Trains cancelled across the Netherlands with windy weather on the way

With wind gusts expected to reach 130 km/h on Thursday, the Dutch national railway NS preemptively cancelled trains nationwide. The trains will run on a substantially reduced schedule so crews have enough time to deal with incidents like downed wires and fallen trees.

NS told passengers it made the decision in unison with ProRail, which runs handles maintenance on the railroads. The NS took to its mobile app and website to announce the decision.

"Experience shows that such winds may knock trees and tree branches onto the track, blocking trains from traveling," a NS spokesman told Nu.nl.

The country's schedule will be adjusted as a stopped train in one province can affect rail traffic in another, the NS said in its announcement.

The Thursday schedule will be updated both on the NS website and app. Passengers are advised to look up their routes before visiting train stations.

Sustained wind speeds of up to 100 km/h are expected across the Netherlands on Thursday. The entire country is under a code yellow weather advisory that should last into early Friday morning.