How to get from Amsterdam to Berlin

Three realistic ways to cover the roughly 580 km between the two capitals. The train wins on balance: no airport transfer at either end, no baggage fee, and you arrive at Berlin Hbf in the middle of the city.

Fares move a lot. The bands below are 2026 estimates for a one-way adult ticket; booking early is the single biggest lever on price.

Book the train on the operator's own site or app. International tickets between the Netherlands and Germany are sold by NS International and Deutsche Bahn; both show the same trains. A seat reservation is not compulsory on this route, but on busy summer and holiday services it is worth the small fee.

Advance fares are the cheap ones and they sell out. If your dates are fixed, buy 1–3 months out. If they are not, a flexible ticket costs far more, so decide before you book.

Flights are cheapest booked directly with the airline, and buses directly with the operator. Third-party resellers add fees and complicate changes.

Amsterdam Centraal and Berlin Hbf are both central, so the train avoids the 30–45 minutes and €5–7 you would spend getting to and from each airport. Factor that into the flight comparison.

On the train, bring your own food and water: the onboard offering is limited and pricey. Power sockets are usually available at seats in second class on the newer stock (check).

If you are continuing past Berlin, tickets to Prague or Munich are separate bookings and often cheaper bought separately.

The direct train runs Amsterdam Centraal – Amersfoort – Deventer – Hengelo – Osnabrück – Hannover – Berlin Hbf, with some services also calling at Utrecht and Almere (check). The line crosses the border near Bad Bentheim.

The flight route is Schiphol (AMS) to Berlin Brandenburg (BER), about 580 km as the crow flies. The bus follows the motorway corridor via Osnabrück and Hannover.