Dutch train disruptions soar to 6,000 in 2025, tripling since 2011

The number of train disruptions increased again in 2025. More than 6000 disruptions were logged last year, which is around 18 disruptions a day and nearly 12 percent more than in 2024, according to an ANP analysis of data from Rijdendetreinen.nl.

Since tracking began in 2011, train disruptions have increased dramatically. Nearly 2000 incidents were recorded that year, meaning today’s total is more than triple that level.

The average duration of a train disruption in 2025 was about 167 minutes. The year’s longest outage affected the Maastricht–Liège route, where services were halted from April 8 through April 29 because of strikes in Belgium. Rotterdam Central was most frequently involved in disruptions, with more than 900 cases. Schiphol Airport and Breda also ranked high on the list.

Most train disruptions occurred in January, with more than 600 incidents. The January peak was exacerbated by extreme temperature fluctuations. Rapid freezing and thawing cycles cause "track buckling" or frozen switches, which the Dutch network is particularly sensitive to compared to more mountain-ready networks like Switzerland’s.

Defective trains were by far the main cause of the problems and accounted for more than 2000 disruptions this year. Alongside faulty trains, ongoing shortages of traffic controllers led to frequent service disruptions in 2025, especially in the Randstad area.

Disruptions tended to have the greatest impact during the morning rush hour, particularly around 7 a.m., which accounted for nearly 500 incidents over the year.

Despite a rise in the number of disruptions, overall punctuality improved in 2025 compared with 2024, although some think that this is due to a a controversial strategy where NS and ProRail pre-emptively thin the timetable by running fewer trains. While this makes the trains that do run more likely to be on time, it leads to significantly more crowded platforms and longer waiting times for passengers, a phenomenon known as "hidden delays."

ProRail and NS caution that deteriorating infrastructure, including outdated switches and signals, is increasingly undermining rail operations, with disruption levels now exceeding the performance targets set by the ministry.