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Amsterdam Services

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reuban

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When the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam reached Amsterdam, did it run empty back to Brussels before forming another service to London? Or was it sold as an Amsterdam to Brussels train?

Also, on the marseille to London train, at Lille, we all left the train to complete immigration before returning to the train. Why didn't they do this with the Amsterdam trains at either Brussels or Lille before the launch of the direct services?
 
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StephenHunter

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I believe it ran as an Amsterdam to Brussels only service.

This was the reasoning given for not doing the "Lille Shuffle" at the time, from the Seat 61 March 2017 news section:

Passengers will indeed check in at their starting stations in the Netherlands, with X-ray & passport checks performed before boarding at Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol and Rotterdam, so no need to get off before London. In London you'll just walk off the train as you do now. Domestic Benelux passengers will be able to use the train from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to Brussels, they will not need to go through any security or passport checks, but will board half the 900-seat e320 Eurostar set aside for them. Doors between the London-bound and Benelux domestic halves of the train will be locked shut. When the Benelux domestic passengers alight at Brussels, their half of the train will be security-swept before Brussels to London passengers are allowed on. This is the reason behind the 20-minute station stop at Brussels in the inwards direction, which did indeed seem longer than necessary if nothing were being done, but much too short for the equivalent of the 'Lille shuffle' on the Marseille to London Eurostar, where passengers have to alight, go through check-in and re-board.

The capacity at Brussels is rather limited, I believe.
 

biko

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When the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam reached Amsterdam, did it run empty back to Brussels before forming another service to London? Or was it sold as an Amsterdam to Brussels train?
It ran as a passenger service between Amsterdam and Brussels (most of the time nearly empty) and then after cleaning as a Brussels to London service, but it did not connect well if I remember correctly. I believe a following Thalys service had a better connection onto the Brussels to London service. The timetable on the NS website still shows the services until Brussels (they do not update it except in December, so the through service is not included yet): https://www.ns.nl/binaries/_ht_1574...dienstregeling/december-2019/100-129/106a.pdf

Also, on the marseille to London train, at Lille, we all left the train to complete immigration before returning to the train. Why didn't they do this with the Amsterdam trains at either Brussels or Lille before the launch of the direct services?
It takes much time to let everybody go through security at the station and officers need to check the whole train. Also the passenger experience is not optimal to put it mildly.
 

duesselmartin

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When the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam reached Amsterdam, did it run empty back to Brussels before forming another service to London? Or was it sold as an Amsterdam to Brussels train?

Also, on the marseille to London train, at Lille, we all left the train to complete immigration before returning to the train. Why didn't they do this with the Amsterdam trains at either Brussels or Lille before the launch of the direct services?
I travelled on it aus a Thalys service I believe, although I might be mistaken.
 

Ianno87

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It didn't connect well as it was timed in the eventual through path - so the dwell time at Brussels was insufficient to alight, go through check in, and re-board again (unless you were sharpish off the train and held a Business Premier ticket for the second leg!)
 

DanielB

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You're completely right: this service was on the departure boards in Amsterdam as Eurostar service to Brussel-Zuid/Midi.
 
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