Train to Amsterdam: how to find a ticket from 20 € and when to take the night one
The train to Amsterdam costs from €20. From Cologne you'll get there in just under three hours, from Frankfurt in about four. A ticket on the Super Sparpreis Europa fare starts at €19.99 one way from cities in western Germany (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). The earlier you book, the cheaper the ticket.
The train is more convenient than flying on short routes. You board in the city center and step off at Amsterdam Centraal, with no trip to the airport and no security lines. Below we'll break down prices, fares, travel times, and the night train Nightjet.
Ad: this article contains affiliate links, we earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Train ticket to Amsterdam: the essentials in a minute
💡 In short:
- Price: Super Sparpreis Europa from €19.99 from cities in western Germany, from Berlin from €37.99 (as of 09/2026).
- Time: from Cologne about 2 hours 40 minutes, from Frankfurt about 4 hours.
- Night train: Nightjet ÖBB from Vienna via Cologne, seat from €34.90 (as of 09/2026).
- City-Ticket: the Sparpreis Europa fare includes local transit in the German departure or arrival city, but Super Sparpreis does not.
- Prices and schedules: 09/2026, checked on the Deutsche Bahn website.
How much a train ticket costs
The price depends on distance, number of transfers, and class of travel. The rule is simple. The shorter the route and the earlier you book, the cheaper the ticket.
Cities in western Germany are the cheapest starting points. Super Sparpreis Europa from Cologne starts at €19.99 one way, second class (as of 09/2026, fares on the Deutsche Bahn website). First class starts at around €29.99. This isn't a fixed price, it's the minimum rate when you book early.
From cities farther away it costs more, but good deals still exist. From Hanover the minimum rate is around €27.99, from Berlin around €37.99 (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). Even from Stuttgart you can catch a cheap ticket if you grab it well in advance.
The most important thing for a low price: book early. Cheap Sparpreis fares appear about six months before travel. The number of these seats is limited, and they disappear as the date approaches. Buy your ticket in advance, and the difference compared with the price on the day of departure will be significant.
How to buy a cheaper ticket: step by step
The easiest way to find a ticket is on the Deutsche Bahn website. The process takes a few minutes. Here's what to do.
Enter your departure and destination. Start with your city, then enter your destination. Amsterdam's main station is called Amsterdam Centraal.
Set the date and time for outbound and return. An early departure and a late return train slightly extend your trip.
Click "Suchen" and look at all connections. A table appears with all available connections, cheapest at the top.
Narrow the search and pick a connection. The filters at the top let you set departure time and maximum transfers. For example, departure between 9 and 11 and no more than one transfer.
Proceed to booking. Select the outbound and return trains, check the details, and pay online.
You can also compare prices and schedules in advance, before you settle on a date. It's convenient to first check current ticket prices and then lock in a specific connection.
Deutsche Bahn fares: which ticket to choose
Deutsche Bahn has three fares for international routes. They differ in price, refund conditions, and whether a City-Ticket is included. A City-Ticket is local transit in the German departure or arrival city. It does not apply in Amsterdam.
Fare | Refund | City-Ticket | When to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
Super Sparpreis Europa | none | not included | cheapest, if your date is fixed |
Sparpreis Europa | paid | included | if plans might shift |
Flexpreis Europa | free | included | if the trip is completely flexible |
In practice, Sparpreis Europa with paid refunds is the most convenient. It's only slightly more expensive than the cheapest fare. But if the trip falls through, you get some of your money back. And you can get to the station in a German city using the City-Ticket. Only choose Super Sparpreis if your date is firm: it can't be refunded.
How long it takes from your city
From Cologne the trip is short, that's obvious. But even the nearly 700 kilometers from Stuttgart takes less than six hours by train. On that distance it's often faster than driving, with no traffic jams at the border.
Below are the fastest connections from several German cities. Times are rounded; check exact figures in the Deutsche Bahn search (as of 09/2026).
From | Travel time | Transfers |
|---|---|---|
Düsseldorf | about 2 h 15 min | none |
Cologne | about 2 h 40 min | usually none |
Frankfurt | about 4 hours | 0-1 |
Hamburg | about 5 h 25 min | 0-1 |
Stuttgart | under 6 hours | 1 |
Berlin | about 6 h 20 min | 0-1 |
Munich | about 7 h 30 min | 1 |
If your city isn't in the table, enter your station in the search on the Deutsche Bahn website. The system will find the fastest route with the nearest transfer.
Nightjet night train to Amsterdam
The night train travels in the dark while you sleep in a compartment. In the morning you step off in Amsterdam rested. The Nightjet from Austrian operator ÖBB is especially popular.
© Lukas3333 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Lukas3333, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsNightjet connects Vienna and Amsterdam and passes through Cologne (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). The train runs daily, and the journey takes about 15 hours. From southern Germany and Austria it's a convenient alternative to a daytime train.
The train has several comfort categories. Seats start at €34.90, couchette and mini cabin from €54.90, sleeper compartment from €99.90 (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). The new cars have Wi-Fi and power outlets in all classes. In the sleeper car breakfast is brought to your compartment in the morning.
The night train saves both time and money. A night in transit replaces a night in a hotel, and you arrive right in the center. Plus, the berths are roomier than an airplane seat.
Demand for Nightjet is high. Book 3-6 months ahead to get the best price and the compartment category you want. You can buy a ticket on nightjet.com or in the Deutsche Bahn search, and it's convenient to compare options if you check night train tickets in advance.
Amsterdam Centraal: what to do on arrival
Amsterdam's central station isn't the most beautiful building in the city. But it does its job very well. Let's look at how to get around from there.
Amsterdam Centraal works as a transit station and handles up to 200,000 passengers a day. It's the city's main hub. Picture Amsterdam as a horseshoe: the station sits right at the center of its wide opening, with the IJ harbor behind it.
© Diego Delso · CC BY-SAPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsRight in front of the station there are four tracks with tram stops. From here you can quickly reach outlying districts. If you exit from the back, you're immediately facing the harbor and the Amsterdam-Noord district.
Across the water stands the A'DAM Lookout tower with its observation deck, and next to it the Eye Filmmuseum building. Free ferries go there directly from the back of the station. The ride takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
Train or plane to Amsterdam
Cheap flights under €100 look tempting. But on climate impact, the train clearly wins. According to the German Umweltbundesamt, long-distance trains emit several times less CO2 than planes: the difference is roughly tenfold (as of 09/2026). If you want to protect the climate, choose the train.
© Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA · CC BYPhoto: Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsWhat about time? Take a trip from Hamburg. Including the trip to the airport, waiting at security, baggage claim, and the journey from Schiphol to the center, flying takes about 4 hours 35 minutes. The train from the station to Amsterdam Centraal comes to about 5 hours 25 minutes.
The difference is less than an hour, and it favors the plane. But the ICE ticket in this example cost under €40, while the cheapest flight was around €80. From Cologne or Frankfurt, the train is often even faster once you factor in the trip to the airport.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
How much is the cheapest train ticket to Amsterdam?
Super Sparpreis Europa starts at €19.99 one way from cities in western Germany, for example from Cologne (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). From Berlin the minimum rate is higher, around €37.99. The ticket is non-refundable, so only buy it if your date is firm.
How far in advance should I book tickets?
Cheap Sparpreis fares appear about six months before travel and sell out quickly. The closer the date, the fewer cheap seats remain. For the Nightjet night train, book 3-6 months ahead: sleeper compartments go first.
Is there a night train to Amsterdam?
Yes. Nightjet ÖBB connects Vienna and Amsterdam, passes through Cologne, and runs daily (as of 09/2026, Deutsche Bahn). There are seats, couchettes, and sleeper compartments.
Which Deutsche Bahn fare should I choose?
If your date is fixed, choose Super Sparpreis Europa: it's the cheapest but non-refundable. If plans might shift, pay extra for Sparpreis Europa. It includes paid refunds and a City-Ticket. It applies to transit in the German departure or arrival city. Flexpreis is rarely needed.
Train or plane to Amsterdam?
On short routes the train wins on cost and environmental impact. According to Umweltbundesamt, flying produces about ten times more CO2. From Cologne or Frankfurt, the train is often faster once you factor in the trip to the airport. From Hamburg, flying is about 50 minutes faster.
In short: what to book
The train to Amsterdam is cheap, relaxed, and eco-friendly. From western Germany a ticket costs from €20, and on the night train you step off in the morning rested. There's one main rule. Book in advance.
If you're traveling from Cologne or Frankfurt: take a daytime ICE on the Super Sparpreis Europa fare.
If you're traveling from southern Germany or Austria: take the Nightjet, seat from €34.90, sleeper compartment costs more.
If your dates might shift: pay extra for Sparpreis Europa with City-Ticket and paid refunds.
Ready to go? Check schedules and ticket prices.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.