Ulrike Nagel: NS says, “Everyone will get home”

Utrecht, December 17, 2009 — Trains will continue running until 1:00 a.m. tonight to ensure everyone can be transported. If there are still stranded passengers at that time, efforts will be made to get them home by other means. Reporter Ulrike Nagel at Utrecht Central Station.

Around Utrecht, where the biggest problems arose on Thursday, shuttle services are running tonight to help people get where they need to go. Regular service will not resume on Thursday evening. ProRail aims to resume normal service on Friday morning, according to the spokeswoman.

According to her, the problems were caused by a combination of circumstances. Snowfall, several incidents, and logistical issues led to congestion around Utrecht. “As a result, we had to suspend service for some time,” the spokeswoman said. Around 9:00 p.m., hundreds of people were still waiting at the station for a train. As the evening progressed, the crowds thinned out, and most people were eventually able to board a train.

Summary

The report describes a day of major chaos and disruption in the center of the Netherlands, primarily due to the expected and actual snowfall.

Train Service

• Complete train strike: At the start of the evening rush hour, no trains were running to or from Utrecht Central Station.
• Massive Crowds and Uncertainty: The station concourse in Utrecht had never been so crowded. People stood still, and the information boards showed very little; often, the only message was “Please listen for announcements.”
• Spare-of-the-moment service: Trains ran only occasionally, but for the most part, service was virtually nonexistent.
• Cause of the disruptions: The problems were related to delays from earlier in the morning when the snowfall was heavier. The NS ultimately decided to suspend all service.
• Recommendation: NS advised travelers to travel after 7:00 p.m.

Road Traffic

• Early chaos: By around 8:00 a.m., there were already more than 600 kilometers of traffic jams.
• Improvement in the afternoon: By the evening rush hour, the situation on the roads had improved slightly, with about 200 kilometers of traffic jams—which wasn’t too bad considering the weather.
• Snowplows: Snowplows had been deployed en masse to clear snow from the roads and highways, especially local and provincial roads. By evening, most roads were clear again, according to Rijkswaterstaat.
• Other delays: A car that normally takes 5 minutes for a trip now took 45 minutes.

Miscellaneous

• Various reactions: Some people were unfazed by the cold and the snow, while others—such as a truck driver with a snowplow—had decades of experience dealing with winter weather.

The report concludes by noting that the snow caused significant disruption and that driving was likely a better option than taking the train for the trip home.

Reporter

Ulrike Nagel