NS expands train schedule with major changes for 2024

Dutch rail operator NS has implemented its new timetable on Sunday, introducing significant increases in train frequency and expanded operating hours. The changes will affect numerous routes, with earlier morning departures and later evening services. NS stated the new schedule will include more trains than in the record year of 2019.

From Monday through Thursday, six intercity trains per hour will run all day between Rotterdam and Schiphol and Schiphol and Arnhem. Currently, this frequency is limited to peak hours. On the route between The Hague, Rotterdam, and Dordrecht, a sprinter train will run every 10 minutes. Additionally, intercity trains will run every 15 minutes on Friday and Saturday evenings between Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, and The Hague, as well as between Eindhoven and Utrecht during evening hours.

Schiphol Airport will see notable adjustments due to construction around Amsterdam Central Station. A new "Airport Sprinter" will operate eight times an hour, connecting Hoofddorp, Schiphol, and Amsterdam. However, direct intercity services from the eastern Netherlands to Schiphol will be discontinued in the new timetable, requiring passengers to transfer in Amersfoort. All intercity trains from Enschede will now continue to Utrecht and The Hague.

The high-speed rail line (HSL) will also undergo modifications. Intercity trains running between Breda, Rotterdam, and Schiphol will no longer serve Amsterdam Central, instead terminating at Amsterdam Zuid. These trains will then continue to either Lelystad or Amersfoort.

International travelers will benefit from a faster connection between Amsterdam Zuid and Brussels Zuid. The new Eurocity Direct service will cut travel time by approximately 45 minutes by skipping stops at Breda and several Belgian stations. For passengers requiring these intermediate stops, an alternative Eurocity train will be available, stopping in Breda and other locations in Belgium.