Heat, storm damage trigger NS to cut rail service on major routes

Dutch railway operator NS said Monday and Tuesday will see reduced intercity service on several major routes after extreme heat and storms disrupted the rail network. The problems include track obstructions, technical failures at switches, and a lightning strike near Gouda that halted train traffic.

The disruptions stem from two separate causes. High temperatures in recent days led to train cancellations and failures at multiple switch points. Overnight storms on Saturday to Sunday added further damage.

Trees and branches fell onto tracks in several locations. A lightning strike near Gouda stopped rail traffic entirely, according to NS. The operator said the situation also made it difficult to move trains needed for repairs. NS said the impact is, however, limited and is mainly concentrated in the Randstad region.

As a result, fewer intercity trains are running on five routes on Monday and Tuesday. These routes are Den Haag Centraal—Utrecht Centraal, Den Haag Centraal—Amsterdam Centraal, Utrecht Centraal—Rotterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal—Schiphol—Arnhem Centraal, and Alkmaar—Haarlem.

Fewer sprinter trains are also running on the Gouda Goverwelle—Den Haag Centraal line. NS did not say how long the reduced service would continue beyond Tuesday.