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There’s good news for train commuters. The Dutch railways are expanding, and when the new NS timetable starts on 13 December 2026, passengers will see more trains on many routes. A long-awaited direct connection between the north and south will return, and there will also be a small but helpful change to how train lines are labelled.
Groningen-Rotterdam direct again
The biggest change is the return of a direct intercity train between Groningen and Rotterdam. This connection ran until the end of 2024, going through Utrecht, before it was stopped. Now it’s returning on a different, faster route: via Assen, Zwolle, Lelystad, Almere, Amsterdam Zuid, and Schiphol, then over the high-speed line (HSL) from Schiphol to Rotterdam, using the new ICNG high-speed trains.
The new timetable starts on 13 December, but this direct service begins a week later, on 21 December. From then, passengers can travel the whole route without changing trains. NS has wanted to connect the north of the country to the high-speed line for a long time, and this change finally makes it happen.
Enschede-Amsterdam returns
Another big improvement is coming in the eastern Netherlands. A direct intercity train between Enschede and Amsterdam, which hasn’t run for about twenty years, is coming back as a weekday peak-hour service. It will connect Enschede, Hengelo, and Almelo with Amsterdam. The number of trains between Enschede and Amersfoort will go up to three per hour, and on weekends, more direct intercity trains will run between Almelo, Deventer, and Amsterdam. NS says the new Enschede-Amsterdam service will also be a bit faster than the current options.
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More frequent trains elsewhere
Besides the two restored long-distance routes, NS is adding more trains on several lines, especially around Utrecht and on weekends. For example, between Houten Castellum and Utrecht Centraal, peak-hour Sprinters will run six times an hour from Monday to Thursday, instead of four. Between Veenendaal Centrum and Utrecht Centraal, the frequency will double to four trains an hour. The 10-minute intercity service between Amsterdam, Utrecht, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, and Eindhoven will also run on Fridays. In the evenings and on weekend mornings, intercity trains between Utrecht and Den Haag Centraal will run every 15 minutes. On Sundays, Sprinter services between Dordrecht, Rotterdam, and The Hague will double to four trains an hour.
Every train gets a number
There’s also a new change for the whole network. Starting 13 December, every NS train line will have its own fixed line number, just like bus, tram, and metro lines. This should make the rail network easier to understand, especially for occasional travellers and newcomers, by giving each route a clear identity instead of just using destinations.
When and what to check
The 2027 timetable will be in effect from 13 December 2026 to 11 December 2027. As with every December timetable change, it’s a good idea to check your usual journeys in the NS app or planner just before the switch, because departure times, platforms, and connections can change even on routes that aren’t part of the main updates. For travellers in Groningen, Drenthe, and Twente, the new direct connections should make trips much easier, especially for those who used to have to change trains.