Good news! The NS has unveiled plans to boost rail services in the north and east of the country, with a direct Groningen-Rotterdam connection and weekend upgrades for commuters heading to Amsterdam and beyond.
The Dutch rail operator has published its advisory proposal for the 2027 timetable, and those of us in the northern and eastern regions are going to be the big winners.
The changes include bringing back direct trains between cities in these regions, adding more weekend services, and using high-speed trains to cut journey times.
The direct Groningen-Rotterdam route returns
Commuters coming to and from the north can rejoice. One of the headline announcements is the return of a direct intercity between Groningen and Rotterdam, which disappeared at the end of 2024.
And this time around, the train will take a faster route via the high-speed line (HSL).
According to NS, trains from Groningen will travel via the Hanzelijn to Zwolle and Schiphol, then continue along the HSL to Rotterdam Centraal. The new ICNG trains (nicknamed “the Wasp”) can reach speeds of 200 kilometres per hour on the high-speed track.
Travel times could drop even further once speed limits on the Hanzelijn are increased.
Weekend improvements across multiple regions
However, that’s not all. The NS is also proposing several weekend service upgrades that’ll make Saturday and Sunday travel significantly easier for those heading to or from major cities.
Between Amersfoort and Deventer, intercity trains will run three times per hour on Saturdays and Sundays, up from two currently. This improves connections between these cities and Amsterdam in both directions.
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Meanwhile, Amsterdam and The Hague will see extra early-morning and late-evening intercities on weekends, and trains between The Hague Centraal and Amsterdam Centraal will add stops at Voorhout and Hillegom stations during weekends, replacing a sprinter service on that route.
For commuters from The Hague, there’s more good news.
The number of sprinters between The Hague and Dordrecht will double on Sundays, jumping from two to four per hour. During weekdays, the current ten-minute sprinter service will continue.
Another change on the cards is the return of a direct peak-hour train between Enschede and Amsterdam Centraal, which would help commuters travelling between the east and the capital.
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What happens next?
These are proposals, not confirmed changes. NS asks regional governments and passenger organisations for feedback on the new timetable every year, which it uses to refine its plans.
Rail infrastructure manager ProRail will then assess whether NS’s wishes are feasible, taking into account the needs of other passenger and freight operators. The final 2027 timetable will be announced in autumn.
Will these changes make your commute easier, or are you still waiting for better connections? Let us know in the comments!
