Bus and train operator Arriva has threatened to take the Dutch state to court if it reduces the fee Dutch Rail (NS) pays to operate high speed train services, the NRC reports.

A consortium of the NS and Air-France KLM won the contract to operate high speed trains in the Netherlands 10 years ago, agreeing to pay an annual fee of €148m.
But so far, the service is heavily loss-making and, the Telegraaf reported on Tuesday, the government and NS are looking for a solution.
One option, the paper said, is to merge the high-speed and normal rail systems into a single franchise package, which would lead to a fee reduction.
But if this happens, Arriva director Anne Hettinga said legal action will follow. Arriva is now owned by Deutsche Bahn, which lost out to the NS during the high speed service tender process. The NS is a state-owned company.

Stupid
‘If we had been so stupid as to bid a high price, the state would never have given us a discount. The NS is being rewarded for mismanagement,’ Hettinga is quoted as saying.
Deutsche Bahn offered just under €100m a year in fees to run high speed train services.
The infrastructure and environment ministry has confirmed talks are under way with NS but declined to give any details. The NS owns 90% of the operating company, Air-France KLM has the remaining 10%.
Earlier stories
High speed rail operator in financial trouble