Amsterdam to Utrecht by train

NS Intercity trains take around 27 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal. Amsterdam Amstel and Amsterdam Zuid are separate departure stations.

Start at the right Amsterdam station

For the historic centre, start at Amsterdam Centraal and take a direct NS Intercity to Utrecht Centraal. Amsterdam Amstel and Amsterdam Zuid are separate stations, even though all three are in Amsterdam.

Amstel and Zuid make sense when you are already nearby. NS offers direct options to Utrecht from both, but neither is interchangeable with Amsterdam Centraal. The right departure station is the one closest to where you are staying or meeting someone.

Journey time and normal service

During the day, the usual service is a direct NS Intercity from Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal. Around 27 minutes is a useful planning figure, although duration varies by departure and railway works. The NS Journey Planner gives the relevant itinerary for your date.

NS also lists a night-train route through Amsterdam Centraal and Utrecht Centraal. It runs after the last regular train into early morning; night departures are date specific and are shown in the live timetable.

Stations and tickets

Utrecht Centraal is the main arrival station for Utrecht city centre. Utrecht has other stations, so an outer-area destination may make another one more convenient.

The exact station pair in your itinerary determines the fare and journey details, which depend on the date and departure. On this route, the practical choice is whether you need to leave from Amsterdam Centraal, Amstel or Zuid.

Before you travel

Check the departure, arrival station and route in the NS Journey Planner shortly before leaving. That single check covers timetable changes and engineering work.