In a slightly aimless moment while travel planning, I arranged to stay overnight in Utrecht in February en route from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to Bonn.
I think the attraction was just that having visited Amsterdam many times, another overnight stay there did not appeal to me. Trying somewhere new did.
It turns out the only fault in my thought process was not giving myself enough time in the city. I am always learning.
The city is just 35 minutes by train (€12.30) from the airport on an intercity train. Cheap. Easy. And not Amsterdam! I got a room at the local Moxy – it was offering a good deal (€98 inclusive of breakfast) and is located close to the main railway station. Indeed it is across the street from the station at Utrecht Vaartsche Rijn.
I had a walk around the city centre on the evening I arrived – to hunt down dinner – and then to walk off a huge breakfast next morning. It is lovely. Lots of canals and cyclists. Lots of history. Lots of beautiful buildings.
Yes, I should have arranged to stay a little longer but it is so convenient from Amsterdam Airport that a return visit will be very easy.
I left on DB’s ICE service between Amsterdam and Frankfurt. It took just under 3 hours for the stretch between Utrecht and Köln, where I changed to a local service for Bonn. DB offers a discount for us seniors and by booking well in advance on their Super Sparpreis Europa tariff I paid just €36 for first class.
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©️ iain taylor, 2025