NS adjusts train schedule over coronavirus; only 2 trains per hour
Dutch rail company NS is significantly reducing the number of trains running from Saturday, due to the coronavirus. From every station in the Netherlands, only two trains an hour will run in all directions, according to the new basic timetable. There will also be no night trains in the coming period, NU.nl reports.
Most intercity trains will stop running. They will only continue to run on the routes Schiphol-Venlo, Arnhem-Den Helder, Maastricth-Eindhoven, and Enschede-Utrecht. All other routes will run Sprinters, which stop at each station. Stations that had a train departing once an hour, will continue to run on that schedule.
The international trains will also run according to a highly adjusted timetable, which depends on the policy abroad, NS said.
According to the rail company, travelers should take longer travel- and transfer times into account. They should also be aware that not all facilities at stations will be open. "We are doing our utmost to keep at least one shop and one Tickets & Service counter or OV service shop open per station, where possible," NS said. The toilets and bicycle sheds will remain open.
How long this new basic timetable will apply is not yet clear. According to NS, the adjustments are necessary to keep the Netherlands accessible. The timetable takes account of an increasing number of employees calling in sick due to the coronavirus.
While the new timetable takes effect on Saturday, trains will also run according to an adjusted timetable in the coming days, NS said. Travelers are advised to consult the NS trip planner.
