State-owned railway company NS said on Monday it will rebuild 190 of its 380 Sprinter trains to reduce the amount of first-class seating and increase space for second-class passengers in the coming months.

Occupancy in first-class carriages is around 10% during peak periods, the NS said in a statement. The rail company has been under pressure to do more for commuters who are often forced to stand in rush hour because of the shortage of seats.

In addition, the company said, the number of first-class passengers has declined since the coronavirus pandemic, and the rise in working from home has reduced demand for first-class season tickets.

The refit will create 3,580 more second-class seats. Intercity trains will not be affected.

Sprinter trains are used for short journeys with frequent stops and feature extra doors to allow quick entry and exit.

There have been two classes of train tickets in the Netherlands since 1956, when third class was abolished. Some regional services, which are operated by commercial train companies, have already abolished first class tickets.