Netherlands
United KingdomRotterdam to London shipping route.
514 km by rail, about 17 h 6 min in transit.
Rail Distance Between Cities: Rotterdam and London
Rail Freight Distance on the map, along the rail network.
RotterdamRailLondonRail freight transit time
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Rail Freight Distance | 514 km (319 mi) |
| Straight line | 321 km |
| Transit time | 17 h 6 min |
| Assumption | 30 km/h average freight speed |
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About the Rotterdam to London shipping route by rail
Rotterdam to London by rail freight: 514 km of track, west from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom.
At an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops and crew changes included, the transit time is about 17 h 6 min. Terminal handling at both ends and the border crossing between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom come on top.
Rail freight suits heavy, high volume cargo that is not urgent: containers, steel, chemicals, grain, cars. Per tonne it emits far less CO2 than trucking the same distance. Most shipments still need a truck for the first and last mile to the rail terminals in Rotterdam and London.
By road the same trip is 509 km and takes a truck about 8 h.
Of 32 rail routes from Rotterdam in this directory, London is the 5th shortest. Closer destinations: Hamburg (501 km), Paris (450 km) and Bremen (395 km).
FAQ
What is the rail distance from Rotterdam to London?
514 km by rail (321 km in a straight line).
What is the rail freight transit time from Rotterdam to London?
About 17 h 6 min at an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops included. Border and terminal times vary.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route London to Rotterdam has its own page with the same distance and route.
More rail freight distance
- Rotterdam to
Duisburg212 km - Rotterdam to Bremen395 km
- Rotterdam to
Paris450 km - Rotterdam to Hamburg501 km
- Rotterdam to Berlin671 km
- Rotterdam to
Basel705 km 
Antwerp to London415 km- Paris to London481 km
- Duisburg to London647 km
- Bremen to London889 km
- Lyon to London909 km
- Basel to London920 km
How we count: rail distance on the freight network, 30 km/h average including stops. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all rail distance between cities or the Shipping Routes Directory.