We’re nearing the most wonderful day of the year: King’s Day. As the Netherlands turns orange, Dutch railway company NS is working overtime to make sure partygoers will be able to get home safely.
The company has announced a special “Orange timetable” for King’s Night and King’s Day on April 26 and 27, with more and longer trains running to some major Dutch cities.
Accommodating the crowds
If you’ve ever taken the train on King’s Day, you know how it gets: compartments are packed with people dressed in orange, drunkenly singing Dutch hits, as the air oozes alcohol and sweat.
To curb this phenomenon, the NS will run extra trains to Amsterdam, Arnhem, Breda, The Hague, Eindhoven, Groningen, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Zwolle this year.
READ MORE | King’s Day in Amsterdam: all you need to know for 2024
One extra train per hour will also run to Emmen, Drenthe, where the Royal Family will be spending the holiday.
On routes where fewer crowds are expected, fewer trains may run.
READ MORE | Why does the Netherlands love orange? The full explainer
For the most up-to-date travel advice, the NS recommends travellers use their travel planner app.
One rule to follow
In exchange for safely transporting us to our destinations, NS is requesting one thing in return: to make King’s Day gezellig for the train workers.
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To do so, alcohol will be banned on trains and in stations nationwide from 7 PM on Friday, April 26, until 7 AM on Sunday, April 28.
Stations will also be restricted from selling alcohol during this period.
Where will you be celebrating King’s Day this year? Let us know in the comments.
