New timetable, more trains from Sunday

12 December 2003

AMSTERDAM — Rail passengers should bear in mind that Dutch train operator NS introduces its new 2004 timetable this weekend. People wishing to travel by train from Sunday 14 December onwards are advised to verify the times of services.

The times of many train services might remain unchanged, but passengers are advised to pick up special folders published by the NS which are available at all train stations. Alternatively departure times can be checked on the NS website (www.ns.nl) and with the free travel advisory service by phoning 9292 or surfing to the www.9292ov.nl website.

Commuters can also buy the updated Reisplanner booklets which went on sale last month. Passengers on city and regional networks should also ask the local operating company for an updated timetable.

NS has been severely criticised in recent years for failing to get its trains to run on time, but it promises 3 percent additional train services in the new schedule.

The company said the most important expansion of its services would take place on the following routes:

there will be two additional “sneltrein” services per hour stopping at major stations between Alkmaar and Amsterdam Centraal Station. During peak hours these trains will embark to and from Schagen, located north of Alkmaar.
Between Rotterdam and Dordrecht the number of stoptrein, local trains, will increase to four-per-hour during the day from Monday to Friday. Twice-an- hour, a sneltrein will halt at Rotterdam Blaak station.
Intercity services will stop twice-per-hour in the city of Delft “to better serve the large number of passengers at this station”, the NS said.
More local trains will ride in the Eindhoven during the day and the frequency of trains in off-peak hours will increase on the routes to Tilburg west, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) to two per hour, excluding Eindhoven-Weert on Sundays.
The new Gooiboog spur will eliminate changing trains and speed up the commute between Flevoland and Het Gooi.

Details of more changes (in Dutch) can be found at the NS website.

Subject: Dutch news