2 ms·
I second the hassle and stress part. Going through customs while leaving from Amsterdam to London is no fun. Going to Berlin by train from Amsterdam, in compari
by mettamage 4y ago
I second the hassle and stress part. Going through customs while leaving from Amsterdam to London is no fun. Going to Berlin by train from Amsterdam, in comparison, is utopia.
You get in the train, laptop open, have a workday, get some food or whatever you need if needed. Boom! Arrival.
Can't say the same for Ams-Lon or Lon-Ams.
- Freak_NL 4y agoPerhaps it's because I've never had to deal with US customs and being Dutch being spoiled with Schengen¹ that my perspectives are skewed, but all my experiences with British customs and security to date have left a bad taste. I've been to South Korea and Japan, and have never had any issue whatsoever, and no rudeness at all, but a layover at Heathrow? Rude security folk and depressed looking staff. Eurostar? Same thing over at St Pancras (the actual staff at the French customs point is mostly British). It's not likely to have gotten better now post-Brexit either. It's such as a shame, because Britain really does have its upsides and genuinely nice people too; not to mention a wealth of culture. 1: As you say, travelling to Germany (or Austria, Italy, Belgium, even Switzerland) by train is just great.
- ben_w 4y agoIt's not just you — even as a Brit with an upper-middle class accent, even when wearing a suit, even though the other UK airports I've used have been fine, Heathrow in particular is bad. (Not used St Pancras/Eurostar enough to really compare).
- mettamage 4y agoDutch as well, we're definitely spoiled with Schengen.