Most trains in Amsterdam, Schiphol and the surroundings will not run Wednesday morning
Rail passengers can expect widespread disruptions in most of the Randstad on Wednesday as a result of rail strikes, national railway NS confirmed on Monday. The strike will take effect for three hours starting at 6 a.m., knocking out service in all of Noord-Holland, including Amsterdam and Alkmaar, as well as parts of the provinces of Utrecht and Flevoland. Workers at the rail traffic posts in Amsterdam and Alkmaar will walk off the job, causing problems extending well beyond the urban centers of Noord-Holland.
Schiphol Airport will still be somewhat accessible by train during the strike. Four trains will run per hour between Amsterdam Centraal and the airport train station during the strike. However, those trains are likely to be crowded, and the NS recommended that passengers traveling to and from the airport seek alternatives wherever possible.
"There will also not be any trains between Leiden, Schiphol and Haarlem. No train traffic is possible on the High Speed Line (HSL) between Rotterdam, Schiphol and Amsterdam," the NS wrote in a statement. "International train passengers are also affected by this strike. On Tuesday and Wednesday there is an adjusted international timetable."
The impact will likely be felt throughout the morning, and possibly into the afternoon, as it will take time to get up to the full timetable. Passengers can expect delays and cancellations at least during the morning.
The strike by FNV union members was called against railroad infrastructure firm ProRail following stalled contract talks. The strikes, which began Monday, initially disrupted freight operations at De Kijfhoek but will soon expand to passenger routes across major cities. After the Wednesday labor action, further strikes will take place in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, and Zwolle through November 22. ProRail stated it cannot safely operate trains without staffed control centers.
FNV is demanding a 13 percent wage increase for ProRail employees, citing inflation. ProRail countered with a 5.2 percent increase, saying the union’s demand would cost an additional 49 million euro. “This action is essential to maintain purchasing power,” said FNV Director Carl Kraijenoord.
ProRail noted that unions CNV and VHS Railprofessionals have accepted its final wage offer, with ProRail asserting, "We have reached our limit in terms of wage improvement."
NS advises passengers to check updated schedules before traveling.
