Netherlands: Railway workers on strike on Friday
Due to regional strikes, rail traffic in the Netherlands may come to a standstill this Friday. Travelers from NRW have to be prepared for train cancellations and delays.
In the Netherlands, further parts of the rail traffic are threatened this Friday and in the coming week as a result of regional strikes. There will then be “no way to guarantee the timetable in a responsible, reliable and safe manner,” warned the state railway company Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). This means that no company trains could be used on Friday.
It was initially unclear to what extent the international rail traffic of other companies, especially to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, could be affected. According to the information, an international connection between Utrecht and the airport is expected to be maintained. Rail workers’ strikes have also been announced for September 13th and 15th.
The railway unions in the Netherlands had already called for a strike at the end of August. All long-distance traffic to Germany was discontinued.
In NRW, the following long-distance connections are affected:
- ICE trains Frankfurt(Main) – Cologne – Amsterdam IC trains Berlin – Bad Bentheim – Amsterdam NJ trains Innsbruck/Vienna – Cologne – Amsterdam NJ and IC trains Zurich – Frankfurt(Main) – Amsterdam
Deutsche Bahn asks travelers to postpone their planned trip to the Netherlands on September 9th, 2022 to another day or to use alternative means of transport if possible. In the event of a train cancellation, passenger rights in rail traffic apply.
ICE trains Frankfurt (Main) – Cologne – Amsterdam
Three train journeys can be offered in both directions:
- ICE 250 Frankfurt (Main) main station 06:28 a.m. – Cologne main station 07:39 a.m. – Amsterdam Centraal 10:53 a.m
- ICE 158 Frankfurt (Main) main station 08:16 a.m. – Cologne main station 09:39 a.m. – Amsterdam Centraal 12:53 p.m
- ICE 156 Frankfurt(Main)Hbf 11:26 a.m. – Cologne-Ehrenfeld 12:44 p.m. – Amsterdam Centraal 3:53 p.m
- ICE 155 Amsterdam Centraal 12:08 p.m. – Cologne-Ehrenfeld 3:15 p.m. – Frankfurt (Main) main station 4:31 p.m
- ICE 159 Amsterdam Centraal 5:08 p.m. – Cologne main station 8:27 p.m. – Frankfurt (Main) main station 9:31 p.m
- ICE 251 Amsterdam Centraal 6:38 p.m. – Cologne main station 10:05 p.m. – Frankfurt (Main) main station 11:24 p.m
The other direct connections Frankfurt (Main) – Cologne – Amsterdam are canceled along their entire route.
- IC trains Berlin – Hanover – Bad Bentheim – Amsterdam
The IC trains on this connection only run between Berlin, Hanover and Bad Bentheim. These trains were canceled between Bad Bentheim and Amsterdam.
NJ trains Innsbruck/Vienna – Cologne – Amsterdam
- NJ 420 Innsbruck – Amsterdam and NJ 40490 Vienna – Amsterdam end on the nights of September 8th and 9th. and 09./10.09. already in Cologne and dropped out between Cologne and Amsterdam.
- NJ 421 Amsterdam – Innsbruck and NJ 40421 Amsterdam – Vienna begin on the nights of September 8th and 9th. and 09./10.09. first in Cologne and canceled between Amsterdam and Cologne.
- NJ and IC trains Zurich – Frankfurt (Main) – Cologne – Amsterdam
- NJ 402 and IC 60402 Zurich – Frankfurt (Main) – Cologne – Amsterdam run on the nights of 08./09.09. and 09.09./10.09. only between Zurich and Frankfurt(Main) and canceled between Frankfurt(Main) and Amsterdam.
- NJ 403 and IC 60403 Amsterdam – Cologne – Frankfurt (Main) – Zurich run on the nights of 08./09.09. and 09.09./10.09. only between Frankfurt(Main) and Zurich and canceled between Amsterdam and Frankfurt(Main).
Deutsche Bahn recommends the following travel alternatives:
If possible, please use the long-distance trains between Frankfurt(Main), Cologne and Amsterdam.
The trains of the regional train line RB 61 Bielefeld – Osnabrück – Rheine – Bad Bentheim – Hengelo run between Bad Bentheim and Hengelo.
Before starting your journey, please find out more about your connection at www.bahn.de/reiseauskunft, in the DB Navigator or by calling the travel information service Tel. +49 (0)30 2970.
Unions are demanding higher wages, among other things
The strike announcement came shortly after the railway company had submitted a new tariff offer. It does not go far enough, said the railway workers’ union VVMC. “We want to talk, but the strike will take place,” VVMC official Wim Eilert told NOS. “The pressure must be increased.” The unions involved in the industrial action are demanding higher wages and better working conditions.
dpa/bear