Eurostar‘s cross-channel service has been a huge success and after 30 years it now carries over 18 million people a year, with some trains seating almost 900 passengers. It’s easy to see why.
Getting on the sleek carriages is always much more pleasant than taking in the air. The seats are comfortable, the staff cheerful and there is a welcome air of peace and civility as you glide smoothly across the flat fields of Northern Europe.
While check-in can be chaotic at times, with lines for security and crowded departure halls, you can take a lot of luggage and there are none of those pesky liquid restrictions. Of course, riding the rails is also better for the planet.
So, here’s our guide to enjoying a break in the five cities with a direct service from London St Pancras International. Fares to all destinations are from £78 return (eurostar.com).
ARTY AMSTERDAM
There are three Eurostar trains a day from London to the popular Dutch city of Amsterdam (pictured)
Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel (seen here) has double beds from £101, room only
Eurostar added this popular Dutch city in 2018 and there are now three trains a day. A new, enlarged departure lounge will open at Amsterdam Centraal early next year – until then, passengers must change in Brussels on the return journey. This winter, the city’s inner canals will be illuminated at night with works of art for the Amsterdam Light Festival (28 November – 19 January, amsterdamlightfestival.com), with walking and boat tours available (iamsterdam.com).
TRAVEL TIME: 3h 52m
HOW TO DO IT: Stroll through the Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honor decorated with masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer (timed entry, rijksmuseum.nl), then take a ‘100 Highlights’ canal cruise from the nearby pier (stromma.com).
The picturesque Nine Streets (de9straatjes.nl) is packed with tempting shops and eateries, including Tasting Room van Wees which distills its own jenever (Dutch gin) with tastings available (trial room vanwees.nl).
When hunger calls, Foodhallen is a former tram depot with buzzing bars and 19 street food stalls serving everything from bitterballen (Dutch croquettes) to dim sum and French patisserie (foodhallen.nl).
STAY: Overlooking the canal, the Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam hotel has Mondrian-inspired rooms and is just a short walk from the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Double from £101, room only (avanihotels.com).
OUR TIP: Buy a City Card that bundles museum entry, public transport, bike hire and a canal cruise, from €60 for 24 hours (iamsterdam.com/citycard).
JUMP OVER TO LILLE
Less stress: It takes less than 90 minutes to reach the French city of Lille on the Eurostar (file image)
Get into the festive spirit with a trip to Lille’s enchanting Christmas Market (photo)
This charming northern French city is close enough for a day trip, perhaps for a laid-back lunch of moules frites and beers blonde combined with shopping at the sparkling Christmas market in Place Rihour (November 20 – December 29, noel-a-lille.com). Stay a night or two and you’ll have time to discover its flamboyant 17th-century buildings, abundant museums and tempting cake and chocolate shops (lilletourism.com).
TRAVEL TIME: 1h 22m
HOW TO DO IT: Vieux Lille, the cobbled historic heart, is only a 15-minute walk from Lille-Europe station and is full of small, high-quality shops.
For a view of the city, climb the 341ft bell tower in the Hotel de Ville (reservations required, lilletourism.com) and don’t miss the enchanting Hospice de la Comtesse, a hospital built in 1237 and decorated with beautiful blue and white hand-painted tiles (mhc.lille.fr).
In the evening, have a drink in the lively bars of rue Royale and then dine at reasonably priced Club Marot, which serves creative dishes such as smoked haddock with foie gras (clubmarot.fr).
STAY: Le Chat Qui Dort has smart rental apartments in five locations, including options for families. Studios from £80 (lechatquidort.fr).
OUR TIP: Most museums close on Tuesday. Bradt has just published an updated city guide (£14.99, bradtguides.com).
DISCOVER BRUSSELS
Book a Eurostar ticket to Brussels (pictured) and you can continue to any rail destination in Belgium at no extra cost
The secret to visiting the sprawling capital of both Belgium and the European Union is to make yourself at home in a specific area. For most, that means the World Heritage-listed Grand-Place lined with magnificent guild houses – while you’re there, pop into the nearby Fashion and Lace Museum (fashionandlacemuseum.brussels). Another rewarding theme is art nouveau centered on the St Gilles and Ixelles neighbourhoods, with the sensual home of star architect Victor Horta an essential stop (hortamuseum.be).
TRAVEL TIME: 1h 53m
HOW TO DO IT: Rise above the tourist hype by booking lunch at The Brasserie on the first floor of the old Stock Exchange, which serves Belgian staples like chicken vol-au-vent alongside regional beers (thebrasserie.be). In the evening enjoy a surreal cocktail at Bar Magritte in Hotel Amigo (roccofortehotels.com) then eat old-school favorites such as roast venison with gin sauce at wood-panelled Les Brigittines (lesbrigittines.com) Information: visit.brussels.
STAY: NH Hotels has seven contemporary four-star hotels in the city centre, including the cheerful nhow Brussels Bloom next to the Jardin Botanique. Double from £95, room only (nh-hotels.com).
OUR TIP: Book a Eurostar ticket to Brussels and you can continue to any rail destination in the country at no extra cost. Transfers are valid for 24 hours, allowing time to see some sights while en route to cities such as Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp.
CONTINUE TO PARIS
Highlights: Head to Paris to see Sacre Coeur on Montmartre (pictured), just one of the French capital’s famous landmarks
After the success of the Summer Olympics, the French capital will be back in the news with the partial reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral on December 7 after a five-year restoration (notredamedeparis.fr). Be festive at the Christmas market in the Jardin des Tuileries, which opens on 16 November, while the New Year sales start on 8 January 2025.
TRAVEL TIME: 2h 16m
HOW TO DO IT: For a cultural hit with free entry visit the permanent collection at the Petit Palais, which includes works by Rubens, Courbet, Monet and Cezanne (petitpalais.paris.fr). If the weather is poor, take a self-guided walk down the city’s historic arcades and hidden passageways (gpsmycity.com). Book dinner at Brasserie Vagenende in Saint-Germain-des-Pres which has original decor from 1904 and a classic menu with dishes such as skate wings with capers (vagenende.com). Information: parisjetaime.com.
STAY: Right next to Gare du Nord and the delights of Marche Saint-Quentin, Hotel Mademoiselle is a friendly four-star hotel with elegant rooms and a small spa. Doubles from £117 with breakfast (hotel-mademoiselle-paris.com).
OUR TIP: Buy Metro tickets in advance at the cafe on board Eurostar, and save time on arrival. For a longer stay, get a Navigo Easy card (€2 from newsagents) then download the Bonjour RATP app which has live data on bus and metro services (ratp.fr).
EXPLORE ROTTERDAM
Modern wonder: The journey from London to Rotterdam by Eurostar takes just over three hours. Above, a Eurostar arrives at Rotterdam Central Station
Piet Blom’s Cube Houses (seen here) are one of Rotterdam’s most important tourist attractions
Flattened in World War II, this dynamic port is well worth discovering, with its eye-catching modern buildings and intriguing mesh of harbors and waterways. A main reason to get off the train here is Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a pot-shaped warehouse covered in mirrored panels where works of art from Breughel to Picasso are displayed on innovative ‘crystal chairs’ that let you see their backs. Don’t miss the 360-degree city views from the wooded roof terrace (boijmans.nl/en/depot). Information: rotterdam.info
TRAVEL TIME: 3h 13m
HOW TO DO IT: Explore the city center by bike on a guided tour that combines tastings of local snacks such as raw herring and poffertjes (small pancakes) with stops at key attractions such as Piet Blom’s funny, funny Cube Houses (bikeandbite.nl). Book dinner at De Matroos en Het Meisje, a cozy restaurant with no menu – instead you eat what the kitchen feels good about that day, which can be brilliant with fermented honey followed by slow-cooked pork with cabbage (dematroosehetmeisje.nl).
STAY: The former port headquarters of the Holland-America shipping line, built in 1901, is now the highly atmospheric Hotel New York, complete with vintage posters and leather luggage. Double from £111, room only (hotelnewyork.com).
OUR TIP: Take a ride in the black and yellow water taxis that tear around like speedboats, from €5 (watertaxirotterdam.nl).
