New night train between Zurich and Amsterdam begins December 12
By Jan de Boer
After half a year of waiting, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and their Dutch counterpart Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) have announced a new night train between Zurich and Amsterdam. The first train is due to leave Zurich HB (Zurich main station) on December 12, being the first direct train between Switzerland and the Netherlands since 2016.
First direct train service between Zurich, Basel and Amsterdam since 2016
The new Nightjet service will run between the Swiss cities of Zurich and Basel, through Germany, before finally arriving in Amsterdam. The route has been used by Swiss public transport before, but after a decline in passenger numbers it closed in 2016. Now, increasing demand for eco-friendly public transport has meant that SBB, NS, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Deutsche Bahn (DB) have reopened the service as part of ÖBB’s Nightjet network.
The train will leave Zurich for Amsterdam at 9.59pm every night, stopping at Basel, Frankfurt, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Arnhem and Utrecht, before finally arriving in Amsterdam at 9.59am the next day. The return leg will leave at 8.30pm and return to Zurich at 8.05am the next morning.
New train will run through Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands
The trains will offer regular seating, communal sleeping areas and private rooms. SBB estimates that just a single round trip by train from Zurich to Amsterdam would save each person 265,8 kilograms of CO2, 128 litres of fuel and 10 hours of travelling time compared with driving.
The train will start running on December 12. Tickets are on sale but going fast! Prices vary depending on what you choose but can be as little as 38 euros one way. With these new services, it is easier than ever to visit one of Europe’s prime destinations from Zurich.
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more