Train derailment near The Hague has passengers seeking alternatives

A passenger train derailment in Voorburg on Thursday was expected to interrupt scheduled service on the train route between The Hague and Utrecht through the night. There were no injuries among the passengers on the NS Intercity train when it went off the rails, according to rail infrastructure firm ProRail.

The accident happened just before 12:30 p.m. on a train operating between the Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag Ypenburg stations. The cause of the accident was not immediately known. The Dutch Safety Board arrived on scene to investigate, along with the environment and transit inspectorate.

"After the investigation, the train will be placed back on the rails. "After re-tracking, we will drag the train away and inspect the railroad tracks for possible damage," ProRail said in a statement. The incident was likely to affect trains between the two Hague stations, and trains from The Hague to Utrecht until about 9:30 p.m., the NS said.

Drie agenten zijn vanaf station Voorburg langs het spoor helemaal naar de ontspoorde trein in de Binckhorst gerend. Op de laatste foto zie je de wielen naast het spoor. pic.twitter.com/5HXCvzPpvr

— Bob van Keulen (@BobHGL) January 2, 2020

Travelers taking trains between Den Haag Centraal and Gouda were advised to divert through Rotterdam Centraal. Those traveling between Den Haag Centraal and either Utrecht Centraal or Amersfoort Centraal were told to detour through Schiphol Airport. Extra travel times of about 45 minutes were likely, the NS said.

Anyone using the train to travel between Den Haag Centraal, Den Haag Ypenburg, Voorburg and Zoetermeer were told to take the tram instead.

Hier de situatie ter plaatse. Een treinstel is ontspoord. Als gevolg daarvan rijden er geen treinen tussen Den Haag Centraal en Den Haag Ypenburg. De oorzaak van de ontsporing is nog in onderzoek. pic.twitter.com/cjKCyChNt8

— ProRail (@ProRail) January 2, 2020