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 >

  Rotterdam is working towards green transport with no strings attached – the municipality has begun a trial to recharge electric cars wirelessly, reports the AD on Tuesday. Three city companies are beginning a trial after two years of preparatory work, using specially converted vehicles. ‘This could be an ideal way to recharge batteries, especially at taxi ranks and bus stops,’ Hans Boot, of Engie Services Nederland told the AD. The charging system works using an induction plate and coil,... More >

  Amsterdam can ban small mopeds from inner-city bike paths and make helmets compulsory, according to the Parool. After years of discussion, transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen has given the green light for Amsterdam to ban the vehicles – which should have a maximum speed of 25km/h. Repeated studies have suggested that most actually go faster than this, some 80% according to Labour MP Duco Hoogland. The transport minister, says the Parool, made a written decision on Thursday giving... More >

The shape of the Dutch capital needs to change drastically to cope with self-driving vehicles, according to research released to Het Parool. The report by Boston Consulting Group, commissioned by Amsterdam city council, said without ‘strong’ interventions, the city of 2035 will be clogged-up with self-driving cars. It predicted that cyclists and pedestrians will simply push in front of them, making them stop, and that they will need special routes. New roads, parking spaces, signs and lights will also be needed. ‘It... More >

The Netherlands’ first self-driving buses have been pulled from the road after just two days, because they were a potential hazard to cyclists, reports Omrop Fryslân. Ooststellingwerf municipality has been trying the two self-driving buses since Monday but found that cyclists needed to move out of the bike lane to allow them to pass – considered a danger. They were following a 2.5km route from Wester Es to Drents-Friese Wold and back again. The area is investigating how to solve... More >

Train operator NS has brought 11 double-decker trains back into service as it expects to carry record numbers of passengers this autumn. The trains were part of the first fleet of two-deck trains to run on the Dutch rail network in the 1980s and were last used five years ago. NS anticipates a record 33.3 million passengers will travel by train in September – 700,000 more than last year – as the economy grows, unemployment falls and students go back... More >