Rough rush hour: commuters told don't visit Schiphol, Amsterdam or Utrecht by train
A very busy morning rush hour is expected due to a combination of slick, icy roads and a continuing power outage in Amsterdam and surrounds. Utilities company Liander expects to have power restored completely around 8:00 a.m.
Due to the power outage, the matrix boards around the Dutch capital are not working. "We can't put any information above the road", a spokesperson for the Dutch public works Rijkswaterstaat said to RTL. Street lights are also not working. Motorists should extra travel time into account
The KNMI issued a code yellow weather warning affecting the entire country this morning. The wintry weather can cause slickness on the roads, according to the meteorological institute. Motorists are advised to adjust their driving behavior, slow down and keep a safe following distance. "Follow weather reports and warnings", the KNMI writes.
The power outage also caused havoc with the train traffic. No trains are currently traveling to and from Amsterdam Centraal. According to NOS, the station's power has been restored, but it will take some time for train traffic to be resumed. The disruption will also have consequences for train traffic in the rest of the country, NS warns. In Almere, for example, no trains are traveling due to the outage causing signaling problems.
Subway and tram traffic was also brought to a standstill, according to municipal transporter GVB. "Keep an eye on our and NS' website for the actual state of affairs", GVB advises travelers.
Buses are running, but in dribs and drabs. According to RTL, some bus drivers overslept because their alarms could not go off.
Some 360 thousand Liander customers in Amsterdam and surrounds were affected by the power outage. Meanwhile power was restored to about 253 thousand people, according to Liander on Twitter.
