Amsterdam to Berlin by train: ICE, GoVolta and night train guide

By the TrainsNews international expert · Updated 5 November 2026

Three kinds of train link Amsterdam and Berlin without a change this winter: the ICE run by NS and Deutsche Bahn, the low-cost GoVolta and the European Sleeper night train. Track renewal between Hannover and Berlin has sent the ICE on a long detour via Bremen and Hamburg until December 2027, so the fastest trip now takes just under seven hours. For 8 and 10 December, Deutsche Bahn's planner showed four direct ICEs a day from €45.99, GoVolta from €24.99 and the night train from €19.99 for a seat.

Amsterdam to Berlin by train: key facts

All figures read on the operators' own websites on 5 November 2026; December times and fares checked that evening in their booking engines, for one adult travelling one way.

Why the ICE now goes via Hamburg

For years, the direct train from Amsterdam ran east through Osnabrück and Hannover, then continued via Wolfsburg and Stendal to Berlin, the route NS International still describes on its Berlin page. That last stretch is now a building site. DB InfraGO, which manages the German network, says the corridor between Lehrte and Berlin is restricted from 2 October 2026 to 11 December 2027 while it renews the slab track on either side of Stendal. Almost no trains can use the high-speed line or the parallel older route while the work goes on.

NS and Deutsche Bahn reacted by moving their Berlin trains north. Since 2 October, NS says, four trains a day run between Amsterdam, Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin, and three more go only as far as Hannover. In its press release on the 2027 timetable, published on 13 October, Deutsche Bahn confirms that the direct Berlin–Amsterdam service is diverted via Hamburg, with stops at Bad Bentheim, Rheine, Osnabrück Altstadt and Bremen. The detour adds about 60 minutes to the journey to Berlin, according to DB.

There is an unexpected bonus. Bremen and Hamburg gain a direct link to Amsterdam, and DB says the diverted trains call at Bremen Hbf all year from the timetable change on 13 December 2026.

ICE times and fares in December 2026

On the evening of 5 November, we searched Deutsche Bahn's international planner for direct trains from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf on Tuesday 8 and Thursday 10 December, before the timetable change.

Lowest 2nd-class fares shown by int.bahn.de on 5 November 2026 between 18:40 and 19:30 (Paris time), one adult, no discount card, direct trains only. Fares are dynamic and will change.

From 13 December the 2027 timetable applies, and the pages we read gave no full list of Amsterdam departure times for it. Deutsche Bahn did publish the times at which the diverted ICEs pass through Bremen and Hamburg.

Times at Bremen and Hamburg published by Deutsche Bahn on 13 October 2026 for the 2027 timetable (from 13 December 2026), read on 5 November 2026. We matched each Bremen time to the nearest Hamburg time; check the exact train in the DB or NS planner when you book.

Plan ahead for summer 2027. Between 10 July and 15 October, DB says the trains linking Amsterdam, Osnabrück and Hannover will not run at all, leaving only the diverted service via Hamburg. NS also says seat reservations become compulsory on international ICEs from 25 June to 5 September 2027.

Fares on the ICE

NS International advertised Amsterdam to Berlin from €38 one way in 2nd class on 5 November 2026, with the cheapest seats going first; once those sell out, NS says fares rise to between €45 and €131. Deutsche Bahn advertises its Super Saver Fare Europe on the route from €37.99. Neither figure appeared on our December dates, when the lowest fare was €45.99. Here is what DB offered on the 06:00 ICE 141 of 8 December:

Offer screen on int.bahn.de, read on 5 November 2026. Upgrade to 1st class: €14.00 on this train.

A seat reservation is optional and not included: DB showed €5.50 for one seat, the same 2nd-class price NS gives, and NS quotes €5.90 in 1st class on the saver fares. DB also allows free cancellation of a Super Saver ticket within three hours of buying it on int.bahn.de or DB Navigator. Bookings open up to six months ahead, and the timetable changes in June and December, so trips from 13 December fall under the new 2027 pattern.

GoVolta: the low-cost train, with a caveat

GoVolta, a Dutch open-access operator, sells its own tickets on govolta.nl. Its timetable page showed one return trip on Wednesday 4 November: train 13427 leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 07:05 and reaching Berlin Gesundbrunnen at 15:09, via Amersfoort, Deventer, Hengelo, Bad Bentheim, Osnabrück and Hannover, and train 328 leaving Berlin at 15:19 and arriving in Amsterdam at 23:55. That is eight hours out and eight and a half back.

That same page listed both trains as cancelled on 4 November, and a later notice, last updated on 3 November at 19:29, said GV13427 and GV328 were also cancelled on Thursday 5 November because emergency braking had damaged the train, which must be repaired first. GoVolta wrote that the next train would run on Friday 6 November "with replacement coaches". When we checked on 5 November, the page gave no later dates and could not yet confirm that the Friday train had run. Passengers on cancelled trains can rebook a later train in My Booking or ask for a refund, GoVolta says. Our report on the cancellations has the background.

The route changes on 13 December. GoVolta's flash-sale page says the train will then serve Hilversum and Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, run via Braunschweig and Magdeburg in Germany, and terminate at Berlin-Spandau instead of Gesundbrunnen. That €9.99 sale ended on 1 November.

December fares are now on sale. On Thursday 10 December, train 13427 leaves Amsterdam Centraal at 07:05 and reaches Berlin Gesundbrunnen at 15:08 according to the booking engine, from €24.99 in Economy, where choosing a seat costs extra, or €34.99 in Comfort, seat choice included. GoVolta's calendar shows €24.99 on most December days and €39.99 on 11, 18, 19, 20 and 30 December. No train runs on Tuesdays in December, nor on 25, 26 and 31 December.

Know what you are buying. Two pieces of hand luggage are included (55 × 40 × 25 cm and 30 × 20 × 15 cm), and a large suitcase costs extra. The FAQ says there is no Wi-Fi and no food on board for now, so bring your own. Bikes and pets are not allowed, except assistance dogs. Online check-in opens three days before departure.

European Sleeper: the night train option

The only night train between the two cities this winter is European Sleeper's Brussels–Prague service, which calls at Amsterdam and Berlin. ÖBB's Nightjet links Amsterdam with Vienna and Innsbruck, not Berlin. European Sleeper's standard timetable has train ES 453 leaving towards Prague on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and ES 452 coming back on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

We checked every December date in its booking engine. Departures from Amsterdam Centraal run on 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25 and 28 December, with none on Wednesday 30 December. The timing changes mid-month:

Lowest fares shown by booking.europeansleeper.eu on 5 November 2026, to change with demand. On 16 December the couchette was shown at a higher price than the Comfort bed; we report the figures as displayed.

European Sleeper says you cannot choose your own place on the train at the moment. Dogs and cats can travel only in a private compartment, for €29.99 each, and bikes cannot be booked at all in 2026.

Which train should you choose?

For most people, the ICE is the safe choice: four trains a day, the fastest journey and fares from €45.99 on our December dates. Take the 06:00 if you want an afternoon in Berlin. Pick the night train if you prefer to save a hotel night and arrive at dawn on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. GoVolta was the cheapest day train on 10 December at €24.99, yet with no catering, no Wi-Fi and a train that was out of service this week, it suits flexible travellers with a fallback plan.

Stations in Amsterdam and Berlin

All three operators leave from Amsterdam Centraal. The night train also picks up at Amersfoort and Deventer, and the GoVolta train at Amersfoort, Deventer and Hengelo. NS lists Hilversum, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Deventer and Hengelo among the Dutch boarding points of the ICE.

In Berlin, the arrival station depends on the train. DB's planner shows the ICE at Berlin Hbf. GoVolta uses Gesundbrunnen until 12 December and Spandau from 13 December. European Sleeper arrives at Gesundbrunnen on departures up to 11 December and at Berlin Hbf from the 14 December departure. Check the station printed on your ticket before you book a hotel.

Practical information

Documents

GoVolta asks for a valid passport or identity card and says a driving licence does not count. We advise carrying the same on the ICE and the night train, since the journey crosses a border.

Luggage

On the ICE, NS allows two regular pieces plus one item of hand luggage, or one bulky item, one regular piece and one item of hand luggage, each up to 85 × 85 × 85 cm. GoVolta includes only two pieces of hand luggage and charges for a suitcase.

Bikes

The ICE has eight bicycle spaces. You need an international bike ticket, bought from Deutsche Bahn, and a free bike reservation, with one bike per person. E-bikes are allowed only with a built-in battery of up to 250 Wh that stays on the bike.

Pets

Small pets ride free on the ICE in a cage, bag or basket no bigger than 55 × 30 × 30 cm. Larger dogs need a ticket at half the adult fare in the same class and cannot go into the bistro car. Registered assistance dogs travel free.

Accessibility

ICE trains have two wheelchair spaces with two companion seats in 2nd class. On international trips, NS reserves them for passengers who contact it in advance; they cannot be booked online. Request help with boarding and leaving the train through NS Travel Assistance no later than 36 hours before departure. GoVolta's carriages have several steps at the door, no wheelchair spaces and no adapted toilets; folding manual wheelchairs are accepted.

Our expert's view

The Hamburg detour looks like a step back, and on the clock it is: roughly an hour more than the old route through Hannover. Yet it buys reliability. A train that avoids a closed line runs to a fixed timetable, while the alternative, changing in Hannover onto trains that DB says take up to 80 minutes longer via Magdeburg, adds a connection to miss. Our advice for the winter is to take one of the four direct ICEs, book a saver fare as soon as your dates are fixed and add a seat for €5.50. Keep GoVolta and the night train for when the price or the timing suits you better, and check the operator's page the day before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the train from Amsterdam to Berlin?
The direct ICE takes 6 hours 50 or 51 minutes on Deutsche Bahn's planner for 8 and 10 December 2026. GoVolta takes about eight hours, and the night train arrives just after 06:00.

How much is a train ticket from Amsterdam to Berlin?
Checked on 5 November, the lowest one-way fares were €45.99 on the ICE (8 December), €24.99 on GoVolta (10 December) and, on European Sleeper, €19.99 for a seat or €99.99 for a couchette (9 December). NS International advertises the ICE from €38. Fares change with demand.

Is there a direct train from Amsterdam to Berlin?
Yes. Four direct ICEs run each day via Bremen and Hamburg until December 2027, plus GoVolta (no train on Tuesdays in December) and the European Sleeper night train on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Amsterdam.

Why does the Amsterdam–Berlin ICE go via Hamburg?
The line between Hannover and Berlin is being renewed from 2 October 2026 to 11 December 2027, so DB and NS have diverted the direct trains via Bremen and Hamburg.

Is GoVolta running to Berlin again?
On 5 November, GoVolta said its next train would run on Friday 6 November with replacement coaches, after cancellations on 4 and 5 November. Check its timetable page before you travel.

Is there a night train from Amsterdam to Berlin?
Yes, European Sleeper runs one three nights a week in each direction. In December it reaches Berlin Gesundbrunnen at 06:01 on departures up to 11 December, then Berlin Hbf at 06:07 from the 14 December departure.

Read also

Direct trains from Amsterdam · GoVolta's Berlin cancellations · Paris to Amsterdam and Brussels by train · All our train travel guides

Sources: NS International, Amsterdam to Berlin train; NS International, train tickets to Berlin (fares, seat reservations); NS International, ICE to Berlin (fare table, luggage, bikes, pets); NS International, trains to Germany in 2026; NS, new ICE link to Hamburg and Bremen (20 August 2026); NS International, passengers with impaired mobility; Deutsche Bahn, 2027 timetable press release (13 October 2026); DB InfraGO, Hannover–Berlin construction concept (9 September 2026); DB, Lehrte–Berlin corridor renewal, long-distance diversions; Deutsche Bahn, international planner, Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf, direct trains on 8 and 10 December 2026; Deutsche Bahn, fares and seat reservation for ICE 141 on 8 December 2026; Deutsche Bahn, Super Saver Fare Europe Netherlands; GoVolta, timetable and service notices (updated 3 November 2026); GoVolta, booking engine, Amsterdam to Berlin Gesundbrunnen in December 2026; GoVolta, FAQ; GoVolta, flash sale and route from 13 December; European Sleeper, timetable; European Sleeper, booking engine, Amsterdam to Berlin in December 2026; European Sleeper, disruptions; European Sleeper, Brussels–Berlin–Prague night train; ÖBB Nightjet, Amsterdam. All pages read on 5 November 2026; December times and fares checked in the booking engines between 18:40 and 19:30 (Paris time) that day.

Photo: a GoVolta train on its Amsterdam–Berlin route at Praest, Germany, 12 September 2026 — Rob Dammers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Article written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, reviewed by the TrainsNews editorial team before publication.