NS reports more passengers and better punctuality, but disruptions persist

This year, NS deployed more trains and, as a result, transported more people than last year, according to the rail operator’s end-of-year forecast. While the likelihood of finding a seat remained unchanged and trains were generally more punctual, travelers still faced considerable disruptions and ongoing maintenance work.

NS reports that 90.6 percent of passengers arrived at their final destination this year within five minutes of the scheduled time, up from 89.4 percent in 2024. More than 95 percent of travelers were delayed by no more than ten minutes, a slight improvement over last year.

NS saw a 2.9 percent increase in passengers compared with 2024, bringing ridership to 95 percent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Last December, the operator launched a new timetable, adding 1,600 trains per week. During off-peak hours, about 30 percent of train seats were typically occupied.

CEO Wouter Koolmees sees the figures as good news for the Netherlands and NS, but is concerned about the state of the rail network. "Unfortunately, in many places, the infrastructure has exceeded its lifespan, leading to too many disruptions this year. This autumn, our passengers experienced some particularly bad days." He is urging the government to increase funding for rail infrastructure manager ProRail.

ProRail and NS work together through initiatives like Betrouwbaar Beter to boost performance, yet disruptions remain too common. With over 400 major projects planned for 2026, ProRail has also highlighted the ongoing need for regular maintenance and infrastructure improvements.

There is also some concern within parliament about the affordability of train tickets in the future. PVV member of parliament Hidde Heutink predicts that a round trip from Enschede to The Hague could cost close to 70 euros after NS applies an average fare increase of 6.5 percent next year. NS refunded 3.6 million euros to passengers last year due to delays. "The simplest way to save money is to run on time," Heutink said, adding that punctual trains alone would still fall far short of compensating for the planned ticket price hikes.

Habtamu de Hoop of GroenLinks-PvdA believes the next government must allocate more long-term funding. "With enough political will, NS ticket prices could be frozen," he said. Dion Huidekooper of D66 inquired about the possibility of increasing "fare differentiation," that is, creating bigger price gaps between peak and off-peak hours to better distribute travelers.