No trains at Rotterdam Centraal on November 7-8: Your travel options

Due to a ProRail signalling system upgrade, all train services through, to and from Rotterdam Centraal will be suspended on November 7 and 8. Travellers are advised to plan for additional journey time, though replacement metro options and buses will be in operation.

Which train journeys will be affected?

The closure will run from 1am on Saturday, November 7, until 5am on Monday, November 9, according to ProRail. The rail infrastructure operator is replacing the ageing system that controls signals and points around Rotterdam Centraal.

No trains will run between Rotterdam Centraal and Delft Campus, Gouda or Zwijndrecht. High-speed services between Rotterdam Centraal and Breda, and between Rotterdam Centraal and Schiphol Airport, will also be suspended.

ProRail will use the closure to carry out additional maintenance at Rotterdam Centraal and renew sections of track between Rotterdam and Gouda.

How to travel during the Rotterdam train closure

NS will provide replacement buses and metro connections on the affected routes. Options include:

• Towards Delft: replacement buses between Schiedam Centrum and Delft Campus
• Towards Gouda: replacement buses from Rotterdam Alexander and metro station Capelsebrug
• Towards Zwijndrecht and Dordrecht: replacement buses from Capelsebrug to both destinations, and from metro station Slinge to Zwijndrecht
• Across Rotterdam: metro lines A, B and C between Schiedam Centrum and Rotterdam Alexander. Passengers can also use lines D and E for the section between Rotterdam Centraal and Slinge.

Passengers can use a valid NS ticket on the designated replacement services. However, normal RET fares apply to metro journeys between Rotterdam Centraal and Rodenrijs.

NS advises passengers to expect busy replacement services and allow extra travel time. Check the NS journey planner shortly before departure for connections and departure times.

Travelling to the IamExpat Fair in The Hague

Coming to the IamExpat Fair in The Hague on Saturday, November 7? If you live in Rotterdam, you can take metro line E from Rotterdam Centraal directly to Den Haag Centraal. This is a regular RET journey rather than a replacement service, so you will need to check in and out as usual and pay the normal fare. An NS ticket is not valid on this route.

If you are travelling from elsewhere via Rotterdam, for example from Breda or Dordrecht, you can use the NS journey planner to find an alternative route. Enter "Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk, Rond de Grote Kerk 12, Den Haag" as your destination for directions to the venue. The fair runs from 10am to 5pm. Leave a little extra time for your journey, and we will see you there for a day of advice, workshops and new connections!