What is the quiet coach?
The quiet coach is a life-sized model of a train carriage, complete with real train seats, a small table, luggage rack and a tilt bin. The concept was launched in June 2021 by Alzheimer Nederland and NS.
It is specially designed for people with dementia who can no longer travel independently. In the safe environment of their own care home, they can still ‘go on a journey’. They sit in the coach, watch video footage of passing landscapes and experience a train journey together.
This enables Mrs De Groot to travel with her daughter, Mr Van Dijk to visit his brother in his mind, and Mr Yildirim to revisit his workplace.
In 2021 and 2022, the quiet coach travelled to various care homes across the Netherlands. Several locations have since built their own versions.
Why a quiet coach?
Travel means freedom, memories and connection. But for people with dementia, travelling often becomes difficult or impossible.
With the quiet coach, NS and Alzheimer Nederland bring the train experience to them—without having to leave the care home.
The familiar train features and moving images often evoke memories. This can lead to meaningful conversations, contact with family or fellow residents, and moments of calm. Sometimes, residents even feel confident enough to ‘travel independently’ by sitting in the coach.
The quiet coach shows: if you can no longer go to the train, the train comes to you.
Collaboration between NS and Alzheimer Nederland
Train conductor Angela Wierenga and her colleagues regularly encounter travellers with dementia during their work. This prompted NS and Alzheimer Nederland to collaborate on raising awareness.
At the end of 2019, they launched the campaign ‘Handling Dementia Well in Public Transport’. They developed an online training where public transport staff and travellers learn to recognise signs of dementia and respond appropriately.
This training is now part of the Safety & Service colleagues’ training programme at NS.
With the quiet coach, NS and Alzheimer Nederland also raise awareness of dementia in society and create meaningful moments for people who can no longer travel independently.
You can take the training yourself here: ‘Handling Dementia Well in Public Transport (in Dutch)’.
Dementia in the Netherlands
Currently, around 290,000 people in the Netherlands live with dementia. This number is expected to rise to approximately 420,000 by 2030 and 520,000 by 2040.
One in five people will develop dementia. The disease leads to a gradual loss of cognitive abilities, affecting not only the person but also their family, friends and caregivers.
Initiatives like the quiet coach help foster understanding, attention and human connection.
Examples of coaches
The following quiet coaches have been created by care homes themselves using train parts provided by NS. This way, they bring a piece of the train experience closer to their residents.
More inspiration
Several care homes have built their own quiet coach using train parts from NS, bringing a touch of the train experience close to their residents.
There are also inspiring examples of train coaches developed independently from this initiative, offering a good idea of what is possible.
Examples:
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about the Quiet Coach