Facilities on Netherlands (NS) IC trains?

[Howardh]

NOT Thalys.

Got a journey from Schipol to Antwerpen Centraal soon and doing it on the hourly (07') direct IC train.

Read reports that there is no catering or even a trolly, and there are few toilets, and very little luggage space f it's a double-decker.

Anyone been on this or a similar route recently and can confirm whether there is at least a trolly?

Cheers!

 

[gordonthemoron]

not a double decker, 1 or 2 toilets per coach, trolley service, plenty of luggage space, old & basic but comfortable enough. Did Rotterdam-Antwerp return at new year

 

[eastwestdivide]

The IC Direct (Amsterdam-Breda via the high speed line), and the IC international Amsterdam-Brussels (not via the high speed line) are both loco-hauled single-deck coaches, as gordonthemoron above describes.
At least they were 3 weeks ago when I caught one. Interior photo in this post: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2190797&postcount=3

 

[duesselmartin]

I have not seen any trolley service on any Dutch (or Belgian) IC trains. They seem to me similar in standard to the German RE trains.

 

[Greenback]

I don't recall encountering a trolley on a Dutch train since 1993.

 

[gordonthemoron]

they don't have trolleys on most dutch trains but I think there was one on the Amsterdam-Brussels IC services I used at New Year

 

[Bletchleyite]

they don't have trolleys on most dutch trains but I think there was one on the Amsterdam-Brussels IC services I used at New Year

There was when I last used it but it was ages ago.

IC generally is just a stopping pattern in the Netherlands rather than a quality of service, but the international one is seen a bit differently. It used to be shown as "internationale trein" instead of IC to show the difference (and had a different announcement tone) - I always had the feeling NS were quite proud of it - but that went ages ago.

 

[Howardh]

Thanks guys. Stock up with butties and a few beers beforehand then!

 

[gordonthemoron]

when I said trolley, I meant cokes and coffees rather than anything more substantial. Stocking up with beer and butties beforehand seems sensible although I dunno what's available at Schipol

 

[radamfi]

Schiphol has an Albert Heijn, which even accepts Visa and Mastercard unlike most of its branches, so you can get rolls and soft drinks etc. there.

Some domestic Dutch trains have a person who walks up and down the train with a modified rucksack on his back containing hot water and various sachets in front pockets, so it is possible to get hot drinks from them.

 

[Howardh]

Schiphol has an Albert Heijn, which even accepts Visa and Mastercard unlike most of its branches, so you can get rolls and soft drinks etc. there.
.

Once I've bought my train ticket and if there's 10 mins + to kill that's what I'll do. Long time since I've been @ Schipol and I reckon a lot will have changed!

 

[WestCoast]

Schiphol has an Albert Heijn, which even accepts Visa and Mastercard unlike most of its branches, so you can get rolls and soft drinks etc. there.

Some domestic Dutch trains have a person who walks up and down the train with a modified rucksack on his back containing hot water and various sachets in front pockets, so it is possible to get hot drinks from them.

There's also an AH TO GO at Schipol now where you can get all sorts of drinks and snacks for the trip.

I've seen the roving catering staff on NS. They have a similar thing on some DB RE service or vending machines.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Once I've bought my train ticket and if there's 10 mins + to kill that's what I'll do. Long time since I've been @ Schipol and I reckon a lot will have changed!

The most noticeable thing is likely that they have now changed to centralised security in the non-Schengen bit (the Schengen bit already was).

 

[WestCoast]

The most noticeable thing is likely that they have now changed to centralised security in the non-Schengen bit (the Schengen bit already was).

I flew easyJet from Amsterdam to Berlin last year and the low-cost pier Schengen side is connected only to a very small waiting lounge (Lounge 4) after security with no views and only a few outlets. I went through there 3 hours early expecting all the usual delights and was sorely disappointed. Hopefully, non-Schengen easyJet flights aren't subjected to that!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I flew easyJet from Amsterdam to Berlin last year and the low-cost pier Schengen side is connected only to a very small waiting lounge (Lounge 4) after security with no views and only a few outlets. I went through there 3 hours early expecting all the usual delights and was sorely disappointed. Hopefully, non-Schengen easyJet flights aren't subjected to that!

No, they indeed aren't.

 

[ainsworth74]

Hopefully, non-Schengen easyJet flights aren't subjected to that!

I flew EasyJet from Schiphol to Manchester a couple of years ago and the lounge was fine, plenty of seating and outlets and some decent views over the KLM gates. Only minor thing was the walk from the lounge to the departure gate. Seemed to take forever!

 

[stut]

The non-Schengen LCC flights use the main lounge, and then you're sent down to the low-cost pier when it's queueing time.

The Schengen LCC flights use the same pier, so need to have their own, segregated access - but as the main Schengen lounge is at the other end of the airport, you by-pass it and go straight to the pier. Down the airport layout, I guess - Copenhagen handles it much better with the F-pier. I guess you can still wait landside in Schiphol Plaza.

 

[Quakkerillo]

I don't recall encountering a trolley on a Dutch train since 1993.

It's not as a trolley service, because using them on double-deckers was quite tedious, with built-in elevators on each side of the carriage, to get the trolleys up and down. These have now been shut down, and on some (major) routes, there will be catering guys with a back-&belly-pack.

There should generally be catering on the Amsterdam-Schiphol-Antwerp-Brussels train between Amsterdam and Roosendaal (so on the whole Dutch part of the route). This however isn't a guarantee, but >80% of the time, there's been someone providing small snacks and drinks.

 

[chubs]

The most noticeable thing is likely that they have now changed to centralised security in the non-Schengen bit (the Schengen bit already was).

Which is actually how it was up until about 10-15 years ago!

 

[dutchflyer]

I don't recall encountering a trolley on a Dutch train since 1993.

At least on that BeNeLuxtrain they were till that FYRA-fiasco started. Nowadays on some IC-trains there are walking persons (mostly students in holidayjobs) who have a kind of backpack with hot water and a range of instant CF/T/Soup and some snacks. Doubledeck IC-trains used to have lifts in them for those trolley,s but all were disabled. But have not seen them on these NL-BE trains though (yet, or maybe I use them at odd times when they are not working). On about any station you can nowadays choose between a dozen or so coffeesellers/shops, so why in those 20/30 mins in between there must also be CF escapes me really.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Which is actually how it was up until about 10-15 years ago!

No, it was even weirder than that. They had double security - both at the entrance to the terminal *and* at the gate - because the layout precluded separating arriving (from untrusted countries) and departing passengers.

There have also been periods when it has been at the pier access with the main departure lounge outside the secure area.

 

[stut]

No, it was even weirder than that. They had double security - both at the entrance to the terminal *and* at the gate - because the layout precluded separating arriving (from untrusted countries) and departing passengers.

There have also been periods when it has been at the pier access with the main departure lounge outside the secure area.

Certain gates are also equipped with security for inbound passengers on risky flights (especially ABC). Have been subjected to this arriving from CUR.

 

[Groningen]

I thought that this thread was about a country across the Northsea?

 

[Howardh]

Well, nothing catering wise on the way out but on the return a belly-bag service came round. Totally unappetising, I didn't want him to empty his ruksack to see what was on offer, especially as it had been carried by a bloke obviously suffering from the 35c conditions!
Antwerp station (which is an unbelievable place) has some great food outlets so buy there and take on board. Also marvelous that in the sandwich shops you can buy a take-away beer. Civilised, those Belgians.

 

[Groningen]

Antwerp station has some great food outlets so buy there and take on board

Antwerpen is not part of the Netherlands however. If you want to buy overpriced product; hey; the NS will not stop you. All stores (i believe) are owned by NS.

Civilised, those Belgians.

As long as they do not speak french.

 

[radamfi]

If you want to buy overpriced product; hey; the NS will not stop you. All stores (i believe) are owned by NS..

The "kiosk" brand has been introduced on Abellio stations in eastern England and people on this forum have praised it.

 

[Howardh]

Antwerpen is not part of the Netherlands however. If you want to buy overpriced product; hey; the NS will not stop you. All stores (i believe) are owned by NS.



As long as they do not speak french.

That might be true - but I always keep to the Flemish side wherever possible so couldn't possibly comment!!