Liège is a major city in the Wallonia region of Belgium and lies close to the Dutch-Belgian border. It is around 30km from Maastricht and 200km south of Amsterdam. Liège is known as Luik in Dutch.
Are you looking to travel between Amsterdam and Liège? Let’s consider the transport options between the 2 cities using the train and bus.
1. Amsterdam-Liège by Train
Probably the best way to travel between the cities is by train – 1 change is required and the Amsterdam-Liège trip can be done in 3 hours and 15 minutes via Maastricht. It can be easily booked using the NS International site (euros) or the Trainline site here (multi-currencies) with prices starting at €31 one-way.
When travelling to Liège you will arrive at the spectacular Liège-Guillemins railway station, opened in 2009 and designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The station is 2km from Liège city centre which is walkable along the Maas (Meuse) river.
The Amsterdam-Liège journey is made up of 2 segments:
(1) Amsterdam-Maastricht: The first (and main portion) is to take a NS Dutch Railways Intercity train between Amsterdam Central and Maastricht.
This takes about 2 hours 25 minutes and travels via Utrecht Central, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven, Weert, Roermond and Sittard. This services runs up to 2x per hour using NS double-decker Intercity trains.
(2) Maastricht-Liège: From Maastricht (platform 5a) there is an hourly NMBS Belgian Rail stopping service to Liège-Guillemins station – sometimes the final destination can be Hasselt. The train runs via the border towns of Eijsden (Netherlands) and Visé (Belgium) and passengers get the occasional view of the Maas river.
Standard Amsterdam-Liège one-way full-flex tickets in 2024 cost €36.50 (2nd class) or €60.20 (1st class). You can take any service on-the-day, so a stopover in Maastricht is possible.
Neither train service require seat reservations – you just find a free seat available in your travel class.
There is an alternative route available by taking the Intercity Brussels from Amsterdam to Mechelen and then taking onward Belgian Intercity trains with another change in Leuven. This trip takes 3 hours 30 minutes.
There is an early bird one-way fare available for this Amsterdam-Mechelen-Leuven-Liège route which is €32 (2nd class) and €49 (1st class). You must book at least 3 days in advance.
Holders of Dutch Railways NS discount cards receive a reduction off the standard fare for the Netherlands segment of travel. There is no discount for early bird fares.
How to book train tickets online: Amsterdam-Liège or Maastricht-Liège rail tickets can be easily booked at the NS International site or at the Trainline site here
2. Amsterdam-Liège by Coach
The coach is the cheapest way to travel between Amsterdam and Liège although travel times are longer. We would recommend paying a little extra for the train as the rail journey is more scenic than bus travel on the A2 motorway!
German coach company Flixbus currently operates around 3x daily services between Amsterdam Sloterdijk to Liège.
The bus stops next to Liège-Guillemins railway station at Rue Varin 33. The trip takes around 4 hours and one way fares start at €9.
3. Amsterdam-Liège by Air
There are no flights between Liège and Amsterdam. Liège airport (LGG) is mainly used as a hub for cargo airlines.
It is only possible to fly between Amsterdam Schiphol and Brussels Zaventem airports – although this is mainly used by transfer passengers.
Amsterdam Resources
Looking for a convenient hotel near Amsterdam Central station? Check out the stylish Kimpton-De Witt which is a short walk from the station. For those on a budget the Ibis Amsterdam Centre is literally on top of the western edge of the station platforms.
Accommodation around Amsterdam Sloterdijk includes the well-rated Citadines Apart Hotel and the quirky Train Lodge Amsterdam which is a hostel inside an old sleeper train.
The I amsterdam City Card (1-5 days) offers free entry and discounts to numerous Amsterdam museums and attractions. It also includes a free public transport pass, a canal cruise and bike rental as well. You can order your I amsterdam City Card online here
Liège Resources
In Liège you can book your hotel with Booking.com here.
This article was originally published in 2019, last update 5 February 2024.
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