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Rotterdam Centraal
All about the departure platforms, station facilities and special assistance at Rotterdam Centraal station.
Our direct trains from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London will be temporarily back in service between 10 February and 29 March 2025. They’ll then take a break due to essential works at Amsterdam Centraal and restart again at the end of April 2025.
Want to travel when the direct trains aren’t running? You can take the Eurostar to Brussels-Midi/Zuid, go through border control, and then catch the train to London.
Departing from Rotterdam Centraal station
Ticket gates at Rotterdam Centraal
To enter or leave the station, please scan your ticket barcode at the station’s ticket gates. We recommend that you save your ticket to your Google/Apple Wallet or print it out to avoid issues.
Trains to London
Find out everything you need to know when travelling to London on one of our direct trains. If your journey to London includes a change in Brussels, check out the relevant section.
When to arrive at Eurostar departures
Please arrive at the station at the recommended time shown on your ticket. That way, you’ll have enough time to complete all required checks before boarding.
For the most up-to-date information, we’d suggest downloading your ticket close to your travel date.
Ticket checks close:
- 30 minutes before departure for Eurostar Standard and Eurostar Plus.
- 15 minutes before departure for Eurostar Premier.
Please ensure that you follow our advice and do not arrive just before ticket checks close.
Ticket checks
Make your way to the Eurostar departures building in the middle of platform 2, where you’ll be welcomed by our staff. Please have your Eurostar ticket ready to be checked.
Security
Once you’ve had your ticket checked by our staff, there’s a security check for you and your luggage.
Please make sure that you don’t go over the luggage allowance and that you don’t bring anything which is prohibited. There are no weight restrictions, as long as you can safely lift and carry your luggage by yourself.
If you have a pacemaker, please inform the security team before going through the metal detector. You may be asked to show your medical device ID card.
Passport control
Your passport (and any other travel document(s) you may need for your trip) will be checked twice – first by Dutch authorities and then by the UK Border Force.
Eurostar departure lounge
In the Eurostar departure lounge you’ll find the following facilities:
- Seating areas
- Plug sockets
- Tea and coffee facilities
- Vending machines (for drinks and snacks)
- Toilets
NS International Lounge – Regus Express
Before departing, Eurostar Premier travellers and Carte Blanche and Etoile members can relax in the NS International Lounge – Regus Express. It’s located on platform 2a (so it’s not within the Eurostar departures building).
Find out more about the NS International Lounge – Regus Express.
Make sure you head over to the Eurostar departures building in time for ticket, security, and border checks.
Travelling to London with a change in Brussels
Arrive at the station at least 20 minutes before departure, and board your train five minutes before it leaves. Check the station screens to find the platform your train to Brussels-Midi/Zuid will depart from.
Luggage and passport checks will take place in Brussels before you get on your train to London.
Trains to Antwerp, Brussels and From Amsterdam Centraal
Please arrive at the station 20 minutes before your train leaves.
- Check the departure board for your train and find the correct platform.
- Be ready to board five minutes before the scheduled departure.
- When the train arrives, get on and find your seat.
Booking accessible travel in Rotterdam Centraal
Find everything you need to know about accessible travel, including who we can help and how to book assistance.
Station details and facilities
- Cafés, shops and supermarkets
- Cash machines
- The NS International ticket office. See opening hours
- The NS International Lounge. See opening hours
- Baggage storage
- Self-service ticket machines
- Toilets with baby-changing facilities
- Bike rental and storage
The station is easily accessed by foot, bike or by public transport. It’s served by both metro and tram lines as well as a number of bus routes. To find out how to drive to Rotterdam Centraal, see Google Maps.
You'll need to scan the barcode of your train ticket at the station's ticket gates to enter and exit the station.
Using a mobile ticket?
To avoid accidental charges, don't scan a PDF or screenshot of your Eurostar ticket if your bank cards are stored on your phone. Save your ticket in Apple Wallet or Google Pay Wallet instead, and disable contactless payments (NFC).
The ticket gates can read both ticket barcodes and digital bank cards. Sometimes, they might read a bank card on your phone instead of the ticket barcode, resulting in an incorrect payment of up to €20.
If you're charged in error, visit the OVpay website to find out how to get a refund.
Tickets issued by other carriers may not have a barcode, so you'll need to speak to a member of staff or press the (i) button next to the ticket gates for assistance.
If you're continuing your journey within the Netherlands, you'll find trains to every corner of the country departing from Amsterdam Centraal.
Whether you’ve left an item behind at the station or on board, please check our Lost property page for more info.
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