Photo: Shutterstock As announced last month, significant transportation disruptions are expected in the Netherlands next week. According to the national railway company NS, following a nationwide public transport strike, NS trains will not operate across the country on Wednesday, September 9.
The strike is expected to last 24 hours. According to the CNV union, railway and ProRail workers will strike from 2:00 am on Wednesday until 2:00 am on Thursday, September 10.
The shutdown will not only affect travel within the Netherlands. According to NS, several international train services will not operate in the Netherlands on the day of the strike, including Eurostar Continental, Eurostar Channel, ICE, NightJet, EuroCity and EuroCity Direct.
Regional trains on the Roosendaal-Antwerp and Liège-Aachen lines will also not operate in the Netherlands.
This shutdown is particularly significant for tourists planning to arrive in Amsterdam or continue by train from there to major destinations in Europe, including London, Paris, Brussels and Germany.
Despite the widespread strike, an important transportation solution for passengers at Schiphol Airport has been maintained.
The AirportSprinter train, which connects Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport and Hoofddorp, is expected to operate as usual with a frequency of four trains per hour.
ProRail explained that it decided to keep the service active because maintaining access to Schiphol Airport is important to the public during the strike.
The strike is not directed against NS or ProRail, but is part of a nationwide struggle by labor unions against the Dutch government's plans for changes and cuts to the social security system, including unemployment and disability benefits.
The CNV union announced today that, despite some movement from the government, the workers' demands have not yet been met, and the strike on September 9 will proceed as planned.
NS issued the official announcement today, September 3 at 4:16 pm, and updated the passenger information message later in the afternoon. The company recommends that passengers planning to travel that day use alternative means of transport.
Currently, NS estimates that on Thursday, September 10, it will be possible to return to the normal train schedule, but recommends checking the service status near the travel date.