Eurostar high-speed trains from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to Brussels, London and Paris could be scrapped from 2025 due to the continuous problems with Dutch rail infrastructure and the renovations at Amsterdam Centraal.
In an opinion piece in the Financieele Dagblad, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said that the international rail company may be forced to leave the Netherlands as the deterioration of the Dutch rail infrastructure “now causes reliability problems, capacity restrictions and frustrating delays for travellers.”
Part of the problems that Cazenave is referring to are those related to the large-scale renovations at Amsterdam Centraal Station. Initially, the line from Amsterdam to London was going to be completely stopped due to the renovations, but instead, an alternative option was produced where trains stop over in Brussels for passport control.
However, more challenges arose during the busy summer months when the 400-metre-long Eurostar trains had to stop at platforms only 200 metres long in Amsterdam, causing problems for trains to both London and Paris. Speed limits imposed on certain parts of the track are also part of the problem as the high-speed trains are forced to slow down speeds from 160 kilometres per hour to just 80 kilometres per hour, causing frequent delays and longer journey times.
With more renovation work being planned for Amsterdam Centraal in the spring of 2025, Eurostar needs a commitment that everything will be ready to reopen the line to London on time. “Eurostar has prepared everything to run from Amsterdam to the British capital again in early 2025, as planned,” said Cazenave. “However, we are concerned about the lack of guarantees and binding agreements on the readiness of essential parts of the necessary infrastructure for restarting the connection.”
According to Cazenave, Eurostar sees the Netherlands as the most important country for potential growth in its network, which is why the company has been willing to make compromises over Dutch routes so far. “Without clarity on the Dutch rail network and guaranteed access to the necessary infrastructure, Eurostar is forced to suspend services from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London and Paris in 2025.”
“This dramatic outcome is not the result of a decision by Eurostar, but the result of a lack of interest and care for international travellers,” continued Cazenave. “It is not Eurostar that is leaving the Netherlands, but Eurostar that is being forced to leave the Netherlands.”
To keep the Eurostar train lines travelling through the Netherlands, the international rail company wants the Amsterdam terminal to open on time as planned in 2025 with access to the longer platform at the station and proper resources for border control.
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