NS wants to keep rail monopoly: Alternatives will cause complex, less flexible transport

More frequent transfers, poorer connections, and greater disparities in ticket prices - these are some of the potential consequences of changes to how the Dutch railway network operates, NS warned. The rail company wants the government to keep playing a major role in allocating capacity on the tracks.

NS currently operates a large portion of the Dutch railway network. Early next year, the Cabinet will decide what happens when the current concession expires at the end of 2033. The government could then grant other operators more access to the Dutch rail network.

Alternatives under consideration include "open access"—where operators compete on the same stretches of track—or a system of government-tendered concessions. Another option is a direct award, where the government selects an operator without a competitive tender process, as is currently the case with NS.

According to NS, adjustments would make rail transport more complex and less flexible. “Some people might respond by saying, ‘NS just wants to keep everything for itself,’” CEO Wouter Koolmees wrote on LinkedIn. He rejects the notion, saying, “NS is not opposed to innovation or competition.”

Trade union FNV is also against the introduction of market forces on the railway. It would lead to “a massive amount of unnecessary overhead - duplicate management structures, redundant IT systems, and costly legal proceedings that consume millions,” the trade union warned. “That is public money disappearing into bureaucracy instead of benefiting the passenger.”

Conversely, other organizations are advocating for more competition on the railways. This includes the Federation of Mobility Companies in the Netherlands, which represents operators like Arriva and Transdev. They argue that the Cabinet should prioritize market-based solutions. The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) proposes putting a portion of the rail services currently operated by NS out to tender.

Whatever happens, ProRail sees a major role for itself. The organization, which coordinates rail traffic, believes that the more operators there are on the tracks, the more important coordination becomes.

On Thursday, these organizations will elaborate on their positions during a discussion with parliamentarians. A formal debate will follow at a later date.