ProRail fined €2.75 million over rail disruptions as NS earns strong performance review
The Dutch rail infrastructure manager ProRail has been fined 2.75 million euros after failing to meet reliability standards in 2025, when the number of major disruptions rose sharply, State Secretary Annet Bertram for Infrastructure and Water Management wrote in a letter to the Tweede Kamer. At the same time, the government reported strong results for national rail operator NS, which received praise for punctuality and passenger experience.
In 2024, ProRail recorded 507 disruptions, keeping them below the limit and avoiding penalties. In 2025, there were 586 major disruptions, exceeding the 520-incident threshold.
According to ProRail, an “imperfect maintenance market” is a key factor behind the deterioration. The company says it is working on improvements, including addressing weak points in overhead wiring and correcting track alignment issues on certain routes.
Although ProRail fell short on regional transport performance, it will not receive an additional penalty in that category. Authorities said some causes fall outside the company’s responsibility and that without delays originating abroad, ProRail would have met the required performance standard.
In contrast, NS performance over the same reporting period was assessed positively. State Secretary Bertram expressed strong approval of the operator’s results, writing she was “extremely satisfied.”
