Dutch train strike to trigger massive traffic jams

Dutch roads are expected to be severely congested Tuesday morning and evening as a nationwide strike by Dutch Railways (NS) personnel brings all passenger train services to a halt. Rijkswaterstaat and the ANWB both warn of extreme traffic delays, with rainy weather conditions expected to worsen the situation.

Rijkswaterstaat predicts that rain and the rail strike will combine to produce one of the heaviest rush hours of the year. “The Tuesday morning rush hour is traditionally already a busy one, and the rainfall will not help,” the agency said. “Traffic jams grow faster in length when the weather is bad. Additional pressure on the roads is also expected due to the announced train strike.”

During both the morning and evening peak hours, traffic jams could reach up to 500 kilometers on national highways, according to Rijkswaterstaat. “Weather and traffic go hand in hand. Expect a busier evening rush hour because of the rain,” the agency said. “The announced rail strike will also make the roads more congested. Be well-prepared and check your route before departure.”

The ANWB said the worst traffic is expected on routes into and around the Randstad. Specifically, it warned of eastbound congestion from The Hague and Rotterdam toward Utrecht, northbound from Breda and Den Bosch to Utrecht, southbound from Amsterdam to The Hague, and significant delays on the western and southern sections of Amsterdam’s ring road, especially near the A5 and A8 interchanges.

Schiphol Airport anticipates being difficult to reach on Tuesday due to the NS strike. Many travelers are expected to arrive by car or taxi, increasing traffic on surrounding roads.

“This is expected to lead to much more traffic and congestion on the roads around the airport,” Schiphol said. Travelers are urged to use alternative transportation “where possible,” such as buses. “Have someone drop you off at a nearby (bus) station if necessary,” the airport advised.

Regional transport companies will reportedly continue to operate, but they warned that their services may be overcrowded due to the rail shutdown.

“Due to the strike, it may be busier than usual. Please take this into account,” said Syntus Utrecht, which confirmed its buses will run according to schedule.

Connexxion, active in parts of West-Nederland, issued a similar warning. Keolis, which operates trains between Amersfoort and Ede-Wageningen, Zwolle and Enschede, and Zwolle and Kampen, also said it is not participating in the strike and will maintain its full timetable.

The strike has also forced the postponement of a major education protest against budget cuts. The demonstration, organized by the General Education Union (AOb), was set for Tuesday in Amsterdam but was called off due to nationwide rail disruptions. “Striking hurts, that’s part of it. This time it hurts us,” an AOb spokesperson said, expressing solidarity with the train workers. A new protest is planned after the summer, "closer to the elections."

The strike, initially limited to Zuid-Holland, Zeeland, and parts of West-Brabant, was expanded over the weekend after rail union VVMC announced that workers across the Randstad would also participate. In response, NS said it would not operate any passenger trains anywhere in the country.

“The unions are not satisfied with the offered wage increase,” NS said in a statement. “They also want better working conditions.”