NS set to sell off sidelines and focus on running trains

State-owned train operator NS plans to sell off its station shops and local bus services to concentrate on its core business of running main line trains, the Telegraaf reports.

The overhaul is designed to restore the reputation of the government-owned company, which has been heavily criticised in recent months for delays and overcrowding.

NS currently owns station boutiques including Kiosk, de Broodzaak and Smullers, as well as outlets run by Starbucks, HEMA and AH To Go.

Last October finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem called for NS to focus more on running trains and less on ‘frying hamburgers’.

NS, which will formally present its plans on Tuesday, is also expected to put bus company Qbuzz up for sale. The operator will no longer bid to run local train services in the Netherlands but its subsidiary Abellio, which runs franchises in the UK and Germany, will continue to operate in foreign markets, the Telegraaf said.