Evening commuters might face some delays as trains still run on reduced winter schedule
Major highways that were closed earlier Monday because of frost damage have reopened, and traffic is expected to flow largely normally this evening, according to Rijkswaterstaat, though rain could still slow vehicles. Trains, however, are continuing to operate on a reduced winter schedule, with delays on several routes during the evening commute.
“During the evening rush, traffic may be hindered by rain, but we do not expect the weather to cause much delay,” Rijkswaterstaat said. Last year, traffic was much lighter in the evening than in the morning, so this year should be the same. Still, incidents on your route can cause extra travel time. Therefore, check the current traffic situation in advance.”
NS said a signal failure is adding up to 15 minutes to journeys between Amsterdam and Oostvaarders because fewer Sprinter trains are running until about 8:45 p.m. The disruption has been in place since the morning.
Adverse weather conditions are also affecting rail service between Arnhem Centraal and Doetinchem, where fewer local trains are running until about 8:30 p.m., according to NS. Passengers on that route face an extra travel time of up to 15 minutes.
On the route between Amersfoort and Barneveld, fewer Sprinter trains have been operating throughout the afternoon due to rolling stock limitations. NS stated that they could resolve those equipment shortages during the evening rush, which could potentially improve service later.
Highways reopened after emergency repairs earlier in the day. The A58 near Breda toward Tilburg has reopened following urgent asphalt repairs, and the A65 between ’s-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg was expected to reopen around 14:30 p.m.
Authorities said frost caused potholes and other damage to road surfaces, prompting emergency closures. Rijkswaterstaat reported that 10,172,329 kilograms of salt were spread on roads to improve driving conditions.
On Tuesday, January 13, NS anticipates operating nearly all trains in accordance with the regular timetable. Some routes may still see fewer or shorter trains because of a backlog in maintenance caused by recent frost and snow. International trains are expected to run as scheduled, though passengers are advised to check NS International and the NS travel planner.
