Possible solution found to keep Eurostar running during Amsterdam CS renovation
The Swiss agency SMA may have found a way to keep the Eurostar running between Amsterdam and London during the renovations of Amsterdam Central Station, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave told AD. Insiders from NS and the Ministry of Infrastructure told the newspaper they’re looking at the Swiss agency’s solution.
Major renovations starting at Amsterdam Central Station in May next year could halt the international train between London and the Dutch capital for up to 11 months. During the work, there will be no room for passport and baggage checks - which are required since the Brexit. Continuing to run would also be unsafe and slow down the renovation, ProRail said.
“Together with ProRail, NS, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, we commissioned a Swiss agency this summer to look for solutions,” Cazenave told AD. Eurostar is committed to keeping the popular train running, and SMA may have found a way to do so. “They say: there is a possibility to close the current Eurostar terminal later and open the future terminal earlier. ProRail is currently working on this further.” State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Railway) also mentioned investigating this possibility in June.
Eurostar, NS, ProRail, and the Ministry are currently still discussing the SMA proposal. “At the end of October, we will all sit around the table, and the decision will be made. Then it will become clear whether it is possible or not,” Cazenave said.
The Ministry of Infrastructure told AD that the final Eurostar decision will be made in early November after being discussed at an official level on October 30. “After that, State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen still has to give the green light,” a spokesperson told the newspaper. “We are jointly looking for the best possible solution for Eurostar.”
A source within NS told AD that all parties are looking for the best possible solution, but it expects that the Eurostar train won’t be able to run for a period, even in the best-case scenario. “The only question is how long that will be. We are talking about that now,” the source said.
