There will now be 28 trains per hour between The Hague and Rotterdam (and we’re pretty happy)

Say doei to endless delays and hoi to stress-free travel: the NS has a new plan for the Hague-Rotterdam route, and it’s shaping up to be a game-changer for all commuters. 🙌

Last Monday, a sprinter left The Hague Central Station in full celebration mode, complete with a red carpet, important ProRail figures, and a crowd of government officials.

A train nearly every few minutes? We’ll take it

Previously, we had 22 trains an hour. Now, however, we’ve got a fleet of 28, with eight intercity and six sprinter trains running in each direction.

“It is almost becoming a kind of metro system,’’ NS CEO Wouter Koolmess told AD.nl, and honestly, he has a point.

With thousands using the rail network daily and 400,000 more future commuters expected by 2030, this upgrade couldn’t have come sooner.

Right now, peak-hour trains are often packed tighter than a suitcase after a Ryanair flight. Hopefully, these new trains will give us some very welcome elbow room. 🤞

Six years, one big glow-up

This is the first of seven major rail upgrades to hit the finish line. And what a journey it’s been!

Since 2018, Rijswijk’s tracks were doubled from two to four, Delft got a new tunnel, and Schiedam dusted off forgotten rails. 🧹

Even Rotterdam Central saw platform upgrades so intercity trains could turn around more efficiently.

Wait, did someone say fish?

This glow-up definitely had its quirks.

In addition to fish being gently relocated to make way for progress (yes, really 👀), the ‘t Haantje level crossing, located on the edge of Delft and Rijswijk, also said goodbye after 174 years of service. 

And speaking of innovation, Delft went all in — think escalators, tunnels, and even disaster-response drills.

Adding one more trophy to its shelf, Delft Campus is now the Netherlands’ first energy-neutral station, fully finished in March 2024. Sustainable? We approve. 💚

So, will this make you ditch the car or embrace the train life between The Hague and Rotterdam? Let us know in the comments!  😉