The summer holidays are over, it’s getting more crowded in the trains
Check the crowding indicator in the Travel Planner and find a quiet train.
Plan your journey
What can you expect?
The holidays are over for many people and that means more passengers on the trains. We’re doing all we can to make sure you have a good trip. What can you expect when travelling by train in the coming period?
- From 2 September, longer trains will be running on almost all routes.
- In the September timetable, departure times will change by a few minutes on a number of routes.
- On some routes, it may still be busy due to maintenance work, for example when there are detours.
Choose a less busy train
Putting on longer trains lets us provide more seats. To compensate for delays caused by minor disruptions, trains may leave a few minutes earlier or later on some routes. Plan your journey before departure in the NS app or Travel Planner. You won’t then get a surprise when a train leaves a few minutes earlier or later.
Check the crowding indicator
When planning your journey, check the crowding indicator and choose a less busy train. If orange or red figures are shown for a train, you can expect it to be crowded. Taking an earlier or later train often helps. And if possible, avoid the rush hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Get notifications about changes or crowding
While planning your trip in the NS app, turn on notifications too. You will then receive a push notification if your train is delayed, departs from a different platform or is busier than expected.
Frequently asked questions
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Which routes will departure times change for in the September timetable?
Departure times will change by a few minutes for the following routes. Plan your trip in the NS app or Travel Planner to see what this means for you.
- Amsterdam Amstel - Den Helder
- Amsterdam Centraal - Den Haag Centraal
- Amsterdam Centraal - Den Helder
- Amsterdam Centraal - Zandvoort aan Zee
- Amsterdam Central - Hoofddorp
- Amsterdam Sloterdijk - Den Helder
- Arnhem Centraal - Den Helder
- Den Haag Centraal - Leeuwarden
- Driebergen Zeist - Den Helder
- Ede-Wageningen - Den Helder
- Eindhoven Centraal - Den Haag Centraal
- Enkhuizen - Heerlen
- Maastricht - Den Helder
- Schiphol Airport - Venlo
- 's-Hertogenbosch - Arnhem Centraal
- 's-Hertogenbosch - Maastricht
- 's-Hertogenbosch - Zwolle
- Utrecht Centraal - Den Helder
- Utrecht Cenraal - 's-Hertogenbosch
- Utrecht Centraal - Venlo
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What can I expect when travelling via the High Speed Line (HSL)?
The HSL is particularly busy on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We recommend travelling during off-peak hours on Monday to Thursday. During the rush hour, extra trains run on the HSL between Breda and Rotterdam.
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Which routes is engineering work expected on?
From the end of August, ProRail will be carrying out work on the tracks. As a result, some routes may still be busy:
- There will be fewer Intercity trains and Sprinters to and from Utrecht Centraal: from 30 August to 8 September. Expect extra traffic and extra changeovers. On the Arnhem Centraal - Utrecht Centraal - Schiphol route, we advise you to avoid the rush hour or travel another way.
- Amersfoort Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal to The Hague: work is planned on these routes in October.
- Schiphol Airport: work is planned on this route in November.
