Dutch police have shot and injured a suspected knife attacker after a stabbing at Amsterdam railway station.

Two people are understood to have been stabbed in a tunnel at the busy terminal in the historic canal-ringed city centre of the Dutch capital. 

Three shots were fired as police intervened, according to eyewitnesses.

It is not yet clear whether the incident is terror-related and police said all possible scenarios are being kept open' as they investigate a possible motive.

'A suspect has been shot after a stabbing incident at Amsterdam Central Station,' Dutch police said on Twitter.

However, police shortly afterwards issued an update to say there was 'no talk' of a complete evacuation and only two platforms had been closed off to passengers.

The two knife victims have been transferred to hospital while the suspect has been arrested and taken for treatment.

Around 250,000 people travel through Central Station every day, according to statistics provided by the Amsterdam.info travel guide. There are regular trains linking it to the city's Schiphol Airport.

Friday is one of the busiest days of the week, with many tourists arriving for the weekend.