New NS timetable puts more trains in service despite decline in travelers

Starting on Sunday, NS trains and busses will depart at different times as the public transport provider introduces their annual timetable changes.

Along the route beween Rotterdam and Schiphol and between Schiphol and Nijmegen Intercity trains will depart every ten minutes.

Passengers between Leiden and Utrecht will now have the opportunity to catch a train every 15 minutes.

The NS has also been working improving connectivity from Zeeland to the Randstad and Noord-Brabant.

"It's true that for the current number of passengers the changes were not necessary," an NS spokesperson told NOS. "But we made the decision already one year ago. And one thing is for sure: eventually, the growth will come." NS expects a 10 to 30 percent growth in travelers in the next decade.

With the main focus on trains, around ten percent of busses will disappear next year. Traveler association's Rover says this is the wrong approach. "Passengers who, for example, work in the catering or healthcare sector can no longer get home," director of Rover, Freek Bos, told NOS.

NS said they will continue to monitor the demand for trains with coronavirus restrictions in place. Fewer passengers could lead to a reduced number of trains along less frequented routes. During previous lockdowns, NS cut about 10 percent of its trains.

In the upcoming year, there will be more international trains. The first night jet to Zürich will depart from Amsterdam Centraal on Sunday. A night jet to Switzerland is scheduled every night. A night train will also head each night from Zürich to Amsterdam. In 2022, there are plans to introduce additional international trains, specifically from the Netherlands to France.