Travelling in the Netherlands by rail

A fun yet also convenient way to visit the Netherlands is to travel by train. The railway network of the Netherlands covers almost the whole country, with every major city connected to the network. And the service is incredibly frequent: on most lines, the frequency is one train every 30 minutes, and on many lines, the frequency is even four trains per hour. On the most used lines, train run even more often. This all means that you never have to wait long before boarding a train, and you can just go to the station without too much planning in advance.

This website helps you with planning your railway journeys in the Netherlands.

New timetable for 2019: read all information about the new NS timetable in 2019 which will start on December 9, 2018.

Planning your journey

The best and easiest way to plan your trip is by using the journey planner. The journey planner is able to find the best travel option between two stations, and when you plan for a trip which takes place within the next 10 days, last-minute schedule changes and engineering works are included in the planner’s advice.

When travelling, it’s useful to keep an eye on the current service disruptions, and when at the station, look at the live departure times to see if your train is on time and whether the platform is changed.

You must buy and validate your train ticket before you board the train, it is not possible to buy tickets on the train. Read more about buying train tickets in the Netherlands.

Arriving by airplane in the Netherlands? Have a look at our page about trains from Amsterdam Schiphol airport to Amsterdam. It contains all information about travelling by train from Schiphol airport to Amsterdam and to other major cities in the Netherlands.

International trains

You can also travel to the Netherlands by international train. There are frequently scheduled trains from France, Belgium and Germany. However, pay attention to the train type (and your ticket). Making reservations might be required for the train you would like to take, and you might also be bound to a specific train (as opposed to a ticket which allows you to take any train you like).

Read more about the train you would like to take:

• Train from Belgium to the Netherlands – if you travel from (or to) Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, or any other city in Belgium.
• Train from France to the Netherlands – there are direct high-speed trains running from Paris and Lille, and during the summer, there are also trains running from Marseille, Nice and Lyon.
• Train from Germany to the Netherlands – there are high-speed and intercity services from many major German towns, like Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hannover and Munich.
• Train from London to Amsterdam – direct Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

Or see our page about international trains to the Netherlands for a complete overview, including information about purchasing international train tickets.

Delays or cancellations

Problems during a train trip through the Netherlands, like a cancelled train ride or some excessive delay? Find all about your passenger rights as a Dutch train traveler.