Dutch Easter engineering works

[Lifelong]

Hi all

For complex reasons over the Easter bank holiday I am looking at multiple trips between Amsterdam and Eindhoven, possibly via Utrecht (which I believe is en route).

Ns website is showing engineering works on the train line to Eindhoven but the detail I need only seems to be in Dutch. If anyone has a better understanding of the NS website / the engineering work taking place, could you advise whether it’s replacement buses or an alternative route please? Many thanks

 

[radamfi]

Hi all

For complex reasons over the Easter bank holiday I am looking at multiple trips between Amsterdam and Eindhoven, possibly via Utrecht (which I believe is en route).

Ns website is showing engineering works on the train line to Eindhoven but the detail I need only seems to be in Dutch. If anyone has a better understanding of the NS website / the engineering work taking place, could you advise whether it’s replacement buses or an alternative route please? Many thanks

Why not look at the journey planner? On Saturday 20/Sunday 21 April you can either get a bus between Utrecht and 's-Hertogenbosch, and then pick up the train again, or change at Breda. Note if you use the high speed line between Schiphol and Rotterdam, there is a supplement to be paid. On Monday 22 April, it looks like there are direct trains but taking longer than usual and not stopping at 's-Hertogenbosch.

 

[Groningen]

Ask @ns_online or/and @prorail on Twitter. Yes there are works between Utrecht and Den Bosch on April 20, 21 and 22, 2019. Look at: werk aan het spoor and find and click the pdf link.

 

[Spoorslag '70]

IC trains are bustituted between Utrecht C and 's-Hertogenbosch from the Saturday after Good Friday (20.04.) to Easter Monday inclusive. This affects the route from Utrecht to Eindhoven and thus - as you correctly guessed - your travels between Amsterdam and Eindhoven.

You could travel via Rotterdam C (as the journey planner is suggesting it), either paying 2,40€ extra for ICDirect or take a "normal" IC service to Rotterdam or Den Haag (HS or C) and change for the IC to Eindhoven (which only uses the southern, non-supplemented part of the HSL). This would be slightly slower than travelling by bus between Utrecht and 's-Hertogenbosch.

 

[AY1975]

You could travel via Rotterdam C (as the journey planner is suggesting it), either paying 2,40€ extra for ICDirect or take a "normal" IC service to Rotterdam or Den Haag (HS or C) and change for the IC to Eindhoven.

Not sure if this still happens, but when I was in the Netherlands a couple of years ago NS waived the ICDirect supplement when there were engineering works and it was the only way of avoiding having to take a rail replacement bus.

I wanted to get from Utrecht to Rotterdam, and the direct route via Woerden was shut so I had to go via Schiphol and then take an ICDirect via the high speed line.

If you have an "OV Chipkaart" smartcard, you normally have to touch your card on a special card reader to pay the ICDirect supplement, but on this occasion this device was covered up.

 

[Lifelong]

Thanks very much for your responses, saves me a lot of issues...

 

[Groningen]

Even by going with the bus you will the iconic Martinus Nijhoff bridge at Zaltbommel. The trainbridge of Culemborg is much impressive than the roadbridge at Vianen of the same river. Traveltime should be no more than 30 minutes extra. Also when you travel via Den Haag CS you only have to change one time. No need to check in and out there. Breda must be possible to reach with out problems. From there you say that you travelled so, because of the works between Utrecht and Den Bosch to avoid the bus.

 

[dutchflyer]

Not sure if this still happens, but when I was in the Netherlands a couple of years ago NS waived the ICDirect supplement when there were engineering works and it was the only way of avoiding having to take a rail replacement bus.

I wanted to get from Utrecht to Rotterdam, and the direct route via Woerden was shut so I had to go via Schiphol and then take an ICDirect via the high speed line.

If you have an "OV Chipkaart" smartcard, you normally have to touch your card on a special card reader to pay the ICDirect supplement, but on this occasion this device was covered up.

That was then and is no more since some 2 yrs.
But when paying the supllmt by that chipcard, its only 1,40 now off/peak (that means all day sat/sun).
Re bustitution Utr/dB the trip as such, when finally seated in a bus, will not even take that much longer, but at peak demand times it can easily take more as 30 mins to find a seat in such a bus. NS tries to only hire coaches for trips and not much more expensive linebuses/due to drivers extra wages on weekends.

 

[AlexNL]

That was then and is no more since some 2 yrs.

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. NS seem to be somewhat inconsistent as to when the ICd supplement is waived.

 

[atillathehunn]

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. NS seem to be somewhat inconsistent as to when the ICd supplement is waived.

I've had it waived in the recent past, and on other occasions not. You are right, there seems to be no policy.

 

[MisterT]

The current policy is that the supplement is not to be waived, unless it is the only way to travel. For example, there are currently engineering works around Leiden, but it is still not waived, as the route via Utrecht is still usable.
In the past, this was less stringent, and it was waived whenever someone would see fit. This also meant that there was much confusion about it, which obviously led to many arguments on board the train.

 

[Groningen]

In the travelplanner there is a bus every 10 minutes between Utrecht and Den Bosch (non-stop). Journeytime is 75 minutes total to Eindhoven from Utrecht. You loose a lot of time coming from the train to the bus. Hope they have a lot of busses! Very important route!

 

[AY1975]

The current policy is that the supplement is not to be waived, unless it is the only way to travel. For example, there are currently engineering works around Leiden, but it is still not waived, as the route via Utrecht is still usable.
In the past, this was less stringent, and it was waived whenever someone would see fit. This also meant that there was much confusion about it, which obviously led to many arguments on board the train.

In that case, if NS chooses not to waive the supplement, and you are a visitor to the Netherlands, you don't have an "OV-Chipkaart" smartcard, and you have some kind of international ticket or rail pass, how do you go about paying the supplement if it is the only way to get where you want to go (or the only way to avoid a rail replacement bus, which you might want to avoid if travelling with heavy luggage, a bike or a pram)?

 

[radamfi]

In that case, if NS chooses not to waive the supplement, and you are a visitor to the Netherlands, you don't have an "OV-Chipkaart" smartcard, and you have some kind of international ticket or rail pass, how do you go about paying the supplement if it is the only way to get where you want to go (or the only way to avoid a rail replacement bus, which you might want to avoid if travelling with heavy luggage, a bike or a pram)?

If I recall correctly, most if not all international tickets, such as Amsterdam to Brussels, are already allowed to use the high speed line without supplement. The supplement can also be bought any ticket machine in the Netherlands in cash or by card.

 

[MisterT]

That is correct. With a valid international ticket, the supplement ticket is not required.
With other tickets, the supplement can be bought at the ticket machines, at the counter, or online as an eticket.