ProRail pushes €3.5 billion into modernizing train stations

Rail manager ProRail is going to invest 3.5 billion euros into building more train stations and renewing and modernizing existing ones over the next 10 years, ProRail CEO Pier Eringa announced with the rail manager's annual figures on Wednesday, NU.nl reports.

More train stations need to be built, especially as more and more residential areas are being built. Many municipalities already asked for their 'own' station, Eringa said. According to ProRail, there is room for about 20 new train stations, but they will only be built after negotiations with governments and financiers.

The existing stations will all get a revamp. They will get more lifts, ramps, sanitary facilities, cameras and other technical gadgets. These gadgets include lighting in tiles on the platform to indicate where a train can be boarded, and a new feature on the app that will allow you to reserve bicycle parking. All 402 stations will also get new furniture and waiting areas, and there will be more bicycle parking. 

ProRail is satisfied with 2018's annual figures. 91 percent of trains ran on time. The high speed line, which is struggling with software problems, also performed better last year. 82.7 percent of passengers on the high speed line arrived on time last year, above the government's 82.5 percent norm, ProRail said.