LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Eurostar on Wednesday launched direct passenger rail journeys between London and Amsterdam, hoping that the new cross-Channel route will share some of the markets from airlines.

The first Eurostar service departed London St Pancras International Station at 8:31 a.m. BST on Wednesday.

It will take three hours to reach Rotterdam from London and another 45 minutes to travel further to arrive in the Dutch capital, the railway service said. One service to each destination will run per day.

The cross-Channel rail operator hopes that the new route will take some of the market share from airlines, which offer one-hour flights.

One-way fares are available from 35 British pounds, or about 49 U.S. dollars.

However, while the British and Dutch governments negotiate an agreement on passport control, passengers returning to the UK from the Netherlands will be forced to go via Brussels, where security screening can take place.

The governments have said the agreement should be reached by the end of 2019. ?

Eurostar chief executive Mike Cooper hailed the new service as a "historic milestone", saying that "With the Netherlands becoming increasingly popular as a business and tourism destination, the potential for our new route is significant and we look forward to offering our customers a fast, seamless connection between these key European cities."

Eurostar is a high-speed rail service that connects Britain with mainland Europe, including France and Belgium.