Maxiii
Traveller
5 comments
Posted 14 years ago
Hi
Some friends and I are planning to travel around Europe by train this summer. We are planning start in Copenhagen early in the morning (buying Interrail-card for one month in Sweden) and then and continue Hamburg - Osnabrück - Amsterdam. We will probably be in Amsterdam around six o'clock in the evening.
But we will arrive at Amsterdam Zuid, because the trains from Germany to Amsterdam Centraal will arrive rather late in the evening. At the route planner there are trains called Sprinters going to Schipol and then we are supposed to change to another train, Inter City or Sprinters to Amsterdam Centraal.
If we go with Sprinter, are we forced to pay full price? Are there any cheaper ways to get to the very center of Amsterdam?
When travelling with IC or ICE, are we only paying a small fee if we reserve seats? Is it free to travel with IC and ICE if we just jump on the trains?
Maxi
edit: IC and ICE
Peter
Traveller
9337 comments
Hi.
German IC and ICE trains are free to use with an InterRail pass.
The same for the Netherlands: international IC or ICE trains oming from Germany and the national IC, Sprinter, etc. trains are without a supplement.
The only thing you have to pay attention in the Netherlands is NOT to use THALYS trains. Example: [u]https://rail.cc/en/amsterdam-paris-train/f1472[/u]
In Germany only the ICE Sprinter is with a supplement, but you won't meet it on your trip. It is a business train and it is marked in the train schedules.
Peter :)
Maxiii
Traveller
5 comments
Hi Peter!
Thanks for the answer! So if we go with Sprinter, can we walk just on to the train and show the conductor our Interrail-passes? :)
Maxi
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi Maxi!
Yes, you can enter the train just with your valid InterRail ticket. :)
A small addition to Peters post: The Fyra high speed services between Amsterdam - Schiphol and Rotterdam require a supplement as well - but there are enough alternative connections to choose from. You dont need a reservation for the Amsterdam - Bruxelles trains which may be also called Fyra.
Flo 8)
LucasJV
Traveller
25 comments
Hi,
When you arrive at Amsterdam Zuid station (meaning Amsterdam South) it's a 10 minute metro ride to the very heart of the city, there's no need to take the train to Amsterdam Centraal via Schiphol. Metro line 51 to 'Centraal Station' will take you right there: http://www.gvb.nl/english/Pages/default.aspx
A 'sprinter' is a misleading name because it's basically a local train that stops at every station, and is not to be confused with ICE Sprinter which is totally different.
If you want any more help in Amsterdam/Netherlands just send me a message.
Concerning FYRA/Thalys in Holland: Fyra are the trains making use of the one highspeed rail line in The Netherlands. As of yet the 'highspeed rail' isn't really highspeed (only 160km/h) because the supposedly fast trains the dutch railways ordered for this service have been delayed by a few years. The normal 'InterCity Brussel' takes a bit longer (30 minutes) and a different route (not over the high speed tracks) but doesn't require supplements or reservations. It also stops in The Hague.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
You can also change at Hilversum (if you are on a train from Berlin - which are bound for Schiphol via Zuid). But you should get a connection directly to Centraal anyway if you enter Amsterdam Centraal as your destination in the route planner.
@LucasLV: I just mentioned the Amsterdam - Bruxelles Benelux services as they run with coaches in the Fyra branding although they dont require a supplement.
LucasJV
Traveller
25 comments
Agreeing with flow. When you're coming from Germany, changing at Hilversum to Amsterdam Centraal is the smartest thing to do. But do you end up at Amsterdam Zuid anyway, use the metro.
The Benelux trains don't have Fyra branding, it's NS (Dutch Railways) International branding. Only the Fyra 'highspeed' trains actually state Fyra on the side. Anyway I understand it can be confusing, it's the same colors and the Deutsche Bahn (to Berlin and Frankfurt) doesn't want their trains branded to NS International colors so that's why you don't see them much.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Ah, thanks for that info. ;)
Maxiii
Traveller
5 comments
Hi all!
Thank you for the help! You are doing a great job! :)
Is it free to travel with the metro in Amsterdam with the Interrail-pass?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
No problem. ;)
No, you cant use Amsterdam metro with your InterRail pass. But usually you wont need it anyway as everything is quite close to the main station. If you need public transport, then usually to get to/from the various campsites as they are quite a distance from the center.
Flo 8)