Old Line – CitySprinter
The Oude Lijn runs from Leiden to Dordrecht and is the busiest rail connection in South Holland. As a vital artery, it passes through all the cities where approximately 170,000 new homes and 85,000 new jobs are expected by 2040. That is why the province, MRDH, NS, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) and other partners collaborate in the MoVe programme (Mobility and Urbanisation). Their goal is to ensure that mobility on the Oude Lijn grows in line with urban development, keeping jobs, schools and facilities sustainably accessible.
From ambition to implementation
NS and MoVe share a clear ambition: the CitySprinter. This is a fast, high-frequency train service connecting existing and new stations. Ultimately, we aim to run a CitySprinter every five minutes between Dordrecht and The Hague. This will create a rapid and frequent connection along the stations of the Oude Lijn.
Before this can happen, significant investment in the railway is required. For example, making the route fully four-tracked is necessary to allow CitySprinters and Intercity trains to operate simultaneously.
In the multi-year Infrastructure, Space and Transport consultation (MIRT), the first steps were taken at the end of 2024 for the Leiden–The Hague–Dordrecht line. We are investigating how to increase the number of Sprinter services from six to eight per hour. We are also exploring the possibility of opening four new stations: Rijswijk Buiten, Schiedam Kethel, Rotterdam van Nelle and Dordrecht Leerpark. Additionally, a new station is planned in Rotterdam Stadionpark, stemming from the Oeververbinding and Stadionpark development plans.
To realise all this, two additional tracks will be constructed between Delft Campus and Schiedam. We are also examining how to prepare the hubs at Leiden Centraal, Laan van NOI, Schiedam Centrum and Dordrecht for the future, ensuring they can handle the growing number of travellers.