Train troubles are back at Schiphol this morning, and if you’re thinking “here we go again,” you’re absolutely right — except you’re not going anywhere for the time being.
According to the NOS, a signal failure is causing major disruptions between Schiphol and Amsterdam Zuid, with the NS expecting problems to last at least the entire morning.
Multiple routes disrupted
If you’re trying to get to the airport today, brace yourself.
This morning, far fewer trains are running between Schiphol, Amsterdam Zuid, Leiden, Rotterdam, and Bijlmer Arena, while defective overhead lines are also wreaking havoc on routes between Utrecht and The Hague, and between Utrecht and Rotterdam.
Much like yesterday, the NS advises travellers to use different Amsterdam stations to reach the airport, with the metro system between Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Lelylaan, and Amsterdam Zuid as your best alternative.
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The timing couldn’t be more frustrating — train services resumed last night at around 10:15 PM after yesterday’s massive cable fire knocked out certain routes for nearly an entire day.
Now, just hours later, we’re back to square one. 🫠
Police suspect criminal sabotage
Here’s where things get seriously concerning: Dutch police are actively investigating whether yesterday’s devastating power outage was caused by a crime.
It’s reported that a fire broke out in power cables around 3:45 AM yesterday. However, police are now beginning to suspect this wasn’t just an unfortunate accident but a crime.
Forensic teams have secured evidence at the fire scene and are reviewing surveillance footage from the area.
The investigation was initially delayed until power lines could be safely disconnected, but officers are now treating the incident as potential arson.
Timing is suspicious
Justice and Security Minister David van Weel confirmed during the NATO summit in The Hague that sabotage is one possibility under investigation, saying:
“That is one of the things we are investigating. It could be an activist group, another country — anything is possible”.
The timing is particularly suspicious given that The Hague is hosting the NATO summit.
READ MORE | NATO summit causes (only) 200km of traffic jams in the Netherlands
Police are investigating whether the sabotage was linked to the summit. However, another possibility being examined is copper theft, though ProRail has declined to speculate further on the cause.
Regardless of the cause, the result is simple: trains will be chaotic yet again. For now, keep your travel plans flexible, check the NS app constantly, and perhaps be extra nice to your friends who own a car. 👀
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