No trains at Rotterdam Central this weekend; 400,000 headed to Westland Flower Parade

Traveling in and around Zuid-Holland could be especially difficult this weekend. No trains will be running to or from Rotterdam Central Station, boat parades are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the province, all while construction has kept the Haringvliet Bridge closed for the past two weeks.

There will be no rail service at Rotterdam Central Station on Saturday or Sunday due to scheduled maintenance. Dutch national railway NS will be running a replacement bus service during this time that connects the Rotterdam Stadion train station with several RET metro stops.

However, both the NS and the railroad management firm, ProRail, cautioned passengers about the impact. “Travelers should take extra travel time and crowds into account,” the NS said. Passengers should use the NS travel planner for up to date information, the rail operator said.

Trains should begin again with the start of normal passenger service at 5 a.m. on Monday.

The track work is part of an investment in infrastructure that allows trains to arrive into Rotterdam faster, makes it possible for other trains to operate around Rotterdam, and can increase the capacity for more trains between that city and The Hague. Rotterdam Central will not actually be closed over the weekend, with most shops at the station allowed to remain open as usual.

Meanwhile, the Westland Flower Parade is expected to be a huge attraction from Friday through Sunday. Boats decorated with flowers and produce will travel in procession in a different area each of the three days.

The organizers expect up to 400,000 visitors at the 24th edition of the Westland Flower Parade over the weekend, a spokesperson told ANP. The theme of the parade, meant to promote the flowers, plants, and vegetables grown in the region, is “On-Stage.” The 46 sailing boats taking part this year will be decorated to look like well-known musicals, operas, and other musical performances.

The sailing floats will depart from the Trade Parc Westland business park every day over the weekend. On Friday, they’ll sail in the Rijnmond region, on Saturday through Westland, and on Sunday through Delfland.

The flower parade is one of several events that could lead to extra traffic on the roads this weekend, said the ANWB. The travel association warned of increased delays and traffic jams around the Defqon 1 festival in Biddinghuizen, the Concert at Sea on the Brouwersdam section of the N57 in Zeeland, and also the TT Assen race.