Rail transport in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
Rail transport in the Netherlands utilises a 2809 km long network maintained by ProRail
and operated by a number of different operators. The entire network is standard gauge
.
The Netherlands is a member of the International Union of Railways
(UIC). The UIC Country Code
for the Netherlands is 84.
for collections of lines.
A few Dutch railway stations are served, even for journeys within the country, by foreign railway companies under the responsibility of NS; these companies are:
There is partly a common tariff system. Increasingly operators apply separate tariffs, see below.
Most trains have 1st and 2nd class; some local trains belonging to Syntus only have 2nd class.
The largest cargo carrier in the Netherlands is DB Schenker
, others are ACTS
, Crossrail, ERS Railways, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln, Rail4chem
and Veolia Cargo
.
The whole network itself is maintained and organised by the government agency ProRail
, it is also responsible for allocating slots to the different companies.
and Haarlem
, and was quickly expanded to The Hague
and Rotterdam
. It was originally built to a broad gauge of , but was converted
to (standard gauge
) in 1866. Further expansion happened in the 19th century to connect the rest of the country. During the 20th century most of the main lines were electrified
, starting in 1908 with the Hofpleinlijn
.
, Amstelveen
, Oosterhout
, and Katwijk
.
Most freight routes run east-west, connecting the Port of Rotterdam
and Koninklijke Hoogovens
in IJmuiden with Germany
. Freight trains usually share the tracks with passenger trains; the only exception is the new Betuweroute
, which opened in 2006 as the first freight-only route.
The network is well developed and dense. Over the last decades, there has been only little expansion of the network; instead, most attention is focused on upgrading the network in terms of efficiency and capacity. As of 2008, the issue of speed is also getting more attention, as there are plans to increase maximum speeds to 160 km/h on some sections.
Some important new lines have been built in recent years, however. These include the HSL-Zuid
high speed line and the Betuweroute
. One major line is currently under construction, the Hanzelijn
, connecting the province of Flevoland
with the railway node Zwolle
.
Most of the network is electrified at 1.5 kV DC, which limits interoperability with neighbouring countries, although Belgian trains (built for 3 kV DC) can run on the Dutch network at reduced power. Both the HSL-Zuid and the Betuweroute have been electrified at 25 kV AC
, and it is planned to convert old lines to this voltage in the future.
Speed is generally limited to 130–140 km/h, but on most secondary lines the maximum speed is lower. On the new HSL-Zuid line, the maximum speed is much higher at 300 km/h. Technically, more recent lines have been constructed to allow for higher speeds. An overview of maximum speeds on all lines is available in the Train routes in the Netherlands
article.
Trains are frequent, with one or two trains per hour on lesser lines, two to four trains per hour on most lines in the country and up to 8 or 10 trains an hour between the big cities.
Trains are divided into two categories: stoptreinen (local trains, which call at all stations; these are called Sprinters on some lines) and intercities
, which provide fast connections between the bigger cities. An intermediate category of sneltreinen (fast trains) is being phased out, starting in 2007, but is still used on some lines.
The railways of the Netherlands are all (standard gauge
), and they have a total length of 2809 route-kilometers or 6505 track-kilometers. 2061 kilometers are electrified
(2001) at 1500 volt DC. Only 931 km is single track. The country counts 3,004 level crossing
s, of which 2,144 are protected.
ProRail
takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure (but excluding metros and trams, for which see below), allocating rail capacity, and traffic control. The rail capacity supplied by ProRail is used by five public transport operators (see below) as well as cargo operators: DB Schenker
, ERS, ACTS
, Rail4Chem
. Aside from these, there are a few tiny operators, amongst whom for example Herik Rail, with seven carriages, where trains can be chartered for parties, meetings, etc.
Two stations
are located at a bilevel crossing of railway lines: Amsterdam
Sloterdijk and Duivendrecht.
and Germany
. Of these, Terneuzen
is linked to Belgium (freight-only), but not to the rest of the Dutch network. Six cross-border links are electrified. Due to the difference in voltage, trains must change monovoltage locomotives at Bad Bentheim
, Emmerich or Venlo
; monovoltage Belgian 3 kV trains reach Roosendaal and Maastricht
with reduced power. The HSL Zuid has no voltage change at the border itself. Alternatively, multi-system
or diesel traction are used. Several border crossings are disused or freight-only.
See also Rail transport by country, Europe.
On five nights a week it is just a single U-shaped line with an hourly service connecting Rotterdam Central
, Delft
, The Hague Central, Leiden Central
, Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Central, Utrecht Central
(i.e., most of the large cities in the Randstad
as well as the main airport). Due to the U-shape, journey time from the first five stations to Utrecht is longer than during the day.
In the weekend the night service is extended to Dordrecht
and four cities in the Province of North Brabant
.
"Friday night" means the night between Friday and Saturday, etc.
, which combines ticket
integration (also with other public transport) with price differentiation. Since 1 August 2011 there is even a whole series of new passes, just for the largest operator, NS, see Nederlandse Spoorwegen#Fares and tickets. However, these are expected to become valid in other trains too from January 2012.
Even then these developments require traveller awareness of the various companies, and may increase the fare for journeys requiring a change from one to another.
Paper railway tickets are planned to be abolished at the end of 2012.
Meanwhile, paper tickets are available from the ticket machines; at the counter (if available) a supplement of € 0.50 per ticket (with a maximum of €1 per occasion) has to be paid (from June 2004), except by people over 60 years old.
For simple tickets for one journey with only one operator, the price of a paper ticket from the ticket machine is the same as the price with the chipkaart. For a journey involving multiple operators a paper ticket is usually cheaper. Some special discounts are available with the chipkaart only, some others with paper tickets only.
Passengers not carrying a valid ticket (paper or electronic) are fined €35 plus the fare, unless the ticket machines were all out of order or some other exemption applies. The fine has to be paid at once. If the passenger is able to identify itself, in which case one receive a collection notice in the mail. For foreigners arriving at Amsterdam Airport (which has its own train station underneath) it is good to know that buying a ticket on the train is very expensive because then they actually have to pay a fine.
It is also possible to buy tickets online on the Dutch Railways website, but payment can only be made via a Dutch Bank account so this system is really only applicable to Dutch residents.
See also Nederlandse Spoorwegen#Fares and tickets.
ProRail
In the Netherlands, ProRail is a government task organisation that takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure , of allocating rail capacity, and of traffic control...
and operated by a number of different operators. The entire network is standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
.
The Netherlands is a member of the International Union of Railways
International Union of Railways
The UIC , or International Union of Railways, is an international rail transport industry body.- Brief history :The railways of Europe originated as separate concerns. There were many border changes after World War I and the Treaty of Versailles. Colonial railways were the responsibility of the...
(UIC). The UIC Country Code
UIC Country Code
The UIC Country Code is a two digit number used to identify member countries of the International Union of Railways . The UIC has issued numbering systems for rolling stock and train stations that both contain the UIC Country Code. The values are defined in UIC leaflet 920-14.-Table of Codes:-...
for the Netherlands is 84.
Operators
Public transport authorities in the Netherlands issue concessionsConcession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
for collections of lines.
- Nederlandse SpoorwegenNederlandse SpoorwegenNederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
(NS; Dutch Railways) - core internal passenger rail network (Hoofdrailnet), including parts with a night service (see below), and also some secondary lines - Arriva Netherlands - the northern secondary lines, and a central line
- SyntusSyntusSyntus bv is a public transport company operating bus and passenger train services in the east of the Netherlands. It is owned jointly by NS Reizigers and Keolis...
- eastern secondary lines - Veolia TransportVeolia TransportVeolia Transport is the international transport services division of the French-based multinational company Veolia Environnement...
- southern secondary lines - ConnexxionConnexxionConnexxion is the largest public transport bus company in the Netherlands, operating in the west, middle, east and far northern part of the country. It was formed in 1999 as result of a fusion between the public transport companies NZH, ZWN, Midnet and Oostnet. Its name is a mutation of the French...
- two secondary lines - NS HispeedNS HispeedNS Hispeed is the rail operator in the Netherlands that operates international intercity and high-speed train connections as well as national high-speed trains over the HSL-Zuid high speed line, which are branded as Fyra....
- main international trains
A few Dutch railway stations are served, even for journeys within the country, by foreign railway companies under the responsibility of NS; these companies are:
- DB RegioDB RegioDB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
, including DB Regionalbahn Westfalen and DB Euregiobahn - Prignitzer Eisenbahn (part of Arriva Germany)
- NMBS/SNCBNMBS/SNCBThe National Railway Company of Belgium, known as the or the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges is the Belgian national railway operator.It is usually referred to in English as "Belgian Railways" or the SNCB....
There is partly a common tariff system. Increasingly operators apply separate tariffs, see below.
Most trains have 1st and 2nd class; some local trains belonging to Syntus only have 2nd class.
The largest cargo carrier in the Netherlands is DB Schenker
DB Schenker
DB Schenker is a logistics company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. The company, created by reorganisation and rebranding of various Deutsche Bahn subsidiaries, comprises a logistics division encompassing air, land and sea freight, and a rail division made up from a variety of...
, others are ACTS
ACTS Nederland BV
Husa Transportation Group is a group of railfreight, logistics and rail services companies founded in 1998, the groups main business arm on foundation was ACTS Nederland BV , founded 1989, an open access freight operator in the Netherlands.-History:ACTS Nederland BV was founded in 1989, and...
, Crossrail, ERS Railways, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln, Rail4chem
RAIL4CHEM
RAIL4CHEM was a German rail freight transport company, and the parent company of a number of European subsidiary rail freight transport companies including rail4chem Benelux B.V. , the rail4chem transalpin AG and Fer Polska S.A. .The business was acquired by Veolia Cargo in 2008, which was...
and Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo was a European rail freight transportation company that operated mainly in France and Germany.On 2 September 2009 the company was acquired by Eurotunnel and SNCF the deal being finalised on 1 December 2009.-History:...
.
The whole network itself is maintained and organised by the government agency ProRail
ProRail
In the Netherlands, ProRail is a government task organisation that takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure , of allocating rail capacity, and of traffic control...
, it is also responsible for allocating slots to the different companies.
History
The first Dutch railway was built and opened in 1839, on a short stretch between AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, and was quickly expanded to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. It was originally built to a broad gauge of , but was converted
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
) in 1866. Further expansion happened in the 19th century to connect the rest of the country. During the 20th century most of the main lines were electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
, starting in 1908 with the Hofpleinlijn
Hofpleinlijn
The Hofpleinlijn was one of the two railways between the Dutch cities of The Hague and Rotterdam. In 2006 it was converted to metro-like operation as RandstadRail line E.-History:...
.
Network
The network is heavily focused on passenger rail services and connects virtually all major cities, although there are still a few cities without a train connection, including DrachtenDrachten
Drachten is a Dutch town, located in the municipality of Smallingerland in the province of Friesland.-Beginnings:Drachten began as a small community on the east side of the Drait River. There, early settlers started draining the land to use it for agriculture...
, Amstelveen
Amstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
, Oosterhout
Oosterhout
Oosterhout is a municipality and a city in the South of the Netherlands. At June, 2008, the city population was 54,015.-History:Oosterhout is mentioned for the first time in 1277, although archaeological excavations showed the existence of human settlements in the area in prehistoric times. The...
, and Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
.
Most freight routes run east-west, connecting the Port of Rotterdam
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
and Koninklijke Hoogovens
Koninklijke Hoogovens
Koninklijke Hoogovens was a Dutch steel producer founded in 1918. In 1999, the company merged with British Steel to create Corus Group steel company. In 2007, Corus Group was purchased by India-based Tata Steel.- History :On April 19, 1917, H.J.E...
in IJmuiden with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Freight trains usually share the tracks with passenger trains; the only exception is the new Betuweroute
Betuweroute
The Betuweroute is a double track freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany. Betuweroute is the official name, after the Betuwe area through which it passes, but the line is popularly referred to as Betuwelijn, after an older track in the same region. The Germans have named their part the...
, which opened in 2006 as the first freight-only route.
The network is well developed and dense. Over the last decades, there has been only little expansion of the network; instead, most attention is focused on upgrading the network in terms of efficiency and capacity. As of 2008, the issue of speed is also getting more attention, as there are plans to increase maximum speeds to 160 km/h on some sections.
Some important new lines have been built in recent years, however. These include the HSL-Zuid
HSL-Zuid
HSL-Zuid , is a 125 km-long high-speed railway line in the Netherlands to the Belgian border, with a branch to Breda. Together with the Belgian HSL 4 it forms the Schiphol–Antwerp high-speed railway...
high speed line and the Betuweroute
Betuweroute
The Betuweroute is a double track freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany. Betuweroute is the official name, after the Betuwe area through which it passes, but the line is popularly referred to as Betuwelijn, after an older track in the same region. The Germans have named their part the...
. One major line is currently under construction, the Hanzelijn
Hanzelijn
The Lelystad–Zwolle railway, also known as the Hanzelijn , is a new Dutch railway line presently under construction. When completed, it will connect Lelystad, capital of the province of Flevoland, with Zwolle, capital of the neighbouring province of Overijssel...
, connecting the province of Flevoland
Flevoland
Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands. Located in the centre of the country, at the location of the former Zuiderzee, the province was established on January 1, 1986; the twelfth province of the country, with Lelystad as its capital...
with the railway node Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
.
Most of the network is electrified at 1.5 kV DC, which limits interoperability with neighbouring countries, although Belgian trains (built for 3 kV DC) can run on the Dutch network at reduced power. Both the HSL-Zuid and the Betuweroute have been electrified at 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
, and it is planned to convert old lines to this voltage in the future.
Speed is generally limited to 130–140 km/h, but on most secondary lines the maximum speed is lower. On the new HSL-Zuid line, the maximum speed is much higher at 300 km/h. Technically, more recent lines have been constructed to allow for higher speeds. An overview of maximum speeds on all lines is available in the Train routes in the Netherlands
Train routes in the Netherlands
This list of train routes in the Netherlands focuses on the routes taken by trains travelling on railway lines in the Netherlands. A list including all stops on the train routes can be found at Dutch railway services...
article.
Trains are frequent, with one or two trains per hour on lesser lines, two to four trains per hour on most lines in the country and up to 8 or 10 trains an hour between the big cities.
Trains are divided into two categories: stoptreinen (local trains, which call at all stations; these are called Sprinters on some lines) and intercities
InterCity
InterCity is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe...
, which provide fast connections between the bigger cities. An intermediate category of sneltreinen (fast trains) is being phased out, starting in 2007, but is still used on some lines.
The railways of the Netherlands are all (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
), and they have a total length of 2809 route-kilometers or 6505 track-kilometers. 2061 kilometers are electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
(2001) at 1500 volt DC. Only 931 km is single track. The country counts 3,004 level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s, of which 2,144 are protected.
ProRail
ProRail
In the Netherlands, ProRail is a government task organisation that takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure , of allocating rail capacity, and of traffic control...
takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure (but excluding metros and trams, for which see below), allocating rail capacity, and traffic control. The rail capacity supplied by ProRail is used by five public transport operators (see below) as well as cargo operators: DB Schenker
DB Schenker
DB Schenker is a logistics company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. The company, created by reorganisation and rebranding of various Deutsche Bahn subsidiaries, comprises a logistics division encompassing air, land and sea freight, and a rail division made up from a variety of...
, ERS, ACTS
ACTS Nederland BV
Husa Transportation Group is a group of railfreight, logistics and rail services companies founded in 1998, the groups main business arm on foundation was ACTS Nederland BV , founded 1989, an open access freight operator in the Netherlands.-History:ACTS Nederland BV was founded in 1989, and...
, Rail4Chem
RAIL4CHEM
RAIL4CHEM was a German rail freight transport company, and the parent company of a number of European subsidiary rail freight transport companies including rail4chem Benelux B.V. , the rail4chem transalpin AG and Fer Polska S.A. .The business was acquired by Veolia Cargo in 2008, which was...
. Aside from these, there are a few tiny operators, amongst whom for example Herik Rail, with seven carriages, where trains can be chartered for parties, meetings, etc.
Recent and new tracks
- BetuwerouteBetuwerouteThe Betuweroute is a double track freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany. Betuweroute is the official name, after the Betuwe area through which it passes, but the line is popularly referred to as Betuwelijn, after an older track in the same region. The Germans have named their part the...
, A freight line from Rotterdam to Germany. - Hemboog between Schiphol/AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
-Lelylaan and ZaandamZaandamZaandam is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811...
, bypassing the crossing at AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Sloterdijk. It provides a direct connection between Schiphol and Zaandam/Hoorn. Technically it also allows for a direct train service from Schiphol to AlkmaarAlkmaarAlkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
, but such a service is not provided yet. - GooiboogGooiboogThe Gooiboog is a railway chord which links the Dutch Flevolijn and Gooilijn railway lines.The link is double tracked. The outer, southbound line is 2200 metres long, the inner northbound one is 1400 metre...
between HilversumHilversumis a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
/Naarden-BussumBussumBussum is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-History:Bussum was first mentioned in 1306. In this time, Bussum was a large heathland with many small farms, sheep pens and forests as is shown on old maps. Since Bussum is situated near the fortified town...
and AlmereAlmereAlmere is a planned city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, the Netherlands, bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde. The municipality of Almere comprises the districts Almere Stad, Almere Haven, Almere Buiten, Almere Hout, Almere Poort and Almere Pampus .Almere is the youngest city in the...
Muziekwijk. - UtrechtboogUtrechtboogThe Utrechtboog is a flyover railway line in the south-east of Amsterdam, completed in March 2006, that directly connects Utrecht and Schiphol. After completion, it reduced journey times between the two by seven minutes. Prior to its construction, passengers travelling this route were required to...
between SchipholAmsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
/AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
-Rai and Bijlmer/UtrechtUtrecht (city)Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, bypassing the crossing at Duivendrecht. - The HSL-ZuidHSL-ZuidHSL-Zuid , is a 125 km-long high-speed railway line in the Netherlands to the Belgian border, with a branch to Breda. Together with the Belgian HSL 4 it forms the Schiphol–Antwerp high-speed railway...
(see below)
Under construction
- The HanzelijnHanzelijnThe Lelystad–Zwolle railway, also known as the Hanzelijn , is a new Dutch railway line presently under construction. When completed, it will connect Lelystad, capital of the province of Flevoland, with Zwolle, capital of the neighbouring province of Overijssel...
, a planned railway line LelystadLelystadLelystad is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. The city, built on reclaimed land, was founded in 1967 and was named after Cornelis Lely, who engineered the Afsluitdijk, making the reclamation possible...
-DrontenDrontenDronten is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands. Its population is 39,787 .- History :Plans for the municipality of Dronten were made in the early half of the 1950s; real plans for the town of Dronten were revealed in 1958.The foundations for the town were laid in 1960...
-Kampen-ZwolleZwolleZwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
. - The re-building of the railway between MaastrichtMaastrichtMaastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
and LanakenLanakenLanaken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2007 Lanaken had a total population of 24,724. The total area is 59.00 km² which gives a population density of 415 inhabitants per km²....
(BBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). Dutch part scheduled to be complete in 2009.
Two stations
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
are located at a bilevel crossing of railway lines: Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Sloterdijk and Duivendrecht.
Non-electrified lines
(with timetable number)- Groningen-Delfzijl 84
- Groningen-Roodeschool 83
- Groningen-Nieuweschans Grens 85
- Leeuwarden-Groningen 80
- Leeuwarden-Harlingen 81
- Leeuwarden-Stavoren 82
- Zwolle-Kampen 63
- Zwolle-Wierden 65
- 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
- Landgraaf-Landgraaf Grens 525
Railway links with adjacent countries
The Dutch network is connected at several places to BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Of these, Terneuzen
Terneuzen
Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With over 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland.-Population centres :...
is linked to Belgium (freight-only), but not to the rest of the Dutch network. Six cross-border links are electrified. Due to the difference in voltage, trains must change monovoltage locomotives at Bad Bentheim
Bad Bentheim
Bad Bentheim is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany lying in the district of Grafschaft Bentheim on the borders with North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands roughly 15 km south of Nordhorn and 20 km northeast of Enschede. It is also a state-recognized thermal brine and sulphur spa town,...
, Emmerich or Venlo
Venlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
; monovoltage Belgian 3 kV trains reach Roosendaal and Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
with reduced power. The HSL Zuid has no voltage change at the border itself. Alternatively, multi-system
Multi-system (rail)
A Multi-system locomotive is one that is able to operate using more than one railway electrification system, such as the British Rail Class 92 which can operate from both 750 V DC third rail and 25 kV, 50 Hz AC from overhead lines.As well as multi-system electric...
or diesel traction are used. Several border crossings are disused or freight-only.
- Same gauge:
-
BelgiumRail transport in BelgiumBelgium has an extensive rail network. It is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Belgium is 88.-History:...
— voltage change 1.5 kV DC/3 kV DC- HSL-Zuid — same voltage
-
GermanyRail transport in Germany, Germany had a railway network of 41,315 km. 19,857 km are electrified. The total track length was 76,473 km. Germany is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Germany is 80.-Overview:...
— voltage change 1.5 kV DC/15 kV AC
-
International trains
- InterCity AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
C - Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
- The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
HS - RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
C - DordrechtDordrechtDordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
- Roosendaal - Antwerp C - MechelenMechelenMechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
- BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
Noord - Brussels C - Brussels Midi. Also known as the Benelux train, see also Train number series (series 9200). This service will be replaced in the near future by a high-speed service using the HSL-ZuidHSL-ZuidHSL-Zuid , is a 125 km-long high-speed railway line in the Netherlands to the Belgian border, with a branch to Breda. Together with the Belgian HSL 4 it forms the Schiphol–Antwerp high-speed railway...
.- The train has a Belgian multi-system locomotive which is designed for Belgian 3000 volt DC, but can also run under the Dutch 1500 volt DC system (at reduced performance).
- ThalysThalysThalys is an international high-speed train operator originally built around the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris or Brussels to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys reaches...
: Amsterdam C - Schiphol Airport - Rotterdam C - Antwerp C - Brussels Midi -ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Nord; twice a week also to Marne-La-Vallée-Chessy (Disneyland Resort ParisDisneyland Resort ParisDisneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. The complex is located from the centre of Paris and lies for the most part within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne....
)- The train can use 1500 volt DC (France, Netherlands), 3000 volt DC (Belgium) and 25000 volt AC 50 Hz (France and high-speed lines).
- High-speedHigh-speed railHigh-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
between Rotterdam and Antwerp (HSL-ZuidHSL-ZuidHSL-Zuid , is a 125 km-long high-speed railway line in the Netherlands to the Belgian border, with a branch to Breda. Together with the Belgian HSL 4 it forms the Schiphol–Antwerp high-speed railway...
) and between Brussels and Paris.
- Schiphol - Berlin Hbf - Szczecin Główny
- ICEInterCityExpressThe Intercity-Express or ICE is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries. It is the highest service category offered by DB Fernverkehr and is the flagship of Deutsche Bahn...
from Amsterdam to Frankfurt HbfFrankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhofis the central station for Frankfurt am Main. In terms of railway traffic, it is the busiest railway station in Germany. With about 350,000 passengers per day the station is the second most frequented railway station in Germany and one of the most frequented in Europe.- Proto-history :In the late...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
SBB, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... - CityNightLineCityNightLineCityNightLine AG was a Swiss night train service. CNL had right of passage grants in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. It served stations in Belgium, France, Italy and the Czech Republic...
from Amsterdam to MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
Westbf, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... - InterCity MaastrichtMaastrichtMaastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
- Liège-Guillemins - Brussels Midi - There are several regional cross-border connections.
See also Rail transport by country, Europe.
Night service
There is a Night Network (Nachtnet) as follows.On five nights a week it is just a single U-shaped line with an hourly service connecting Rotterdam Central
Rotterdam Centraal railway station
Rotterdam Centraal is the main railway station of the city Rotterdam in the Netherlands.-History:The station opened June 3, 1847 as the Delftsche Poort railway station. The station building designed by Sybold van Ravesteyn opened in 1957 and closed on September 2, 2007...
, Delft
Delft railway station
The Delft railway station is a railway station in Delft, the Netherlands, located on the railway line between The Hague and Rotterdam. The first train passed the railway station on May 31, 1847. A few days later, on June 3, the railway station opened its doors. It was initially located on the...
, The Hague Central, Leiden Central
Leiden Centraal railway station
Leiden Centraal is the main railway station in Leiden, a city in the Netherlands.-History:Leiden Centraal station opened on 17 August 1842 as the southern terminal of the first expansion of the Old Line from Haarlem. The original building was replaced by a new one, designed by D.A.N. Margadant, in...
, Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Central, Utrecht Central
Utrecht Centraal railway station
Utrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest railway station in the Netherlands in terms of size, with fourteen platforms With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the largest station in terms...
(i.e., most of the large cities in the Randstad
Randstad
Image:Randstad_with_scale.png|400px|thumb|right|Clickable schematic map of the Randstadcircle 528 380 26 Schipholrect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeerrect 399 166 479 245 Velsencircle 250 716 32 Delftcircle 220 642 60 The Hague...
as well as the main airport). Due to the U-shape, journey time from the first five stations to Utrecht is longer than during the day.
In the weekend the night service is extended to Dordrecht
Dordrecht railway station
Dordrecht is a railway station in Dordrecht, the Netherlands located on the Breda–Rotterdam railway and the Elst–Dordrecht railway. The station was opened on 1 January 1872, when the railway line between Rotterdam and Antwerp was opened. On 16 July 1885, the railway line from Dordrecht to...
and four cities in the Province of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
.
| Series | Route | Material | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400/21400 | (Eindhoven Eindhoven railway station -History:The station was opened on 1 July 1866 and is located on the Breda–Eindhoven railway, the Venlo–Eindhoven railway and the Eindhoven–Weert railway. The station is operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.The station is 900m east of the Philips Stadion.... - Tilburg Tilburg railway station Tilburg is a railway station located in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The station was opened on 5 October 1863 and is located on the Breda–Eindhoven railway and the Tilburg–Nijmegen railway... - Breda Breda railway station Breda is a railway station in Breda, the Netherlands. It is situated on the Breda–Rotterdam railway, the Roosendaal–Breda railway and the Breda–Eindhoven railway.-History:... - Dordrecht Dordrecht railway station Dordrecht is a railway station in Dordrecht, the Netherlands located on the Breda–Rotterdam railway and the Elst–Dordrecht railway. The station was opened on 1 January 1872, when the railway line between Rotterdam and Antwerp was opened. On 16 July 1885, the railway line from Dordrecht to... -) Rotterdam Centraal - Delft - Den Haag HS - Leiden Centraal - Schiphol - Amsterdam Centraal - Utrecht Centraal (- 's-Hertogenbosch 's-Hertogenbosch railway station s-Hertogenbosch is a railway station located in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. The station and all services operating from it are run by Nederlandse Spoorwegen, the largest Dutch train operating company.-History:... - Eindhoven) |
VIRM | 1x per hour - operates between Eindhoven and Rotterdam/Utrecht Friday, Saturday nights only |
| 21420 | 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg | 1x per hour, Friday, Saturday nights only |
"Friday night" means the night between Friday and Saturday, etc.
Fares and tickets
There is partly a common tariff system. Increasingly operators apply separate tariffs, partly related to the gradually introduced OV-chipkaartOV-chipkaart
The OV-chipkaart is a contactless smart card system which is in the process of being introduced on all public transport in the Netherlands, including train, metro, tram and bus...
, which combines ticket
Ticket (admission)
A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
integration (also with other public transport) with price differentiation. Since 1 August 2011 there is even a whole series of new passes, just for the largest operator, NS, see Nederlandse Spoorwegen#Fares and tickets. However, these are expected to become valid in other trains too from January 2012.
Even then these developments require traveller awareness of the various companies, and may increase the fare for journeys requiring a change from one to another.
Paper railway tickets are planned to be abolished at the end of 2012.
Meanwhile, paper tickets are available from the ticket machines; at the counter (if available) a supplement of € 0.50 per ticket (with a maximum of €1 per occasion) has to be paid (from June 2004), except by people over 60 years old.
For simple tickets for one journey with only one operator, the price of a paper ticket from the ticket machine is the same as the price with the chipkaart. For a journey involving multiple operators a paper ticket is usually cheaper. Some special discounts are available with the chipkaart only, some others with paper tickets only.
Passengers not carrying a valid ticket (paper or electronic) are fined €35 plus the fare, unless the ticket machines were all out of order or some other exemption applies. The fine has to be paid at once. If the passenger is able to identify itself, in which case one receive a collection notice in the mail. For foreigners arriving at Amsterdam Airport (which has its own train station underneath) it is good to know that buying a ticket on the train is very expensive because then they actually have to pay a fine.
It is also possible to buy tickets online on the Dutch Railways website, but payment can only be made via a Dutch Bank account so this system is really only applicable to Dutch residents.
See also Nederlandse Spoorwegen#Fares and tickets.
Railways in Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba and Sint Maarten
The Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have no railways. There were, historically, two industrial narrow-gauge railways in Aruba; but they no longer exist.See also
- Locomotives of Nederlandse Spoorwegen
- Rail transport by countryRail transport by countryThis page provides an index of articles on Rail transport by country.Other indexes available include:*List of railway companies by country*List of countries by rail transport network size*Rail usage statistics by country...
- Railway stations in the NetherlandsRailway stations in the NetherlandsThere are 392 railway stations in the Netherlands, including 5 railway stations which are only served during events, 1 which exists only to facilitate pilgrimage to a nearby site and 1 which exists only to facilitate the Railway Museum....
- Train routes in the NetherlandsTrain routes in the NetherlandsThis list of train routes in the Netherlands focuses on the routes taken by trains travelling on railway lines in the Netherlands. A list including all stops on the train routes can be found at Dutch railway services...
- Trains in the NetherlandsTrains in the NetherlandsThe following are current and former trains in the Netherlands.-Out of service:* Arend: was the first train in the Netherlands and pulled the first train between Amsterdam and Haarlem in 1839....
- Transport in the NetherlandsTransport in the Netherlands-Rail transport:Rail transport for public transport is operated mainly by Nederlandse Spoorwegen , minor parts by Arriva, Syntus, Connexxion, DB Regionalbahn Westfalen, Veolia Transport Nederland and Prignitzer Eisenbahn .The Dutch rail network is the busiest network in the entire world.-Public...
External links
- ProRail railway map
- http://www.sporenplan.nl/html_nl/sporenplan/ns/ns_normaal/start.html - Schematic maps of all tracks, switchesRailroad switchA railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
and platformsRailway platformA railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple 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