New NS timetable starts Sunday; More trains running between cities

The new NS timetable that takes effect on Sunday, December 10, includes more trains on popular routes, more intercity trains between large cities, and the high-speed line again running at high speed. However, some routes will see the train frequency decrease, De Telegraaf reports.

In the new timetable, NS will again run four Intercity trains per hour between the large cities, also during weekends and off-peak hours. There will also be more frequent trains on several connections on popular routes. And the Intercity Direct on the high-speed line between Breda and Amsterdam will return. On the downside, NS will run fewer trains on several routes, especially outside the rush hour. But it still comes out to 1,800 more trains per week.

NS will also use the new generation Intercity (ICNG) more often next year, increasing the number of new trains step by step. In 2024, travelers will see the new trains more often on the Amsterdam-Rotterdam and The Hague-Eindhoven routes, and NS will start testing the ICNG to Leeuwarden/Groningen and to Brussels.

NS CEO Wouter Koolmees called the new timetable progress for the rail company. “Although high inflation and structurally different travel behavior remain significant challenges for NS, we can offer the Netherlands several improvements again in 2024,” he said. “In our new timetable, we reach Berlin half an hour faster, more Sprinters run during rush hour between Assen and Groningen, we connect Breda better with Amsterdam, and we run more often between large cities like The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. These are extra trains and connections that keep our country accessible and that travelers can benefit from.”

Rover, the organization representing the interests of public transport users, isn’t very enthusiastic about the new timetable. There are still fewer trains in many places than originally planned, director Freek Bos told the Telegraaf. “After a year with a limited timetable due to staff shortages, NS will run more trains in many places in 2024. However, a complete restoration of the timetable has not yet been achieved. In 2024, train travelers will, therefore, continue to have to deal with only one train per hour on various routes, especially in the evenings. NS will also run fewer trains on several routes on Fridays and other weekdays.”

Rover thinks NS is mainly focused on cutting costs, and it worries that more train travelers will opt for other forms of transport now that the cuts to the timetable are lasting longer. “NS must focus on recruiting new passengers. There are large housing construction sites on various routes where NS is now canceling trains. You want to offer these new residents a good product right away and not scare them away with too few trains.”