Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the glass-and-steel terminus where the direct ICE from Amsterdam arrives on the upper level.
Photo: Rectifier99 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Amsterdam to Berlin by Train
An international route between Netherlands and Germany.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 5h 42m – 6h 00m
- Price from
- 38 EUR
- Distance
- 642 km
- Operators
- Deutsche Bahn (ICE International)NS International
- Frequency
- Direct ICE roughly every 2 hours, about 6-7 direct departures a day
Compare and book Amsterdam–Berlin tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Amsterdam to Berlin different
- This exact through-service only reached its current form recently: journey time was cut by roughly 40 minutes in December 2023 by eliminating a locomotive change at the Bad Bentheim border crossing, and the entire route was fully converted to the newest ICE 3neo trainsets on 1 November 2025 - the same month DB and NS International marked 25 years of joint cross-border ICE operation between Germany and the Netherlands.
- The train crosses into Germany at Bad Bentheim and calls at Hannover Hauptbahnhof and Berlin Spandau before terminating at Berlin Hauptbahnhof - a single ticket spans two countries and roughly 642km without a change.
- Unlike most routes on this site, this is a case where flying can genuinely be faster door-to-door: at 642km it's one of the longer international rail hops here, and Amsterdam-Berlin has frequent short-haul flights (about 1h20m in the air) that can beat the roughly 5h45m train once you don't mind the airport transfer trade-off.
Amsterdam station
Departs from Amsterdam Centraal. Unlike the fenced-off UK departure lounge Eurostar uses at the same station, the Berlin-bound ICE boards from an ordinary platform since Germany is also in Schengen - check the departure board on the day, since the platform for ICE International services can vary, and NS International recommends being at the station at least 30 minutes ahead.
Berlin station
Arrives at Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Europe's largest crossing-point station, built on two perpendicular levels; east-west long-distance trains like this one from Amsterdam use the upper level (tracks 5-6), while north-south S-Bahn and regional trains run on the level below.
Train vs. other options
Flying Amsterdam-Berlin takes around 1h20m in the air with frequent budget-carrier options via Schiphol and Berlin Brandenburg (BER), and - unusually for this site, where the train almost always wins on door-to-door time - it can plausibly beat the roughly 5h45m direct train once transfer time is counted on both sides; the train's real advantages here are no baggage fees, city-center-to-city-center simplicity, and a much lower carbon footprint than the flight.
Booking tips
- Book as early as possible through NS International or DB - the cheapest EUR 38 fares are limited-inventory and jump to EUR 45-131 once they're gone for a given departure.
- This is a joint DB/NS International service, so check both sites' current promo fares before booking - pricing and availability sometimes differ between the two even for the same train.
- Seat reservation is compulsory (not optional) on this route from 26 June to 31 August 2026, at EUR 5.50 second class / EUR 6.90 first class - don't skip it during that summer window assuming it's like a normal domestic ICE.
Good to know: Seat reservations are compulsory for this specific cross-border service during the 26 June - 31 August 2026 peak season (EUR 5.50/EUR 6.90) - a stricter rule than DB applies to most purely-domestic German ICE routes, where reservations are usually optional.
While you're in Berlin
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's best-known landmark and a former symbol of the city's Cold War division.
Photo: Norbert Nagel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Berlin rewards travelers who split their time between the big set-piece sights - Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Reichstag - and neighborhood culture in Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg, where the city's food markets and bar scene actually happen.
Full Berlin travel guide →Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Amsterdam to Berlin?
Yes - a joint Deutsche Bahn/NS International ICE runs direct roughly every 2 hours, taking about 5 hours 42 minutes to 6 hours, with no change needed.
How much does the Amsterdam to Berlin train cost?
Advance fares start around EUR 38 in second class; once the cheapest allotment sells out for a given departure, prices rise to roughly EUR 45-131.
Do I need a seat reservation for this train?
It's optional most of the year but compulsory from 26 June to 31 August 2026 (EUR 5.50 second class / EUR 6.90 first class) - book one for summer travel.