Flights to and from Eindhoven Airport were suspended for nearly two hours after an ‘unusual smell’ was detected in the air traffic control tower. The tower was evacuated as a precaution at around 12.30pm while firefighters investigated the source of what the fire service described as an ‘irritating substance’, Eindhovense Dagblad reported. All flights due to take off or land after 1pm on Monday were postponed or rerouted. The air traffic control duties were handed over to the royal air force’s command centre... More >

There could be a sting in the tail on the way for bus passengers – Dutch scientists have unveiled the first electric passenger vehicle to run on formic acid. A team at Eindhoven University of Technology have built the prototype bus, which uses formic acid to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Formic acid is the poison carried in the stings of ants, wasps and nettles. Max Aerts, head of the development team, said formic acid was a cost-effective way to create hydrogen as fuel. ‘The... More >

Standing in the aisles may be a sign of good things in the theatre – but not on the train. So Dutch train operator NS has announced that from next year its travel app will tell you where to find a seat. Data scientists Cyriana Roelofs and Sophie Verberne have developed a Reisplanner Xtra function to tell you which carriages are least full by using smart sensors in the track to weigh each carriage in real time. The Telegraaf reports that... More >

Schiphol airport is to introduce ‘no trolley’ queues at its security gates this summer in a bid to bring down waiting times. Passengers who travel with little or no hand luggage will be given priority going through security over those with trolley bags, which take longer to check. The move is part of a pan-European experiment to try to reduce the time it takes to get to the departure lounge. Schiphol said it was also considering separate queues for groups... More >

  Schiphol Airport cannot grow without taking drastic safety measures, reports ANP. A new report by the Dutch Safety Board, published on Thursday, warns that the ‘limits of safe air traffic control are in sight’ and that if the airport wants to grow, handling procedures must be far less complex. The investigation was the result of several incidents at the Netherlands’ major airport, including near-collisions between planes, but the board found ‘no evidence that the airport is currently unsafe.’ One... More >

Two people have died in a collision between a train and a car on a level crossing in Friesland. The crash happened on a private road near Harlingen on Monday morning. The Leeuwarder Courant reported the car was in a convoy taking children from the Prins Johan Frisoschool to see newborn lambs on a local farm. Witnesses said the vehicle was dragged 250 metres along the rail line before the train stopped. It is the second accident in six weeks... More >

Train drivers and conductors will take strike action on Friday because their work has become ‘too monotonous’, reports NU.nl. The VVMC union said that the staff are unhappy with new working conditions issued in September meaning drivers and conductors can only cover a specific number of journeys in one day, from one location. NS, the Dutch railway service, expects ‘major impact across the country’ after the staff based at Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hoofddorp begin a strike up to 11am. It... More >

Rail passengers are getting used to the most wide-ranging overhaul of the national train timetable in nearly 10 years, with 98% of commuters facing a change to their routine. The changes include extra trains between Almere and Schiphol airport via Amsterdam-Zuid and quicker trains from The Hague to Eindhoven, Groningen and Leeuwarden. But some direct trains have been reduced or cut altogether, such as the service between Venlo and The Hague. Passengers took to social media to complain of delays, overcrowding... More >