No trains will run to or from Rotterdam Centraal on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15, as ProRail carries out essential maintenance on the city’s train safety system.
The work affects a large chunk of the Dutch rail network, and with replacement options involving a patchwork of metros and buses, commuting to and from Rotterdam will take more planning than usual.
Here’s what you need to know.
Which routes are affected?
No trains will run between the following lines during the weekend of June 14 to 15:
- Rotterdam Centraal — Delft Campus
- Rotterdam Centraal — Gouda
- Rotterdam Centraal — Zwijndrecht
- High-speed line: Rotterdam Centraal — Breda and Schiphol Airport
If your regular route passes through Rotterdam, expect a longer journey and some delays.
How to get around the works
NS has mapped out several alternative routes, depending on where you’re headed.
- To Den Haag Centraal: Take metro E from Rotterdam Centraal to Beurs, then continue by metro to Schiedam Centrum. From there, catch a bus to Delft Campus, where trains run onward to Den Haag Centraal.
- To Gouda: Head to Schiedam Centrum by metro via Beurs and pick up an NS bus to Delft Campus. From there, Intercity trains run to Gouda via Den Haag HS.
(Alternatively, you can take metro D or E to Beurs, switch to metro A, B, or C towards Capelsebrug, and board an NS express bus directly to Gouda.)
- To Dordrecht: Take the metro via Beurs to Capelsebrug, where NS express buses run directly to Dordrecht.
NS also advises travellers to plan their journey in advance, using either the NS App or their Reisplanner, as alternative routes may involve multiple transfers.
Why is this happening?
ProRail contractors will be replacing the train safety system in Rotterdam. because the current one is outdated.
The system controls how signals and switches operate; it’s essentially the nervous system keeping trains running safely. As such, it’s the kind of work that can only be done when trains aren’t running, hence the full weekend shutdown.
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