New year, new — or, well, updated 👀 — train schedule! From more trains to speed reductions, there are several upcoming changes to the Dutch rail timetable.
Building on the structure of the Timetable 2025 (released in 2024), the newly-published Timetable 2026 touches on several improvements the NS is moving towards. 👇
More weekend Sprinters on the Hague-to-Dordrecht route and the Zaanlijn
The NS plans to run four Sprinters per hour on Saturdays along the Hague-Dordrect route, between 10 AM to 8 PM.
They’re also making steps to improve their connections to the stations Amsterdam Amstel, Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena, Abcoude, and various stops between Breukelen and Rhenen.
To do so, they’ll be upping the number of weekend Sprinters on the Zaanlijn between stations Uitgeest and Amsterdam Central.
Earlier ‘early’ trains and later ‘late’ trains
The NS isn’t just expanding in terms of trains per hour — they’re broadening their daily timetable as well.
Intercity trains to Schiphol Airport from Hilversum will start running an hour earlier than usual, while trains from Schiphol to Amersfoort Central will start half an hour earlier.
In addition to this, the last Sprinters and Intercity trains along these routes will run an hour to an hour and a half later than usual:
- Leeuwarden-Zwolle-Utrecht Central (from Friday to Saturday)
- Hoofddorp-Amsterdam Central (from Sunday to Thursday)
- Utrecht Central/Amersfoort Central–Deventer (from Monday to Thursday)
- The Hague Central-Breda (from Sunday to Thursday)
- The Hague HS-Rotterdam Central (on Fridays)
- Rotterdam Central/Dordrecht–Roosendaal (on Fridays)
- Utrecht Central–Amersfoort Central–Zwolle (every day)
Better train connections between Zeeland and North Brabant
The NS’ updated timetable aims to make travel to and from Zeeland more accessible.
They’ll be extending the Zwolle-Roosendaal line to Vlissingen once every hour, giving Zeeland a direct connection to the province of North Brabant and bigger cities like the aforementioned Zwolle.
@dutchreview You just know it’s bad news 🫠 #CapCut #dutchreview #trains #netherlands #travel #dutchtiktok #amsterdam #workinginthenetherlands #fyp #voorjou #expatlife ♬ original sound – DutchReview
Reduced speed between ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Eindhoven
It seems like it will be easier to travel everywhere in the lowlands… except if you’re taking the ‘s-Hertogenbosch-Eindhoven route.
Thanks to work on the tracks at Vught, trains between the two southern cities will now have to travel at a reduced 80km per hour.
What do you think of the NS’ planned improvements? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!