St Pancras to Rotterdam by Eurostar and Immigration checks on Return

[DanielB]

- Business travelers (like me) who need to get to somewhere other than Centraal would probably find better connections at Zuid, especially for destinations that aren't served by IC trains at Rotterdam.

Actually that's not really the case. Amsterdam Central has way better connections to the rest of North Holland province than Zuid has.
Changing at Zuid will save you one change for destinations east of Amersfoort (compared to Amsterdam C. or Rotterdam C.), but no real advantage in journey time. Towards Zwolle and further north is the only destination you'd actually reach more quickly when you'd have to change at Zuid.

The other direct trains from Zuid to destinations not available at Rotterdam Central would result in a massive detour.

 

[rvdborgt]

But it sounds as if there are plans anyway to enlarge the security area at Centraal.

Yes there are and they're going to happen.

 

[philg999]

Actually that's not really the case. Amsterdam Central has way better connections to the rest of North Holland province than Zuid has.

Possibly. Though I notice a lot of transport decisions seem to be made on the basis of operational convenience rather than for the passenger. Such as splitting what should be a natural city-city bus route at a sleepy bus stop (surrounded by fields) on a municipal boundary to make the admin easier. And removing buses from village centres to speed services up, but then the nearest stop is 1km away on the bypass. Sure you can speed up services and add extra capacity by simplifying things, but peoples’ journeys take longer and require more changes, which makes public transport less attractive.

 

[kevin_roche]

Possibly. Though I notice a lot of transport decisions seem to be made on the basis of operational convenience rather than for the passenger.

The Eurostar is a case in point. It would be more convenient for me to catch the Eurostar in Ebbsfleet or Ashford.

 

[island]

The Eurostar is a case in point. It would be more convenient for me to catch the Eurostar in Ebbsfleet or Ashford.

That decision was made based on cost far more than operational convenience – Eurostar by not stopping there avoided incurring the cost of Mitie security staff, French and UK border guards, their own staff, and probably some of Network Rail costs too.

The decision could merit revision now in circumstances where 374s go out a third empty each morning due to capacity caps at St. Pancras.

 

[zwk500]

The decision could merit revision now in circumstances where 374s go out a third empty each morning due to capacity caps at St. Pancras.

I believe shortly after the Thalys merger the CEO published a letter on twitter explaining why they were sticking with mothballing.