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Train platform at Utrecht Central Station (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Sebastiaan ter Burg)
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Train platform at Utrecht Central Station (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Sebastiaan ter Burg)
Friday, 11 September 2015 - 13:22
Broken-down train causes heavy rail delays at Utrecht Centraal
Update, 5:30 p.m., 11 Sept. 2015: The NS announced on its website late Friday afternoon that workers will complete repairs around Utrecht Centraal by about 4 a.m. on Saturday. [h/t Alex from Amsterdam via EverythingInEnglish.nl]
Due to "multiple faults" the train traffic between Utrecht Central and Driebergen-Zeist, Houten, Leidsche Rijn and Utrecht Zuilen has come to a complete standstill. The disruption started around 11:15 a.m. NS initially stated that the problem should be cleared up around 2:00 p.m. but has since retracted that statement. "It is not yet known how long this will last", can now be read on the rail company's website.
The multiple faults were caused by the pantograph on the roof of a long freight train breaking off, meaning that the overhead may also be broken, according to ProRail. As a precaution, the power was cut on a large part of the rail.
The extra travel time has now run up to more than 60 minutes. Travelers on one of the affected routes are advised to travel via Rotterdam, Deventer or Schiphol.
This disruption has also resulted in fewer trains traveling between Utrecht Central and Amersfoort, Baarn and Hilversum. Travelers on these routes should take extra travel time of between 30 and 60 minutes into account.
https://twitter.com/OVnieuwsINFO/status/642268795642494976
Welcome to the netherlands.
— Matthijs (ɅVICII Music Holland) (@DanceFanNgein) September 11, 2015
Where the bus stations are full when #UtrechtCentraal is defect 😐😐😐😐😐 pic.twitter.com/qpfBybWP86