NS investigates possibility of running Dutch trains to and from Germany

Dutch rail company NS, together with German operator Deutsche Bahn, has begun investigating the launch of a new train service between the Netherlands and Germany. Plans include running six trains per day between Amsterdam and the Rhine-Ruhr region from 2028.

NS plans train service between the Netherlands and Germany

Currently, if you want to travel between the Netherlands and Germany by rail, you have to rely on Deutsche Bahn ICE trains, which often face delays - only 52,1 percent of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains were on time in January 2026. NS and Deutsche Bahn are looking into running the blue and yellow Dutch trains between the two countries for the first time from 2028.

According to NU.nl, the new generation NS Intercity trains would run six times a day in both directions. The trains will have stops in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Arnhem before crossing the border at Zevenaar. While it is still up in the air which German station in the Rhine-Ruhr region will be a destination, options in the area could include Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund. 

Approval needed for NS trains to Germany

At the moment, an ICE train travels between Amsterdam and Cologne every two hours. The new train service would not replace the current one run by Deutsche Bahn, but would run in addition to it. 

It is not a done deal yet, more planning and investigation still need to be done. For example, the rail operator recently filed a notification with the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). "This must be done 18 months in advance," reports NS. Further steps include requesting track capacity from ProRail.