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No trains in Amersfoort and between Rotterdam and The Hague for two weeks
Travelers will not be able to use the train between The Hague Central and Rotterdam Central between July 13 and 25. ProRail will be carrying out work on the track, reports the NS during that period. The additional travel time between Rotterdam and The Hague is estimated at half an hour. Travelers are advised not to travel with the replacement transport during rush hour.
The transport company advises using the bus replacement service, taking the train via Gouda, or traveling with RandstadRail. "Avoid rush hour," says the NS ; we expect large crowds on the buses. Also, avoid metro line E between Rotterdam Centraal and The Hague Centraal because of its limited capacity. Plan your journey shortly before departure with the timetable information to get the most up-to-date information."
The replacement buses will stop at all stations on the route The Hague Centraal - Rotterdam Centraal. Between July 25 and 27, no trains will run between The Hague Centraal and Schiedam Centrum.
According to NS, ProRail is also building the track between Delft Campus and Rotterdam and working on a concrete foundation for the new track location at Schiedam Centrum station. All of this work is part of the PHS project between Rijswijk-Rotterdam, which is meant to "adjust tracks and stations so that more trains can run between The Hague and Rotterdam from the end of 2024."
Furthermore, train services around Amersfoort will come to a complete standstill for over two weeks starting Saturday. The rail operator ProRail is replacing 5 kilometers of track and renewing switches, cables, and pipes. NS and the regional transport company Keolis are using buses as replacement services.
According to rail operator ProRail, the infrastructure renewal around Amersfoort is urgently needed. For example, many switches are around 30 years old and are due for replacement. The switch heating, which still works on gas, is being replaced by an electric version. 42 switches are being removed, and 29 are being replaced. According to ProRail, this is less susceptible to failure, more sustainable and leads to trains being able to enter and depart at a higher speed. At the station itself, a platform is being raised, and work is being done on a staircase and escalator.
Until Sunday, July 28, there will be no trains at all to and from Amersfoort, one of the busiest railway junctions in the country. Travelers between Utrecht and Deventer can travel via Arnhem Centraal. People traveling between Utrecht and Zwolle can go via Almere. NS and Keolis will also be using buses.
After July 28, some train traffic will be resumed. No trains will be running between Den Dolder and Amersfoort, meaning that passengers between Utrecht and Amersfoort will have to travel via Hilversum. No buses will be used. From Thursday, August 15, to Sunday, August 18, no trains will be running around Amersfoort at all. Buses will be running again on those days.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times