Train stations in Utrecht

Utrecht Centraal is the main station for Utrecht, and it is where the intercity and ICE trains arrive.

Use Utrecht Centraal for almost every trip

Utrecht sits at the centre of the Dutch rail network, so many routes pass through Utrecht Centraal or change here. Intercity trains from Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven and Arnhem all arrive without a change. Of the seven Utrecht stations, it is the only one that international ICE trains use.

Inside you will find an NS International desk, an OV Service and Tickets desk, luggage lockers and OV-fiets rental bikes at three points around the building. Four staffed bicycle parks sit close by.

Journey times from the main hubs

The times below are typical for direct trains to Utrecht Centraal. The fares shown are the lowest NS e-ticket prices.

Amsterdam has more than 100 trains a day to Utrecht, so you rarely need to plan around a departure time. From Schiphol, take the direct train. Going into Amsterdam first only adds a change.

ICE trains to Germany

Utrecht Centraal is one of three Dutch stations where ICE trains pick up passengers for Germany, alongside Amsterdam Centraal and Arnhem Centraal. The direct ICE to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf takes about 3 hours 27 minutes, with fares from €38 one way. You can book from Utrecht Centraal directly, with no need to go to Amsterdam first.

Berlin works differently. The direct Berlin ICE starts in Amsterdam, and Amersfoort also has direct trains. From Utrecht you make one change, for a total of about 5 hours 44 minutes.

Cheap ICE fares to Germany start at €20 and go up as the low-priced tickets sell out. The cheapest type, Supersparpreis Europa, is tied to one train and cannot be changed or refunded. Sparpreis Europa costs a little more and can be changed or cancelled up to the first day of validity for a €19 fee. Flexpreis Europa is fully flexible and costs more. Book early for a fixed trip, and choose Flexpreis only if your plans may move.

No fare type includes a seat reservation, apart from first class Flexpreis. Reservations are recommended outside peak summer and compulsory on international ICE trains during it. The peak-summer dates change each year. There is no check-in for ICE. You simply board.

From the station to the centre

Utrecht Centraal opens straight into the Hoog Catharijne shopping centre on the Stationsplein side, and you pass through it on the way to the old town. The old town centre is within walking distance, and city buses serve the centre from the station area. Many visitors walk or borrow an OV-fiets.

The Jaarbeursplein side is the exit for the Jaarbeurs exhibition centre. If your event is there, leave by that side and skip the mall.

The other six Utrecht stations

Utrecht has six more stations: Utrecht Vaartsche Rijn, Utrecht Overvecht, Utrecht Zuilen, Utrecht Lunetten, Utrecht Leidsche Rijn and Utrecht Terwijde. They serve neighbourhoods around the edge of the city and are local stops. You only need them when your address is close by.

Utrecht Vaartsche Rijn is close to the Museumkwartier, with Sprinters towards Geldermalsen and Driebergen. Utrecht Leidsche Rijn and Utrecht Terwijde serve the new western district and are served by trains towards Woerden.

For a visit to the old town, stay on until Utrecht Centraal. None of the six is the place to change for ICE or the long intercity routes.

Tickets and paying for domestic trains

For a single trip or an occasional visit, tap in and out with a contactless debit card, credit card or phone. Nothing needs to be set up first. You travel second class at the standard fare, without any discount, and the day's fares are taken from your account the following day.

Tap out with the same card or device you tapped in with. If you tap in by mistake, tap out at the same station within 60 minutes and the journey is cancelled at no charge.

An NS e-ticket is the alternative when you want to know the price before you travel, and it sits in the NS app.

Mistakes to avoid

Berlin is the most common trap. Utrecht has no direct Berlin ICE, so plan for the change.

Tap-out is the second. Paying by card, you must tap out at the end, and the gate does not show the fare. Link the card to Mijn NS to see what you spent.

The third is the exit. Stationsplein and Jaarbeursplein are on opposite sides of the building, and the wrong one means a walk back through the station.