Severe winter storm forces Dutch railways to continue reduced services Thursday
While severe winter weather has already disrupted travel on Wednesday, ProRail has issued a statement saying train disruptions will continue into Thursday and possibly Friday, with services operating on a reduced winter timetable.
ProRail said icy conditions make it difficult for snowplows to reach tracks quickly and for trains to reach maintenance depots. “Due to expected snow and ice formation, an adjusted timetable will apply tomorrow,” the agency said. Friday may also require similar adjustments.
The Dutch Railways (NS) confirmed that a winter timetable will be in effect Thursday, meaning fewer trains will run, trains will be more crowded, and passengers may need to transfer more often.
“To provide a safe and reliable journey, the winter timetable will remain in effect tomorrow. On several routes, fewer NS trains will run. Travelers should plan trips shortly before departure for the most up-to-date information. International services are also affected; please check NS International,” the company said.
Routes already experiencing disruptions on Wednesday include Arnhem–Winterswijk, Amersfoort–Barneveld, Nijmegen–Venray, Dordrecht–Gorinchem, and Leeuwarden–Stavoren. Major stations affected include Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, and Utrecht Centraal, with delays caused by weather, switch malfunctions, objects on tracks, and maintenance issues.
Ongoing maintenance projects further affect travel, including Groningen–Leer until June 30, Haarlem–Alkmaar until January 10, Arnhem–Duisburg–Düsseldorf until February 7, and Amsterdam–München–Innsbruck until January 28. Nightjet 421 departures from the Netherlands between January 6 and 28 will end in Wörgl, with bus transfers to Jenbach and Innsbruck.
