Thank you for this RUclips. You didn't say when you travelled Amsterdam-London. I ask because right now, and for the next few months, Eurostar does *not* run direct Amsterdam-Lonfon. Passengers must disembark at Brussels Midi for UK Border controls. Meanwhile several days ago Eurostar's CEO has threatened to cancel its services from Amstredam because of rail infrastructure failings in the Netherlands.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 I travelled past mid-May. This is why I also wrote in the video that at Amsterdam the setup might be different. I had no idea about the UK border Control in Brussels. That is good to know! 👍
You should walk from London St Pancras to London Euston, saves you from the hassle from the tube, especially in rush hour, and it only takes less than 10 minutes!
@@TAAIANDTAQI Thanks for the tip! For a moment I had considered it, but with all the luggage I had doubts this was a good idea. Had I known how much walking it was going to be within the tube tunnel systems, I'd chosen differently. So future travellers, rather take a walk! 👍
Thank you for this excellent video (I just subscribed). It is so frustrating that the European rail operators cannot get their act together! I'd love to travel by train rather than plane, but cost, time, and simply the amount of hassle all count against rail. Also, the amount of speciallist knowledge one seems to need (like walking between Euston and St Pancras). The railway companies grew up in an age where they were the only option, and travellers just had to put up with what they were offered - and in many ways not much seems to have changed! Ich freue mich auf Ihr nächstes Video ...
Yes I am been reporting on this mainland Europe rail situation since year 2000. There are some changes but it's a slow process. These huge national rail operators (in mainland Europe) are conservative and slow-moving. They are heavily financed by their governments. Yes the EU wants to make changes and has opened the market to competition but it's a slow process ... especially in France. Where mainline rail has become more competitive is in Spain and Italy where you have more than one operator serving several mainlines with high-speed train. By the way I too have become a subscriber.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 Thank you so much for subscribing! I had watched a few videos on the state of train travel, but to read this now from you this is really interesting and sad. I hope the train companies will move faster in the future.
Flights could be cheaper. If you use skyscanner and specify countries instead of airports, it will attempt to show you cheapest options. Of course this may have catches, like strict luggage limits and local travel costs.
@@humza890 Good advice. Former CEO of E* Jacques Damas stated that E* couldn't compete with budget airlines on the London-Amsterdam route because of high operating costs. An airline flies A to B. For London-Amsterdam E* must pay toll fees to: HS1, the Tunnel then the fees to use high-speed tracks in France, Belgium and Netherlands.
Once Eurostar has some competition, I think we will start seeing more UK to further away EU destinations coming in soon. I'd love to see a London to Cologne/Frankfurt/Zurich/Geneva/Barcelona route. It's a shame that it's not competitive against flying because of all the subsidies that airlines get.
@@OliverTurnerMSc Oh yes! I hope that it will happen rather sooner than later. Trains CAN connect destinations quite conveniently with one another. From what I understand, Deutsche Bahn disappointingly isn't quite helping for new connections by different providers to happen. So I hope more will push for it. The desire by people to travel by train is there. 🍀🫶🤞
@@likes_to_travel No problem. Maybe your subscriber refers to airline fuel not being taxed. Fair point. But then remember that the majority owner of E* is SNCF which has a massive deficit. SNCF couldn't exist without heavy subsidies from the French state.
Look forward to your video on Shrewsbury. I lived close to the town for many years.
@@bonetiredtoo I'll try my best to depict Shrewsbury. It's such a beautiful city!
Thank you for this RUclips. You didn't say when you travelled Amsterdam-London. I ask because right now, and for the next few months, Eurostar does *not* run direct Amsterdam-Lonfon. Passengers must disembark at Brussels Midi for UK Border controls. Meanwhile several days ago Eurostar's CEO has threatened to cancel its services from Amstredam because of rail infrastructure failings in the Netherlands.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 I travelled past mid-May. This is why I also wrote in the video that at Amsterdam the setup might be different. I had no idea about the UK border Control in Brussels. That is good to know! 👍
You should walk from London St Pancras to London Euston, saves you from the hassle from the tube, especially in rush hour, and it only takes less than 10 minutes!
@@TAAIANDTAQI Thanks for the tip! For a moment I had considered it, but with all the luggage I had doubts this was a good idea. Had I known how much walking it was going to be within the tube tunnel systems, I'd chosen differently.
So future travellers, rather take a walk! 👍
Thank you for this excellent video (I just subscribed). It is so frustrating that the European rail operators cannot get their act together! I'd love to travel by train rather than plane, but cost, time, and simply the amount of hassle all count against rail. Also, the amount of speciallist knowledge one seems to need (like walking between Euston and St Pancras). The railway companies grew up in an age where they were the only option, and travellers just had to put up with what they were offered - and in many ways not much seems to have changed!
Ich freue mich auf Ihr nächstes Video ...
@@ricktownend9144 Thank you so much! 🙏 Yes, I agree, the trains need to get their act together more.
Yes I am been reporting on this mainland Europe rail situation since year 2000. There are some changes but it's a slow process. These huge national rail operators (in mainland Europe) are conservative and slow-moving. They are heavily financed by their governments. Yes the EU wants to make changes and has opened the market to competition but it's a slow process ... especially in France. Where mainline rail has become more competitive is in Spain and Italy where you have more than one operator serving several mainlines with high-speed train. By the way I too have become a subscriber.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 Thank you so much for subscribing! I had watched a few videos on the state of train travel, but to read this now from you this is really interesting and sad. I hope the train companies will move faster in the future.
Flights could be cheaper. If you use skyscanner and specify countries instead of airports, it will attempt to show you cheapest options.
Of course this may have catches, like strict luggage limits and local travel costs.
@@humza890 Thank you for the pointer! Definitely the flight fare could possibly by lower than what I found.
@@humza890 Good advice. Former CEO of E* Jacques Damas stated that E* couldn't compete with budget airlines on the London-Amsterdam route because of high operating costs. An airline flies A to B. For London-Amsterdam E* must pay toll fees to: HS1, the Tunnel then the fees to use high-speed tracks in France, Belgium and Netherlands.
Once Eurostar has some competition, I think we will start seeing more UK to further away EU destinations coming in soon. I'd love to see a London to Cologne/Frankfurt/Zurich/Geneva/Barcelona route. It's a shame that it's not competitive against flying because of all the subsidies that airlines get.
@@OliverTurnerMSc Oh yes! I hope that it will happen rather sooner than later. Trains CAN connect destinations quite conveniently with one another.
From what I understand, Deutsche Bahn disappointingly isn't quite helping for new connections by different providers to happen. So I hope more will push for it. The desire by people to travel by train is there. 🍀🫶🤞
You are mistaken thinking all airlines receive subsidies. Most of the destinations noted are served by LCCs which receive no financial help.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 Thanks for the clarification! 👍
@@likes_to_travel No problem. Maybe your subscriber refers to airline fuel not being taxed. Fair point. But then remember that the majority owner of E* is SNCF which has a massive deficit. SNCF couldn't exist without heavy subsidies from the French state.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 Interesting to know! I had no idea that this is the case. How are the train fares in France? Do you know by any chance?