Between 30 June and 16 July, the train station in Zwolle, a major rail hub for the north, will be closed to train traffic for serious renovations.
Translation by Traci White
The Dutch national rail company NS will provide 200 busses to transport travellers while the station is closed.
The Leeuwarder Courant reports that station will be getting a new platform for trains to and from Enschede and upgrades will be carried out on the station’s train protection system. There will also be fewer train switches on the tracks. The works will make it impossible for trains to pass through the station.
Travellers from Friesland to the Randstad will have to use the Meppel station instead, where they can catch a bus heading to ‘t Harde or Kampen. Meppel itself is a common transfer point for trains travelling through Groningen and Friesland. It is not yet clear if the rail service at other stations will be adapted to accommodate the closure. The NS site will only post the adjusted schedule ten days before the construction works begin.
Zwolle is the second busiest hub in the Netherlands following Utrecht. On a daily basis, there are around 30,000 unique visitors at the station. During the construction period, 200 buses will be available in peak hours and 125 buses throughout the rest of the day. NS will dedicate 25 extra staff members to help passengers find their way.
Freek Bos, a representative of Rover, a Dutch passenger organisation, says that the closure dates were decided upon in consultation with the academic institutions and other regional organisations.
LF2018 director Tjeerd van Bekkum says that they have been informed by NS about the replacement service. Coincidentally, the “Elfwegentocht” (the Eleven Routes Tour), a two week event to encourage travellers in Friesland to rely on other modes of transportation besides their cars, will be held between 1 and 14 July while the Zwolle station is closed.
Photo source: Martin van Vulpen/Wikipedia
