Nederlandse Spoorwegen | PolishTrains

At a glance

• NS has operated as the Dutch national rail carrier since 1938, handling around 80% of all passenger traffic
• Since 2017, all NS trains run on 100% wind energy, making the Netherlands a world first in green rail
• Six train categories are offered: Intercity, IntercityDirect, Express, Sprinter, Night trains and NS International
• No seat reservation is needed on most domestic routes — buy a ticket and board any eligible train on the day
• Trains run every 10–15 minutes during rush hour on the busiest corridors such as Amsterdam–Utrecht
• Tickets can be purchased up to three months in advance via PolishTrains, the NS app or station machines

The history of Nederlandse Spoorwegen dates back to the 19th century, but the company in its present form was formed in 1938 as a result of the merger of two major railway companies - the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij and the Maatschappij tot Exploitatie van Staatsspoorwegen . Since then, NS has developed into one of the most reliable and modern rail systems in Europe. The carrier handles around 80% of the country's passenger traffic , offering thousands of daily connections.

The Dutch railways are known for their punctuality, cleanliness and sustainable approach to transport. Since 2017, all NS trains have been powered exclusively by wind energy, making the Netherlands the first country in the world to fully electrify its railways based on renewable energy sources.

Dutch railways Nederlandse Spoorwegen offers six main categories of trains.

🚆Intercity - is the NS's core service, connecting the country's largest cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. The trains are double-decker, divided into 1st and 2nd class, offer free Wi-Fi and comfortable seating.

🚆IntercityDirect - a fast version of Intercity, stopping at fewer stations, such as between Amsterdam Schiphol and Rotterdam. Provides the same standard of travel as the classic Intercity, but with faster speeds and shorter journey times.

🚆Express - trains similar to Intercity, but running mainly outside the centre of large cities. A good option for travellers who want to explore the less obvious regions of the Netherlands and avoid the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

🚆Sprinter - fast regional trains, stopping at all stations along the route. They are the primary means of transport for commuters to work or school. Some trainsets do not have toilets, but they run with high frequency, allowing efficient travel over short distances.

🚆Night trains - serve the Randstad region**(Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht**) and run every hour after the last day trains leave. They do not offer sleeper cars, but tickets cost the same as on standard NS routes.

🚆NSInternational - the international branch of the Dutch railways. It works with operators such as Thalys, Eurostar, ICE and TGV, offering fast journeys to Brussels, Paris, Cologne and London, among others.

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen network covers almost the entire Netherlands, providing seamless connections between major cities, airports and regions of tourist and economic importance. The most frequented relations include:

• Amsterdam - Den Haag (The Hague)
• Amsterdam - Eindhoven
• Amsterdam - Groningen
• Amsterdam - Rotterdam
• Amsterdam - Utrecht
• Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport
• Schiphol Airport - Rotterdam

Thanks to the dense route network, NS trains run with high frequency - as often as every 10-15 minutes during rush hour, allowing you to get around the country in no time. Most connections between major cities take less than two hours, and routes such as Amsterdam - Utrecht or Amsterdam - The Hague can be covered in under an hour.

Travelling with Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) is extremely easy thanks to its flexible ticketing system. There is no seat reservation on most national routes - simply purchase a ticket for the route of your choice and you can board any train of the category within the same day.

Tickets are available from ticket machines at each station, the NS App or the website. The system also allows the use of an electronic OV-chipkaart, with which you can travel freely on all public transport in the Netherlands - trains, buses, trams and the metro. Tickets can be purchased up to three months in advance, allowing you to plan your journey conveniently up to 90 days ahead.

For visitors to the country , tourist tickets are also available, which allow unlimited journeys over a certain period of time on the entire rail network or in selected regions. Passengers can also take advantage of promotional offers, weekend tickets and discounts for young people and senior citizens. Student discounts are available on presentation of the ISIC card . For international connections - e.g. to Belgium or Luxembourg - tickets are sold both via the NS International website and on partner services such as PolishTrains.

When travelling in the Netherlands, it is advisable to use the services of Nederlandse Spoorwegen available through PolishTrains - a platform offering full service in Polish. This makes it easy to plan your route, buy a ticket and get support without language barriers. The service provides a Polish-language helpline to help you change or refund your ticket, as well as to choose the most convenient connection. The whole process - from searching for trains to payment and SMS reminders - is done in a simple, easy-to-understand way. With PolishTrains, rail travel by Nederlandse Spoorwegen becomes comfortable and fully adapted to the needs of Polish passengers.