Rail transport in the Netherlands
Rail transport in the Netherlands | |||||
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Rail transport in the Netherlands uses a dense railway network which connects nearly all major towns and cities. There are as many
The Dutch rail network primarily supports passenger transport.
Most Dutch trains are equipped with Wi-Fi. They offer no onboard catering, except for a limited service on some international trains, due to the short distances involved.
Operators
Public-transport authorities in the Netherlands issue concessions for groups of lines:[8]
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS; Dutch Railways) – services the main passenger rail network (Hoofdrailnet), including limited night service
- Arriva Netherlands – services the northern secondary lines around Leeuwarden and Groningen, some eastern secondary lines around Arnhem and Zutphen, the southern secondary lines in Limburg, and one central secondary line
- Breng – services part of an eastern secondary line with Arriva
- Keolis Nederland – services two eastern secondary lines (between Zwolle and Kampen and Zwolle and Enschede) and a secondary line (as Syntus) between Zutphen and Oldenzaal
- Connexxion – services a secondary line between Ede-Wageningen and Amersfoort
- Qbuzz – services the MerwedeLingelijn between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen
- NS International - services international trains and domestic high-speed service.
Foreign railway operators with NS authorization service several Dutch stations:
- DB Regio, including DB Regionalbahn Westfalen and DB Euregiobahn
- NMBS/SNCB – Maastricht–Eijsden, as part of the Maastricht–Liège service; and also Roosendaal to Antwerpenand beyond.
A common fare system applies nationwide, although operators tend to use separate tariffs. Although most trains have first- and second-class compartiments, Keolis Nederland and (sometimes) Arriva have second-class compartments only. The Netherlands' largest cargo carrier is
History
The Dutch National Railway Company (Nederlandse Spoorwegen/NS) was founded in 1837 and tasked with building the Dutch railway network.
Network
The network focuses on passenger rail and connects nearly all major cities. A few towns still lack a train station, including Nieuwegein, Drachten, Amstelveen, Oosterhout, and Katwijk.
Most freight routes run east-west, connecting the
The network is well-developed; no extensions are currently planned, although there is a focus on upgrading efficiency and capacity. Some sections may require an increase in maximum speed to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph).
Major lines have been built in recent years, including the
.Most of the network is electrified at
Speed is generally limited to 130–140 kilometres per hour (81–87 mph), but on most secondary lines the maximum speed is significantly lower. On the HSL-Zuid line, the maximum speed is 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph). Newer lines have been built to permit higher speeds.
Trains are frequent, with one or two trains per hour on lesser lines, two to four trains per hour on rural sections and up to eight or 10 trains per hour in cities. There are two types of trains: stoptreinen (local trains, which Dutch Railways calls "sprinters") and InterCities, with faster long-distance service. An intermediate category (sneltreinen, "fast trains") began being discontinued in 2007, although regional operators continue to use the term. Sneltrein and InterCity service were very similar.
All railways in the Netherlands are 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
ProRail maintains Dutch rail infrastructure (except
New lines
- Betuweroute: freight line from Rotterdam to Germany, electrified at 25 kV AC
- Hemboog, between It provides a direct connection between Schiphol and Zaandam/Hoorn.
- Gooiboog, between Hilversum/Naarden-Bussum and Almere Muziekwijk[17]
- HSL-Zuid, electrified at 25 kV AC
- Kampen-Zwolle
- Rebuilt Maastricht-Lanaken line (2011-2016)
Two stations have a bi-level crossing, rather than a level or double junction requiring protection by signals: Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Duivendrecht. Other Dutch line crossings have grade separations.
Non-electrified lines
The following figure is the timetable number:
- Groningen-Delfzijl (84)
- Groningen-Roodeschool (83)
- Groningen-Nieuweschans Grens (85)
- Leeuwarden-Groningen (80)
- Leeuwarden-Harlingen (81)
- Leeuwarden-Stavoren (82)
- Almelo-Marienberg (72)
- Zutphen-Hengelo (73)
- Enschede-Glanerbrug Grens (522)
- Zutphen-Apeldoorn (67)
- Zutphen-Winterswijk (71)
- Arnhem-Winterswijk (70)
- Arnhem-Tiel (68)
- Nijmegen-Roermond (29)[a]
Rolling stock
Dutch railways have a variety of rolling stock. Intercity trains have a yellow-and-blue colour scheme, and local trains are blue, white and yellow.
Current fleet
Class | Image | Type | Speed (km/h) | Number | Cars | Operation | Built | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Top | Operating Max. | ||||||||
ICM | EMU | 160 | 140 | 144 | 3–4 | Intercity | 1977–present | ||
VIRM | 160 | 140 | 178 | 4, 6 | 1994–present | ||||
DDZ
|
140 | 50 | 4, 6 | 1991–1998 | Formerly known as DD-AR, refurbished 2010–2013 | ||||
Intercityrijtuig | Carriage | 160 | 43 | n/a | 1980–1988 | In use by the high-speed Intercity Direct ( | |||
SLT
|
EMU | 160 | 140 | 131 | 4, 6 | Sprinter | 2007–2012 | ||
FLIRT | 160 | 140 | 58 | 3-4 | 2016-2017 | Used in Gelderland, North Brabant and Limburg | |||
SNG | 160 | 140 | 206 | 3-4 | 2014-2018 | ||||
Class 186 (TRAXX) | Electric locomotive | 160 | 63 | n/a | Intercity (international) | 2008–present | Used to pull/push ICR carriages on the international route to Brussels via the HSL-Zuid |
Future fleet
Class | Image | Type | Speed (km/h) | Number | Cars | Operation | Built | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Top | Operating | ||||||||
ICNG | EMU | 200 | 200 | 79+20 | 5, 8 | Intercity | 2017–2023 | Will be put into service in 2021 and run at 200 km/h (120 mph) on high-speed tracks and 160 km/h (99 mph) on regular tracks.[citation needed]
20 more ordered for Amsterdam-Brussels service, with adaptations for Belgian network.[20] |
Links with adjacent countries
The Dutch network has several cross-border sections to
To Germany, north to south:
- Nieuweschans to Weener – Not electrified; due to a damaged bridge, since 3 December 2015 only traffic to Weener just over the border.
- Ter Apel – German side never finished; Dutch side dismantled several years after construction.
- Coevorden to Emlichheim – Not electrified, goods only. German track reactivated for passenger service in 2019 as far as Neuenhaus.
- Oldenzaal to Bentheim – Voltage change (1.5 kV DC/15 kV AC) in Bentheim station.
- Gronau– Not electrified. At Enschede, the track is no longer connected to the Dutch network.
- Broekheurne to Alstätte – Dismantled
- Winterswijk
- To Borken – Disused, mostly dismantled
- To Bocholt– Dismantled
- Emmerich station.)
- Groesbeek to Kranenburg – Disused
- German invasion of the Netherlands
- Venlo
- To Straelen – Dismantled
- To Kaldenkirchen– Voltage change (1.5 kV DC/15 kV AC) in Venlo station.
- Dalheim – Iron Rhine, disused; reactivation has been under study for a long time with little progress.
- Herzogenrath– Voltage change (1.5 kV DC/15 kV AC) on the open track just inside the Netherlands.
- Bocholtz to Vetschau – Not electrified; heritage trains only, not connected to the German network.
To Belgium, east to west:
- Maastricht Randwijck.
- Maastricht to Lanaken – Not electrified, freight only; no connection to the Belgian network; discontinued. Plans to use it for a tram line to Hasselt are making little progress.
- Hamont– Iron Rhine – Not electrified, freight only. Electrification on the Belgian side to Hamont has started in 2018 and is expected to be finished in 2020.
- Valkenswaard to Neerpelt – Dismantled
- Baarle-Nassau to Turnhout – Dismantled; nine border crossings, since the railway repeatedly passed in and out of Baarle-Hertog.
- Breda to Noorderkempen – Electrified at 25 kV AC; high-speed railway.
- Roosendaal to Essen – Voltage change (1.5 kV DC/3 kV DC) near the southern suburbs of Roosendaal.
- Hulst to Sint-Gillis-Waas – Dismantled
- Sas van Gent to Zelzate – Not electrified; freight only
International trains
- Intercity Brussel, also called Beneluxtrein: Zaventem–Brussels-Centraal–Brussels-South
- Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy
- During the winter and summer holiday seasons, an additional weekly train runs to Marseillerespectively.
- During the winter and summer holiday seasons, an additional weekly train runs to
- Lille Europe–London St Pancras
- Intercity Berlijn: Amsterdam Centraal–Hannover Hbf–Berlin Ostbahnhof
- ICE International: Amsterdam Centraal–Utrecht Centraal–Arnhem Centraal–Oberhausen Hbf–Duisburg Hbf–Cologne Hbf–Frankfurt Hbf, some extended to Basel SBB.
- Nightjet: Amsterdam Centraal–Utrecht Centraal–Arnhem Centraal–Düsseldorf Hbf–Nürnberg Hbf–Linz/Donau Hbf–Wien Hbf.
There are several regional cross-border connections.[23]
Night service
NS offers a limited night service (Nachtnet). On weeknights, it is a U-shaped stretch with hourly service connecting Rotterdam Central, Delft, The Hague Hollands Spoor, Leiden Central, Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Central and Utrecht Central (most of the Randstad's large cities and the main airport). Due to the U-shaped route, travel time from the first five stations to Utrecht is longer than during the day. Because the relatively-short distance between stations, no sleeping cars are used. During the weekend, night service is extended to Dordrecht and four cities in the province of North Brabant. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is an additional service between Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Series | Route | Equipment | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|
1400/21400 | Eindhoven–Tilburg–Breda–Dordrecht-Rotterdam Centraal–Delft–Den Haag HS–Leiden Centraal–Schiphol–Amsterdam Centraal – Utrecht Centraal-'s-Hertogenbosch –Eindhoven
|
VIRM | Hourly; service between Eindhoven and Rotterdam/Utrecht Friday and Saturday only |
21420 | 's-Hertogenbosch–Tilburg | Hourly; Friday and Saturday only |
Fares and tickets
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2016) |
A common fare system applies nationwide with NS ticket machines, although individual concessionaires have separate fares. The OV-chipkaart (public-transport card) permits ticket integration and price differentiation. Travellers must be aware of the different operators; for off-peak pass subscribers, a station requiring an operator change may experience delays during peak hours.[clarification needed]
Printed paper tickets were discontinued on 9 July 2014. Although
Passengers without a valid ticket are fined €50[24] in addition to the base fare, unless a ticket machines is out of order or another exemption applies. The fine must to be paid at once, unless the passenger can provide a valid identification card; in that case, they will receive a collection notice by mail. Travellers from abroad beginning Dutch train journey at Schiphol must purchase a ticket before boarding the train.
Payment can be made with all major credit cards at all ticket vending machines and the website.
Contactless payments
Since 2023, one can travel using contactless payments on all Dutch public transport [1]: on all domestic trains, metros, trams and busses, nationwide [2]. Using contactless one travels 2nd class. The price is the same[3] regular / full price as using the anonymous ov-chipcard (see above). You do not need an app or ticket, nor do you have to register or signup to use this. Apple Pay, Google Pay and many contactless debit and credit cards can directly be used [4].
Off-peak discount passes
Off-peak hours are weekdays from midnight to 06:35, 08:55–16:05 and 18:25–24:00 and all day Saturday and Sunday. With a discount pass, the discount is automatically applied based on the type of discount product and the time of check-in. Discounts include free travel.
A Dal Voordeel (off-peak discount pass) provides a 40-percent discount on travel beginning in off-peak hours. Up to four people can receive the discount if they have a public-transport card. A supplemental fare gives riders over age 60 years free off-peak travel seven days per year. Annual off-peak free passes (Dal Vrij)[25] and unlimited passes are also available, with some restrictions.
Railways in the Dutch Caribbean
Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire (the Caribbean Netherlands) have no railways, and there are no railways on Sint Maarten and Curaçao. Local tram service on Aruba began in 2012, built in cooperation with the Haguish tramway company HTM. Its rolling stock consists of one open, non-articulated single-deck tram and two open double-deckers,[26] running on standard-gauge track. Two industrial narrow-gauge rail lines on the island have been removed.[27]
See also
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References
- ^ "Railways, passengers carried (million passenger-km)". worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 17 August 2015.
- ^ a b c "CIA World Factbook | Field listing: Railways". www.cia.gov. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. 2014. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2015-08-17.
- ^ "(Vernieuw)bouw van stations". NS Stations (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-01-29.
- ^ Hofland, Dick (3 October 2014). "125 jaar Amsterdam Centraal" [Amsterdam Central station 125 years] (in Dutch). Sanoma Media Netherlands. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
- ^ "Nederlandse spoor zeer intensief gebruikt" [Dutch railtracks intensely used]. www.treinreiziger.nl (in Dutch). Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). 1 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
- OECD International Transport Forum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2014-07-07.)
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help - ^ a b "Kerncijfers". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
- ^ Concessions; see also nl:Concessies in het Nederlandse openbaar vervoer#Overzicht concessies.
- ^ "Geschiedenis | over NS | NS".
- ^ "Nederland komt op stoom". Spoor (in Dutch). 2014 (3). Nederlandse Spoorwegen: 46–47. September 2014.
- ^ 1,945 mm (6 ft 423⁄40 in) and "Parovoz". Archived from the original on 11 January 2013., it was changed because Germany and Belgium had 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in), see komlos spatial1 Archived 2007-07-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Making the case for 3 kv DC" in Railway Gazette International (England): March 2017 (Vol 173 No 3) pages 50–53
- ^ Elektrificatie Nederland
- ^ a b "ProRail in cijfers" [ProRail in numbers] (in Dutch). ProRail. 2017. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ A complete list of licensed operators can be found at europa.eu Archived 2007-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "sporenplan w". sporenplan.nl. Archived from the original on 4 May 2001.
- ^ a b "sporenplan o". sporenplan.nl. Archived from the original on 24 July 2001.
- ^ (in Dutch) utrechtboog
- ^ "Elektrificatie Maaslijn definitief". OV-Magazine. 14 June 2014.
- ^ "Vanaf 2025 nieuwe en snellere Beneluxtreinen".
- ^ Thorsten Büker. "border lines – Belgium – Netherlands". bueker.net.
- ^ Thorsten Büker. "border lines – Netherlands – Germany". bueker.net.
- ^ For an overview of both passenger and freight traffic, see Belgium-Netherlands and Netherlands-Germany.
- ^ "Vaststelling bedragen, bedoeld in artikel 48, tweede en zesde lid, Besluit personenvervoer 2000". wetten.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved November 8, 2018.
- ^ q42. "Season tickets". 9292.nl.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Aruba trams".
- ^ "Auba and Aruban History". Retrieved 2010-12-19.
Further reading
- Haydock, David (2017). Benelux Railways: Locomotives and Multiple Units. European Handbook No. 1 (7th ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. ISBN 9781909431393.
External links
- Dutch Railways website (in Dutch)
- ProRail railway map
- http://www.sporenplan.nl/html_nl/sporenplan/ns/ns_normaal/start.html – Schematic maps of all tracks, switches and platforms:
- http://kubus.mailspool.nl/spoorkaart Live map of locations of moving passenger trains
- http://www.prorail.nl/Vervoerders/Infrastructuur/Documents/R-Overzicht%20Functionaliteitswijzigingen%20en%20Indienststellings-data%20Infraprojecten%20tot%20en%20met%202017.pdf – planning of changes in infrastructure