Plans for a quicker train service between Amsterdam and Berlin are unlikely to come to fruition in the near future. Why? The German rail company Deutsche Bahn does not have enough funding for the infrastructure necessary to cut down the current travel time. However, this is not the only problem.
Currently, a train journey to Berlin from Amsterdam takes six hours and 20 minutes. This could be cut down significantly by reducing the number of stops the train makes between the two stations. An additional 20 minutes could be saved if passengers don’t have to switch trains at the border of the Netherlands and Germany.
It seems as though, for now, the journey time will only be cut by 20 minutes, as the Deutsche Bahn does not have enough funding to invest in the infrastructure necessary to facilitate a quicker travel time and the cities en route do not want to give up the international train service.
Another problem international services face is the ticketing system. Unlike airline journeys, train transport does not have an umbrella system, making it difficult to see possible travel routes and costs by just entering a departure and destination station. European countries also use different safety systems, which can make crossing the border difficult.
According to Paul Peeters, lecturer at tourism university for applied sciences NHTV, German and Dutch government priorities lie in national rail transport and not quicker international train services. This is disappointing news for NS executive Roger van Boxtel, who wanted to improve the service between the cities in order to have it be viewed as a viable alternative for plane travel.
The news is not only disappointing for Van Boxtel, environmental groups and organisations, residents living close to Schiphol and Dutch political parties, such as GroenLinks are also dissatisfied. A quick international train service is considered one of the solutions to the overcrowded airport in Amsterdam.