Rail transport in the Netherlands

Rail transport in the Netherlands
Operation
National railwayNederlandse Spoorwegen
Infrastructure companyRailinfratrust
Major operatorsNS International
Arriva
Connexxion (Transdev)
Keolis Nederland
Statistics
Ridership438 million per year
Passenger km17.1 billion per year[1]
Freight36.5 million tonnes (35,900,000 long tons; 40,200,000 short tons) per year
System length
Total3,223 km (2,003 mi)[2]
Double track1,982 km (1,232 mi)
Electrified2,321 km (1,442 mi)[2]
Freight only158.5 km (98.5 mi)
High-speed125 km (78 mi)
Track gauge
Main1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
High-speed1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification
Main network1.5 kV DC
HSL-Zuid, Betuweroute25 kV AC
Features
No. tunnels13
Longest tunnelGroeneharttunnel, 7,160 m (4.45 mi)
No. bridges4,500 (76 movable)
No. stations397[3]
Map
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Rail transport in the Netherlands uses a dense railway network which connects nearly all major towns and cities. There are as many train stations as there are municipalities in the Netherlands [citation needed]. The network totals 3,223 route km (2,003 mi) on 6,830 kilometres (4,240 mi) of track;[4] a line may run both ways, or two lines may run (one in each direction) on major routes. Three-quarters of the lines have been electrified.[2]

The Dutch rail network primarily supports passenger transport.[5] Rail travel comprises the majority of the distance travelled on Dutch public transport.[6] The national rail infrastructure is managed and maintained by the government agency ProRail, and a number of operators have concessions to operate their trains.[7] The entire network is standard gauge. The Netherlands is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC), and its country code is 84.

Most Dutch trains are equipped with Wi-Fi. They offer no onboard catering, except for a limited service on some international trains, due to the short distances involved.

  1. ^ "Railways, passengers carried (million passenger-km)". worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 17 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "CIA World Factbook | Field listing: Railways". www.cia.gov. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. 2014. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2015-08-17.
  3. ^ "(Vernieuw)bouw van stations". NS Stations (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  4. ^ Hofland, Dick (3 October 2014). "125 jaar Amsterdam Centraal" [Amsterdam Central station 125 years] (in Dutch). Sanoma Media Netherlands. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Nederlandse spoor zeer intensief gebruikt" [Dutch railtracks intensely used]. www.treinreiziger.nl (in Dutch). Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). 1 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  6. ^ Waard, Jan van der; Jorritsma, Peter; Immers, Ben (October 2012). "New Drivers in Mobility: What Moves the Dutch in 2012 and Beyond?" (PDF). Delft, the Netherlands: OECD International Transport Forum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2014-07-07. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "Kerncijfers". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-09-30.