NS finding more lost goods despite a decrease in train passengers

Despite the fact that fewer people are traveling by train, over 62,000 lost objects were found on trains this year. That is roughly equivalent to 2019 figures, even though there have been 15% fewer passengers this year, said national railway NS. The train operator released annual details about their lost and found program on Monday.

"More than 100 cuddly toys were found this year among all the keys, jackets and headphones," the NS wrote. A sjoelbak was among this year's most peculiar finds. The two-meter long wooden board is for use as part of a shuffleboard-style game where wooden pucks are slid into different compartments for points. Someone also left an entire garden set on a train, while others left a luxury coffee machine and a large dog crate.

The items left in trains and stations most frequently were sets of keys. The NS said that was followed by various bags and suitcases, jackets, headphones and in-ear headsets, as well as wallets.

"If a passenger loses something at the station or on the train, it is important to report it online immediately. Our customer service colleagues try every day to link the received reports with objects found. We know from experience that the chance of a match is greatest in the first 48 hours," the NS wrote.

The NS calls the week before Christmas the "Lost Cuddly Toy Week." They intend to share photos of many of the 100 stuffed animals found on trains on Instagram, X and Facebook in an attempt to reunite them with their owners, "so that they can spend the holidays together."