The plane is faster door to door. Fastest train 3h42 (Amsterdam Centraal → Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (via Utrecht, Düsseldorf, Cologne)), ~8 direct trains/day. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 3h42Amsterdam Centraal → Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (via Utrecht, Düsseldorf, Cologne) |
|---|---|
| Trains | ~8 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 7.8/day)DB ICE (with NS International), ÖBB Nightjet (evening leg) |
| Flight | ~1h10 AMS-FRA (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; KLM, Lufthansa, Air Dolomiti fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time. |
| Door to door | The plane is faster door to door |
| Air & rail | Lufthansa Express Rail stations include Cologne and Düsseldorf (to Frankfurt Airport) but not Amsterdam. |
| Points | DB BahnBonus: 1 reward point + 1 status point per EUR spent on DB tickets; national free trip from 750 points (2nd class, one-way; 750-2,000 depending on route/date/demand), international free trip from 1,750 points (2nd class one-way). |
pickthetrain.com door-to-door model (its own assumptions: 1h30 airport check-in/security, 20 min to exit, typical-for-distance flight time, public-transport access estimates): plane faster by 30 min (3h57 vs 3h27). Nightjet 403 Amsterdam→Frankfurt arrives ~02:17, not a useful overnight for this pair.
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Amsterdam to Frankfurt?
The plane is faster door to door. The fastest train takes 3h42 city centre to city centre; the flight is ~1h10 AMS-FRA (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; KLM, Lufthansa, Air Dolomiti fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time..
How often do trains run from Amsterdam to Frankfurt?
~8 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 7.8/day)
Can I earn or use points on this train?
DB BahnBonus: 1 reward point + 1 status point per EUR spent on DB tickets; national free trip from 750 points (2nd class, one-way; 750-2,000 depending on route/date/demand), international free trip from 1,750 points (2nd class one-way).
Can I book the train with an airline?
Lufthansa Express Rail stations include Cologne and Düsseldorf (to Frankfurt Airport) but not Amsterdam.
Sources: pickthetrain.com, lufthansa.com, bahn.de
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