Are you going to be taking the train today for work or otherwise? We have some important news for you. There will be fewer trains running today due to defects caused by the heatwave in the Netherlands. Only half of the trains on the timetable will be running on selected routes, reports NU.nl.
Which routes are affected?
Do you need to be in Amsterdam, or are you going to be taking the train from the capital? Be sure to check the schedule because they will be running only half of the trains on the timetable. These are the routes affected: Amsterdam – Rotterdam, Amsterdam – The Hague, Amsterdam – Alkmaar, and Amsterdam Duivendrecht – Lelystad. Additionally, there will be four trains instead of six in an hour between Amsterdam and Eindhoven.
Only four trains per hour will be deployed between Schiphol and Nijmegen. Of these four journeys, two will entail a transfer at Utrecht. Trains between Eindhoven and Sittard are also reduced to only two per hour.
Vandaag rijden er op enkele trajecten minder Intercity's door beperkingen in de materieelinzet. Plan je reis voor vertrek in de reisplanner. https://t.co/axyyfHaEPO
— NS online (@NS_online) July 26, 2019
Why are there so few trains running today?
A spokesperson said to NU.nl that “the heat causes the vehicles to overheat and cause defects”. This extreme heat has dire consequences to the technology. As they fix the trains, there are always new defects to be repaired in other trains.
New defects may arise, which will change your scheduled train journey. The spokesperson, therefore, advises you to check the NS app or website for the latest on the timetables. They have currently deployed 250 engineers to resolve any problems that arise with train defects.
And still, don’t forget to take your water bottles! The temperatures might cool down, but they are still on the high. This could be the last day of the heatwave, so let’s soldier on today! With the defects happening, we don’t know when the air conditioning on the train will break down.
Feat image source: Clive G'/flickr
