If you were planning to catch a train in Amsterdam this morning, cancel those plans. The entire Amsterdam region has lost all rail services, with Schiphol Airport now unreachable by train.
What started as scattered disruptions has rapidly deteriorated into a full-blown transport crisis, and the NS has now suspended multiple services across the country.
No trains are running to or from Amsterdam Centraal, and Schiphol (one of Europe’s busiest hubs) is now unreachable by rail.
With snow continuing to fall, the situation is worsening by the hour, and more routes are being suspended — leaving thousands of travellers stranded and forcing many to abandon their journeys entirely.
Transport network in meltdown
Beyond Amsterdam, trains have stopped running between Utrecht and Leiden, Zwolle and Leeuwarden, Zwolle and Deventer, and Leeuwarden and Stavoren.
On routes that are still operating, services are running at half capacity or worse, meaning the trains that do show up are absolutely rammed with frustrated commuters.
The root cause? Switch malfunctions triggered by the snowfall.
But here’s the kicker: ProRail repair crews can’t even reach the broken switches because they’re stuck in the same traffic chaos as everyone else, according to NOS.
Why can’t Dutch trains handle snow?
If you’re an international from a snowier climate, you might be wondering how a few centimetres can cause such chaos.
ProRail’s explanation is simple: countries like Sweden and Switzerland cope far better because their infrastructure is specifically designed for months of snow.
“In the Netherlands, we see snow less frequently,” a ProRail spokesperson explains to the NOS. “If you have snow for several months per year, you adapt your infrastructure accordingly.”
Translation: we’re just not built for this. When snow does arrive, the entire rail system buckles under pressure.
No clear timeline for recovery
With the KNMI extending code orange warnings to eight provinces and snow continuing to fall, there’s no indication of when normal service might resume.
Buses have also stopped running in Friesland and Utrecht, leaving many commuters with no alternative.
For internationals trying to reach Schiphol for flights, the situation is particularly dire. With trains suspended and roads gridlocked, getting to the airport has become nearly impossible.
However, if yesterday’s events are anything to go by, the chances of their flights actually departing are pretty slim.
Stranded at home or stuck in a station? Check the NS app constantly for updates, though honestly, you might be better off staying put until this whole mess sorts itself out.
Embrace the suck…
And, as usual, the airport hotels absolutely loving it, price gouging to the max, €600+ per night (dinner and breakfast extra of course.
KLM want €2k+ for flight to Norway.
Het is beter om elk jaar iets meer uit te geven en je voor te bereiden op sneeuw, dan spijt te hebben van de uitgave en vervolgens elk jaar een paar dagen te klagen dat je er niet op voorbereid was! Eerlijk gezegd, een beetje sneeuw legt het hele land elke keer weer plat! Hoeveel kosten de besparingen van de overheid de hele economie eigenlijk?