Railway stations in the Netherlands

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Railway network in the Netherlands, 2017

There are currently 401 railway stations in the Netherlands[1] including four which are used only during special events and one which serves the National Railway Museum only. NS Stations is the body which manages and owns all railway stations in the Netherlands.[2]

Categories[edit]

This image shows the standard style of station name board: white on blue, with a white square in the upper-left corner.

Stations are divided into two categories based upon the service they receive. These are, in order of decreasing importance:

  • Intercity stations, where usually all trains (except, in some cases, international services) call.
  • The remaining stations, where only local trains (Sprinters) call.

There are exceptions to this categorization. Some local trains – despite being called stoptreinen – do not stop at all stations: two examples are the services from Groningen to Roodeschool and from Tiel to Arnhem.

On the route diagrams printed at the top of station departure sheets,[3] intercity stations are indicated by the letters IC.

ProRail classifies stations into five categories based upon the facilities available. The categories are (in English): Cathedral, Mega, Plus, Basic and Stop.[4]

Naming conventions[edit]

Stations are generally named after the town they serve. In cases where a town is served by more than one station, additional designations specify the station's status or location, for example:

  • Centraal (abbreviated "CS"): "Central" – a town's most important station with more than 40,000 daily passengers.
  • Centrum: "Centre" – a town's most important station with, however, fewer than 40,000 daily passengers, and/or a centrally located station.
  • Zuid: "South"
  • Noord: "North"
  • Oost: "East"
  • West: "West"
  • A specific locality within the town, e.g. Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway station.

In the converse situation, where one station serves two communities, both community names are given, separated by a hyphen, e.g. Krommenie-Assendelft.

As of 15 December 2019 eight stations are designated Centraal. They are: Amsterdam Centraal, Amersfoort Centraal, Arnhem Centraal, Den Haag Centraal, Eindhoven Centraal, Leiden Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, and Utrecht Centraal.

List of stations, with their official abbreviations[edit]

Station Code Opened Closed Reopened Passengers[5]
Aalten Atn 1885
Abcoude Ac 1843 1579
Akkrum Akm 1868 749
Alkmaar Noord Amrn 1980 4836
Alkmaar Amr 1865 18930
Almelo de Riet Amri 1926 1241
Almelo Aml 1865 10618
Almere Buiten Almb 1987 6458
Almere Centrum Alm 1987 23784
Almere Muziekwijk Almm 1987 6681
Almere Oostvaarders Almo 2004 4630
Almere Parkwijk Almp 1996 3584
Almere Poort Ampo 2012 3085
Alphen aan den Rijn Apn 1878 9725
Amersfoort Centraal Amf 1863 39675
Amersfoort Schothorst Amfs 1987 5762
Amersfoort Vathorst Avat 2006 2583
Amsterdam Amstel Asa 1939 28976
Amsterdam Arena Asdar 1996
Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA Asb 1971 22684
Amsterdam Centraal Asd 1889 167427
Amsterdam Holendrecht Ashd 2008 3227
Amsterdam Lelylaan Asdl 1986 14042
Amsterdam Muiderpoort Asdm 1896 11888
Amsterdam RAI Rai 1981 6808
Amsterdam Science Park Assp 2009 4117
Amsterdam Sloterdijk Ass 1956 1986 47615
Amsterdam Zuid Asdz 1978 43716
Anna Paulowna Ana 1865 2137
Apeldoorn De Maten Apdm 2006
Apeldoorn Osseveld Apdo 2006 1110
Apeldoorn Apd 1876 14628
Appingedam Apg 1884
Arkel Akl 1883 1938 1940
Arnemuiden Arn 1872 461
Arnhem Presikhaaf Ahpr 1969 2829
Arnhem Centraal Ah 1845 39164
Arnhem Velperpoort Ahp 1893 2066
Arnhem Zuid Ahz 2005 2909
Assen Asn 1870 9136
Baarn Brn 1874 4413
Bad Nieuweschans Nsch 1868
Baflo Bf 1893
Barendrecht Brd 1872 2001 5226
Barneveld Centrum Bnc 1902
Barneveld Noord Bnn 1938 1944 1951
Barneveld Zuid Bnz 2015
Bedum Bdm 1884
Beek-Elsloo Bk 1862 2028
Beesd Bsd 1883
Beilen Bl 1870 2124
Bergen op Zoom Bgn 1863 6939
Best Bet 1866 1938 1940 5263
Beverwijk Bv 1867 5572
Bilthoven Bhv 1863 4771
Blerick Br 1868 1131
Bloemendaal Bll 1900 1192
Bodegraven Bdg 1878 2924
Borne Bn 1865 2272
Boskoop Bsk 1934 1377
Boskoop Snijdelwijk Bsks 2017
Bovenkarspel Flora Bkf 1977 759
Bovenkarspel-Grootebroek Bkg 1885 2301
Boven Hardinxveld Bhdv 2012
Boxmeer Bmr 1883
Boxtel Btl 1865 5917
Breda Prinsenbeek Bdpb 1988 1589
Breda Bd 1855 30554
Breukelen Bkl 1843 4997
Brummen Bmn 1865 1025
Buitenpost Bp 1866
Bunde Bde 1862 872
Bunnik Bnk 1868 1938 1972 2131
Bussum Zuid Bsmz 1966 3893
Capelle Schollevaar Cps 1981 2311
Castricum Cas 1867 7024
Chevremont Cvm 1949
Coevorden Co 1905
Cuijk Ck 1883
Culemborg Cl 1868 8144
Daarlerveen Da 1906
Dalen Dln 1905 1950 1987
Dalfsen Dl 1903
De Vink Dvnk 1906 1928 1985 3146
De Westereen Dwe 1885
Deinum Dei 1863
Delden Ddn 1865
Delft Dt 1847 31630
Delft Campus Dtz 1970 4688
Delfzijl Dz 1884
Delfzijl West Dzw 1969
Den Dolder Dld 1895 1817
Den Haag Centraal Gvc 1973 77783
Den Haag Hollands Spoor Gv 1843 34946
Den Haag Laan van NOI Laa 1907 14516
Den Haag Mariahoeve Gvm 1966 3178
Den Haag Moerwijk Gvmw 1996 2603
Den Haag Ypenburg Ypb 2005 2233
Den Helder Hdr 1865 3946
Den Helder Zuid Hdrz 1980 2082
Deurne Dn 1864 4333
Deventer Colmschate Dvc 1888 1933 1989 1464
Deventer Dv 1865 19739
Didam Did 1885
Diemen Dmn 1882 1929 1974 2996
Diemen Zuid Dmnz 1993 3551
Dieren Dr 1865 3641
Doetinchem De Huet Dtch 1985
Doetinchem Dtc 1856
Dordrecht Ddr 1872 23172
Dordrecht Stadspolders Ddrs 1990
Dordrecht Zuid Ddzd 1973 1336
Driebergen-Zeist Db 1844 9235
Driehuis Dh 1957 903
Dronryp Drp 1863
Dronten Dron 2012 3428
Duiven Dvn 1856 1936 1980
Duivendrecht Dvd 1993 14383
Echt Ec 1862 2263
Ede Centrum Edc 1902 1944 1951
Ede-Wageningen Ed 1845 17599
Eemshaven 2018
Eijsden Edn 1861 2006 2011 162
Eindhoven Centraal Ehv 1864 60450
Eindhoven Stadion Ehs 1990
Eindhoven Strijp-S Ehb 1971
Elst Est 1879 3710
Emmen Emn 1905
Emmen Zuid Emnz 2011
Enkhuizen Ekz 1885 2393
Enschede De Eschmarke Ese 2001
Enschede Kennispark Esk 1996
Enschede Es 1866 18508
Ermelo Eml 1863 2849
Etten-Leur Etn 1854 3241
Eygelshoven Markt Eghm 2007
Eygelshoven Egh 1949
Feanwâlden Fwd 1866
Franeker Fn 1863
Gaanderen Gdr 2006
Geldermalsen Gdm 1868 5909
Geldrop Gp 1913 1509
Geleen Oost Gln 1896 627
Geleen-Lutterade Lut 1862 1357
Gilze-Rijen Gz 1863 2529
Glanerbrug Gbr 1868 1950 2001
Goes Gs 1868 7160
Goor Go 1865
Gorinchem Gr 1883
Gouda Goverwelle Gdg 1993 2998
Gouda Gd 1855 21298
Gramsbergen Gbg 1905
Grijpskerk Gk 1866
Groningen Europapark Gerp 2007 1212
Groningen Noord Gnn 1884
Groningen Gn 1866 19706
Grou-Jirnsum Gw 1868 947
Haarlem Hlm 1839 37399
Haarlem Spaarnwoude Hlms 1998 3420
Halfweg-Zwanenburg Hwzb 2012 2118
Hardenberg Hdb 1905
Harderwijk Hd 1863 5629
Hardinxveld Blauwe Zoom Bzm 2011
Hardinxveld-Giessendam Gnd 1885
Haren (NL) Hrn 1870 1936 1968 1190
Harlingen Haven Hlgh 1863
Harlingen Hlg 1863
Heemskerk Hk 1969 2135
Heemstede-Aerdenhout Had 1891 6396
Heerenveen IJsstadion Hry 1975
Heerenveen Hr 1868 5893
Heerhugowaard Hwd 1865 7352
Heerlen Hrl 1896 7491
Heerlen Woonboulevard Hrlw 2010
Heeze Hz 1913 1977 1568
Heiloo Hlo 1867 4676
Heino Hno 1881 693
Helmond Brandevoort Hmbv 2006 1057
Helmond Brouwhuis Hmbh 1987 1767
Helmond Hm 1864 6807
Helmond 't Hout Hmh 1992 1137
Hemmen-Dodewaard Hmn 1882
Hengelo Gezondheidspark Hglg 2012
Hengelo Oost Hglo 1975
Hengelo Hgl 1865 13437
Hillegom Hil 1898 1944 2000 2401
Hilversum Media Park Hvsn 1974 3853
Hilversum Hvs 1874 24105
Hilversum Sportpark Hvsp 1874 7125
Hindeloopen Hnp 1885
Hoensbroek Hb 1896 202
Hoevelaken Hvl 2012
Hollandsche Rading Hor 1874 865
Holten Hon 1886 1278
Hoofddorp Hfd 1981 15258
Hoogeveen Hgv 1870 4472
Hoogezand-Sappemeer Hgz 1868
Hoogkarspel Hks 1885 2300
Hoorn Kersenboogerd Hnk 1986 5149
Hoorn Hn 1884 13527
Horst-Sevenum Hrt 1866 2675
Houten Castellum Htnc 2001 2008 2010 3936
Houten Htn 1868 1935 1982 7436
Houthem-Sint Gerlach Sgl 1890
Hurdegaryp Hdg 1866
IJlst IJt 1885 1938 1985
Kampen Kpn 1865 4136
Kampen Zuid Kpnz 2012 1506
Kapelle-Biezelinge Bzl 1868 1125
Kerkrade Centrum Krd 1949
Kesteren Ktr 1882
Klarenbeek Kbk 1882
Klimmen-Ransdaal Kmr 1915
Koog aan de Zaan Kbw 1869 2898
Koudum-Molkwerum Kmw 1885 1938 1940
Krabbendijke Kbd 1868 571
Krommenie-Assendelft Kma 1869 2008 5262
Kropswolde Kw 1868
Kruiningen-Yerseke Krg 1868 802
Lage Zwaluwe Zlw 1883 883
Landgraaf Lg 1896
Lansingerland-Zoetermeer 2018
Leerdam Ldm 1883
Leeuwarden Camminghaburen Lwc 1991
Leeuwarden Lw 1863 9682
Leiden Centraal Ledn 1842 71100
Leiden Lammenschans Ldl 1961 3886
Lelystad Centrum Lls 1988 13369
Lichtenvoorde-Groenlo Ltv 1878
Lochem Lc 1865
Loppersum Lp 1884
Lunteren Ltn 1902 1944 1951
Maarheeze Mz 2010 1333
Maarn Mrn 1845 1972 1493
Maarssen Mas 1843 4524
Maastricht Noord Mtn 2013
Maastricht Mt 1853 15633
Maastricht Randwyck Mtr 1987 1776
Mantgum Mg 1883 1938 1973
Mariënberg Mrb 1905
Martenshoek Mth 1868
Meerssen Mes 1853
Meppel Mp 1867 5638
Middelburg Mdb 1872 4549
Mook-Molenhoek Mmlh 2009
Naarden-Bussum Ndb 1874 9148
Nieuw Amsterdam Na 1905
Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel Nwk 1909 1935 1971 3370
Nieuw-Vennep Nvp 1981 2756
Nijkerk Nkk 1863 3338
Nijmegen Dukenburg Nmd 1973 1845
Nijmegen Goffert Nmgo 2014
Nijmegen Heyendaal Nmh 1972
Nijmegen Lent Nml 1882 1934 2002 1108
Nijmegen Nm 1865 43195
Nijverdal Nvd 1881 2958
Nunspeet Ns 1863 2762
Nuth Nh 1896 481
Obdam Obd 1898 1430
Oisterwijk Ot 1865 2311
Oldenzaal Odz 1865
Olst Ost 1866 1936 1940 1187
Ommen Omn 1903
Oosterbeek Otb 1845 511
Opheusden Op 1880 1890 1898
Oss O 1881 8078
Oss West Ow 1981 1833
Oudenbosch Odb 1854 1254
Overveen Ovn 1881 2637
Purmerend Overwhere Pmo 1971 2058
Purmerend Pmr 1884 2401
Purmerend Weidevenne Pmw 2007 1588
Putten Pt 1863 1813
Raalte Rat 1881 2117
Ravenstein Rvs 1881 1413
Reuver Rv 1862
Rheden Rh 1882 805
Rhenen Rhn 1886 1944 1981 1394
Rijssen Rsn 1888 2398
Rijswijk Rsw 1965 7735
Rilland-Bath Rb 1872 445
Roermond Rm 1865 13274
Roodeschool Rd 1893 2018
Roosendaal Rsd 1854 10399
Rosmalen Rs 1881 1938 1981 2364
Rotterdam Alexander Rta 1968 16756
Rotterdam Blaak Rtb 1877 23368
Rotterdam Centraal Rtd 1847 85246
Rotterdam Lombardijen Rlb 1964 6206
Rotterdam Noord Rtn 1953 2254
Rotterdam Stadion Rtst 1937
Rotterdam Zuid Rtz 1877 3031
Ruurlo Rl 1878
Santpoort Noord Sptn 1957 797
Santpoort Zuid Sptz 1867 803
Sassenheim Ssh 2011 3479
Sauwerd Swd 1884
Schagen Sgn 1865 5326
Scheemda Sda 1868
Schiedam Centrum Sdm 1847 18630
Schin op Geul Sog 1853
Schinnen Sn 1896 246
Schiphol Shl 1978 71585
's-Hertogenbosch Oost Hto 1987 1616
's-Hertogenbosch Ht 1868 43172
Sittard Std 1862 12110
Sliedrecht Baanhoek Sdtb 1885 1938 2011
Sliedrecht Sdt 1885
Sneek Noord Sknd 1973
Sneek Sk 1883
Soest (Netherlands) St 1898 211
Soest Zuid Stz 1898 2014
Soestdijk Sd 1898 764
Spaubeek Sbk 1896 261
Stavoren Stv 1885
Stedum Stm 1884
Steenwijk Swk 1868 3232
Susteren Srn 1862 918
Swalmen Sm 1862
't Harde Hde 1863 1306
Tegelen Tg 1865
Terborg Tbg 1885
Tiel Passewaaij Tpsw 2007 1434
Tiel Tl 1882 3445
Tilburg Tb 1863 32158
Tilburg Reeshof Tbr 2003 2556
Tilburg Universiteit Tbu 1969 6929
Twello Twl 1887 1951 2006 1433
Uitgeest Utg 1867 5167
Uithuizen Uhz 1893
Uithuizermeeden Uhm 1893
Usquert Ust 1893
Utrecht Centraal Ut 1843 176552
Utrecht Leidsche Rijn Utlr 2013 784
Utrecht Lunetten Utl 1874 1932 1980 2885
Utrecht Maliebaan Utm 1874 1939 2005
Utrecht Overvecht Uto 1968 8217
Utrecht Terwijde Utt 2003 3285
Utrecht Vaartsche Rijn Utvr 2016
Utrecht Zuilen Utzl 2007 2003
Valkenburg Vk 1853
Varsseveld Vsv 1885
Veendam Vdm 1910 1953 2011
Veenendaal Centrum Vndc 1886 1944 1981 2239
Veenendaal West Vndw 1981 1619
Veenendaal-De Klomp Klp 1845 4007
Velp Vp 1865 1416
Venlo Vl 1865 4370
Venray Vry 1883
Vierlingsbeek Vlb 1882
Vleuten Vtn 1881 3717
Vlissingen Vs 1873 2955
Vlissingen Souburg Vss 1986 975
Voerendaal Vdl 1915
Voorburg Vb 1870 2302
Voorhout Vh 1892 1944 1997 3310
Voorschoten Vst 1843 1944 1969 3074
Voorst-Empe Vem 1876 1938 2006
Vorden Vd 1878
Vriezenveen Vz 1906
Vroomshoop Vhp 1906
Vught Vg 1868 1938 1940 1976
Waddinxveen Noord Wadn 1973 883
Waddinxveen Wad 1934 1613
Waddinxveen Triangel 2018
Warffum Wfm 1893
Weert Wt 1879 7694
Weesp Wp 1874 9052
Wehl Wl 1885
Westervoort Wtv 1856 1936 2011
Wezep Wz 1863 1048
Wierden Wdn 1881 1775
Wijchen Wc 1881 4100
Wijhe Wh 1866 1936 1940 1125
Winschoten Ws 1868
Winsum Wsm 1893
Winterswijk Ww 1878
Winterswijk West Www 2001
Woerden Wd 1855 11948
Wolfheze Wf 1845 527
Wolvega Wv 1868 1639
Workum Wk 1885
Wormerveer Wm 1869 3804
Zaandam Kogerveld Zdk 1989 1445
Zaandam Zd 1869 20790
Zaandijk Zaanse Schans Kzd 1869 3020
Zaltbommel Zbm 1869 3445
Zandvoort aan Zee Zvt 1881 4770
Zetten-Andelst Za 1882
Zevenaar Zv 1856
Zevenbergen Zvb 1854 1243
Zoetermeer Oost Ztmo 1870 1938 1965 3345
Zoetermeer Ztm 1973 5292
Zuidbroek Zb 1868
Zuidhorn Zh 1866
Zutphen Zp 1865 11732
Zwijndrecht Zwd 1872 5491
Zwolle Zl 1864 41618
Zwolle Stadshagen Zlsh 2019

Platforms and tracks[edit]

Not the platforms, but the tracks are numbered. In Dutch communication, NS refers to "spoor 1" ("track 1"), etc. while in English communication, NS refers to "platform 1" where "track 1" is meant (hence all island platforms have two numbers). Tracks without platform access, used for through traffic, also have a number. This number is not indicated, but it shows indirectly by the fact that in the numbering of the accessible tracks a number is skipped. Track numbers are usually increasing in the direction away from the centre of the city and hence away from the main entrance(s) of the station.

A track along a long platform may have an "a" and a "b"-side, and sometimes three sections "a", "b" and "c".

At many stations, above platforms and at their access points, there are dynamic displays (electronic displays) of the destination and departure time of the next train[6]

Machines and counters for train tickets[edit]

For checking in and out with an OV-chipkaart card readers are at station entrances, halls and/or platforms. It can be recharged (increasing the credit by paying an amount) at ticket machines. The anonymous variety of the card can also be purchased here. For some minor rail operators all this does not apply yet.

Paper tickets are available from the same ticket machines; at the counter (if available) a supplement of €0.50 per ticket (with a maximum of €1 per occasion) has to be paid. In both cases one can choose a dated or undated ticket; the latter can be useful if one has not decided yet about the travel date. If the ticket is not dated it requires a stamp from a stamp machine on the travel date.

With an e-ticket bought in advance for a specific journey one can just get on the train without any further validation of the ticket.

NS Stations[edit]

NS Stations (Dutch pronunciation: [ɛn ɛs staːˈʃɔns]) is a Dutch company that manages and exploits all railway stations in the Netherlands.[7]

Safety and comfort[edit]

Passenger comfort sometimes suffers from (homeless) beggars or pickpockets, especially in large cities. Measures taken to remedy this include installation of CCTV, locking waiting rooms in the evening, and sometimes removal of benches from station halls. Also, a valid train ticket is required to access platforms, at many stations enforced by gates that require an OV-chipkaart to activate them. Passengers with large luggage should note that no luggage trolleys are provided (except at the station of Schiphol airport), although platforms are accessible by elevator.

Station abbreviations[edit]

The official abbreviations of names of stations are used internally by the NS, but also on handwritten tickets; they can also conveniently be used when entering a station in the NS planner and are needed in some URLs, see below. In a station it can be found in the lower right corner of the yellow departure schedules. In most URLs (see below) they have to be written in lowercase, in some a capital is optional. On the departure schedules they are written in lowercase. In other cases the abbreviations are written with a capital letter.

Stations also have a four-digit code that is used on the keypad of older ticket machines to specify a destination.

History[edit]

Positions of multiple stations in one city, 1936
Positions of multiple stations in one city, 1936

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ [1] Archived 2013-06-27 at archive.today
  2. ^ Facts & Figures on www.nsstations.nl
  3. ^ See this example.
  4. ^ "ProRail" (PDF). Network Statement 2012. ProRail. p. 165. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  5. ^ Daily passengers (2015)
  6. ^ See railway platform signs [nl])
  7. ^ (in Dutch) Over NS Stations, NS Stations. Retrieved 5 January 2015.

External links[edit]

Photos[edit]

Maps[edit]