thanks all- none of my options are looking as reasonable as I'd hoped at this point, keeping all options open though- decided we would be happy to go spend some time in the New Forest again (not cheap either I might add!)

I've been researching this itinerary myself. The best three options from London to  Amsterdam: Eurostar, EasyJet or the ferry.

Eurostar is about $120 USD roundtrip and takes about 4 hours. Eurostar only goes to Brussles. From there, you have to change trains and board a local train to Amsterdam, which run about once an hour.  Check out this great website that will tell you how to get around Europe and elsewhere using only trains:  http://www.seat61.com/

Easyjet sales sometimes run as cheap as $50 roundtrip. Yes its cheaper and quicker, but the airports are outside London so by the time you factor in transportation costs to and from the airports, and the time to get to and from the airports and security, the cost and time involved is nearly the same as Eurostar.

The absolute cheapest (but also the longest at 7-8 hours) is to take a train and ferry. It's only 25 pounds per person, each way.
Website:  http://www.dutchflyer.co.uk/

Thanks for all the info AP- that site seat61.com is a goodie. Is the train time 4 hrs from France? I am keen to do it by train and I agree with you about the cheap airfares, once you have paid for a taxi to the stn and then the train etc, it bumps it right up.

It's been so long since I was in Holland (I was about 19, now I'm ahem cough36cough) and Hubby would love it so much. For some strange reason I brought back cans of Japanese cola because I loved the Japanese writing on the can (and they were blue ) go figure! LOL!! I'd evidently been in the cafe's too long.......

But I am now umming and aahing about the ponies in the New Forest.....

Weirder and weirder