Minute counter tested at Eindhoven, Den Bosch train stations

From Monday afternoon, train passengers will be able to see in how many minutes their train will depart at the Eindhoven and Den Bosch stations. Rail company NS will test the minute counter on platform 4 of the stations and the escalators located there. The counter should give travelers a better estimate on whether they should rush to catch the train or wait for the next one, NS said on Monday.

The test is intended to see whether a smooth entry can ensure that trains run even more punctually. The trial will last one month. If it proves successful, NS will examine whether the minute counter can be introduced nationwide.

"The minute countdown indicates how much time travelers have until the departure of the train," said a spokesperson for NS. "On the platform signs, the minute counter counts down from 5 minutes. On the signs at the escalator, it's from 7 minutes to inform travelers at the escalators earlier of the number of minutes they have left until the train departs. From 59 seconds before the departure time, travelers will see '0 minutes' on the platform sign."