The amount of freight transported on the Dutch railways has fallen by 10% over the first six months of the year, according to cargo company association Spoorgoederenvervoer.

Instead, transport firms are avoiding the Netherlands and using ports in Germany and Belgium instead, KNV director Ad Toet told RTL news.
‘Over the past few years, there have been an average 1,000 freight trains a week using the Dutch railways. Now there are 100 fewer,’ Toet said.
The reduction is due to the fees, which have risen 300% over the past six years, Toet said. This has made it more cost-effective for trains from, say, Munich to go to Hamburg port rather than Rotterdam which is closer, he told RTL.