The Dutch rail network ranks among the densest in the world. Train services provided by the NS (Dutch Railways) are very frequent and efficient. Distances between popular destinations are short.
Your InterRail pass is valid in all trains operated by NS and by the following local railway companies: Arriva, Connexxion, DB Regiobahn / AVV, DB Regio Westfalen, Eurobahn / Keolis, Prignitzer Eisenbahngesellschaft, Syntus, Veolia.
In the west of the country at least 4 trains an hour run between the major Dutch cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht.- At least 2 trains per hour run for further travels in all other parts of the Netherlands.
- There are 2 main train types: the Intercity (fast city-to-city connections) and the Stoptrein (more frequent stops at the smaller stations).
- Most stations are centrally located.
Average InterCity travel times in minutes
Train types
- InterCity (IC): connect major cities, reservation is not possible
- Stoptrein, Sneltrein and Sprinter: regional local trains, reservation is not possible
- Fyra, domestic high speed trains: (Amsterdam – Schiphol – Rotterdam), reservation is possible, but not required
- Thalys: international high speed trains, reservation is required
- ICE: international high speed trains, reservation is recommended
- City Night Line (CNL): international night trains, reservation is recommended
- Regional Bahn (RB): regional DB train to/from Germany, reservation is not possible
NS Hispeed lounges
Travellers with a 1st class InterRail pass valid in the Netherlands, are welcome in the NS Hispeed lounges. In these quiet areas you can relax while waiting for your (international) train to depart. Have a drink, read a newspaper or plug in your laptop. You can find a lounge at Amsterdam Central station, Rotterdam Central station and Schiphol airport. Read more at nshispeed.nl.
Amsterdam train stations
Domestic trains in the Netherlands do not require a reservation.
For the new high-speed train Fyra a supplement is required. You can make an optional reservation.
For the high-speed Thalys trains to Belgium and France a reservation is required. The fees are quite high and the number of seats for InterRail travellers are limited. You may want to avoid the Thalys by taking a regular InterCity to Antwerp and Brussels.
Reservations for Dutch trains
You can make reservations for domestic and international high-speed trains and night trains:
- At a ticket desk at local train stations.
- By phone through the NS high-speed call center
Phone number: +31 302 331 676
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 8.00-21.00 and Saturday 10.00 - 18.00 (local times)When calling, you'll hear a menu in Dutch. Select extension '1' for services in English and then '1' to book the Thalys or '2' to book other trains. NS High-speed can book trains in various European countries. It charges a ﾀ12,50 booking fee and allows a maximum of 2 reservations per call. You have to pay for the reservations over the phone with a Visa or MasterCard credit card. The call center can deliver reservations only to addresses in the Netherlands. There are no delivery costs. You can also pick up your reservations at a NS HiSpeed ticket desk or at a self-service machine. Just go to a Dutch train station with a NS HiSpeed desk with your booking code.
For more information see the pages:
How to get there
International trains
- Thalys high-speed trains to Brussels and Paris from Amsterdam Central Station (5 times a day in about 4 hours)
- International trains from Amsterdam to Antwerp and Brussels (every hour)
- 5 ICE trains daily from Amsterdam to Cologne, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt with one proceeding to Basel, Switzerland
- 4 daily trains leave from Schiphol Airport to Hannover, with 3 proceeding to Berlin
Night Trains
Direct night trains run from Amsterdam to Munich (Germany), Zürich and Basel (Switzerland). Reservation of accommodation is compulsory on these night trains.
