There are no trains running in large parts of the Netherlands on Friday as railway workers strike for the third time in eight days.

This time the strike is focused on the north and south of the country, but services elsewhere are also affected, national train operator NS said. Travellers should check the NS app for the latest information.

Regional trains operated by other companies are running as normal, as are international services, apart from EuroCity trains to Brussels, the NS said.

The strike is also expected to have an impact on several events starting on Friday.

Organisers of the Best Kept Secret festival in Hilvarenbeek have arranged buses from Tilburg, Oss, Breda and Zaltbommel to take festival-goers to the site. Travellers heading for the Oerol festival on the Wadden island of Terschelling can take buses from Utrecht and Amsterdam Sloterdijk station to the ferry terminal in Harlingen.

Railway workers are calling for a 6% pay rise, but NS has so far refused to go higher than 2.55%. The unions also want improved early retirement provisions for staff engaged in heavy physical labour.

Although few problems are expected on the roads on Friday morning, the infrastructure ministry has warned motorists they could face heavy traffic during the evening rush hour, particularly because of storms forecast in the south.