Dutch rail operator NS has announced the biggest timetable change since 2019. From December 15, rail services in the Netherlands will see a significant expansion with additional rush hour trains, faster international trains and more.
For the first time in years, the NS timetable will go through a massive expansion with more trains running than in the peak of 2019. The overhaul of the timetable will help the rail company “to be prepared for the future, to be able to put new infrastructure to use and to accommodate passenger wishes”.
As part of the Main Rail Network concession, the company plans to run no fewer than 1.600 extra trains per week. “A serious improvement for our travellers,” said NS CEO Wouter Koolmees. “By continuing to Lelystad and Amersfoort with faster Intercity trains on the high-speed line, important cities in our country are better connected than ever.”
More Dutch trains during rush hour, evenings and weekends
Public transport will be strengthened throughout the Netherlands during peak times, evenings and on weekends. Trains will once again run more often between Amsterdam Centraal, Weesp and Almere, between Alkmaar and Amsterdam, and between Utrecht and Woerden with trains every 15 minutes.
Many trains will also start running earlier in the morning, for example from Groningen to the Randstad and from Arnhem to Amsterdam. Trains will also run until later in the evenings, such as the ones between Enschede to Amersfoort, The Hague and Eindhoven and between Almere and Utrecht. The route between Amsterdam, Leiden and The Hague will also have Intercity trains running every 15 minutes on Fridays and Saturdays until 1am.
Additional Sprinter trains between Dutch cities
As ProRail continues the extensive work on the railway tracks and platforms around Amsterdam Centraal Station, NS has had to plan some timetable changes to ensure the same number of passengers can get to their destinations despite fewer platforms being available. To do this, NS will introduce the Airport Sprinter which will transport passengers between Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport and Hoofddorp. The train will run every 7,5 minutes, seven days a week for most of the day.
Another new addition is what NS has dubbed the Ten-minute Sprinter between The Hague, Rotterdam and Dordrecht. With six Sprinters per hour, the train will hopefully be able to serve the growing number of travellers.
High-speed trains in the Netherlands to be expanded
There will also be additions and changes to the high-speed trains within the country and internationally. With the new NS timetable, the Intercity trains on the high-speed line that runs between Breda, Rotterdam and Schiphol will continue to Lelystad Centrum and Amersfoort Schothorst. This will occur with a stop at Amsterdam Zuid instead of Amsterdam Centraal.
NS is also launching a new high-speed train service from Amsterdam to Brussels that will reduce the journey time by 45 minutes. Another international train that is being added is a new daily direct train from Amsterdam to Munich. The ICE train, run by NS together with Deutsche Bahn, will run via Utrecht, Arnhem, Frankfurt Airport and Stuttgart.
NS ticket prices to increase by over 6 percent in 2025
Along with all the timetable changes, train ticket prices will also see a rise in the coming year. NS is raising ticket prices by an average of 6,18 percent from January 1, 2025. Originally, a more than 12 percent price increase was planned but the government worked with the rail company to come up with a lower price.
The only exception to the price hike is for the Rail Runner, which allows unlimited travel for children, and the Dal Vrij season ticket which allows travellers unlimited travel during off-peak hours. The prices for these tickets will not be increased.
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