Image improvement

What can the NS do to improve there image, because last year they had a poor record (and still have….). The electrical defects on the ‘NEW’ Sprinter trains (without the toilet!!), the frozen points, the falling leaves on the rail (repeats every year), twice a serious electric sign failure around Utrecht central station, which left 10,000 people standing. And further the general problems, like sign- and point failures and last but not least mechanical defects on trains.



Partly the poor image of NS is caused by the poor performance of Pro Rail, who is responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure. In the future, NS must hold Pro Rail responsible for their short comings and improve their own trains.

To improve their image NS have introduced new schedules, which allow every five minutes a train in the Randstad, but the higher frequency causes more delays when there is a failure. This of course does not improve their image.

But on the other hand the total percentage of delays has decreased last year, so there is still hope for NS!



Watch the REAL time....



Efficiency

At the end of 2011 a manager introduced - what he thought was -  a good idea. This idea ´should´ improve the HSL South (a high speed line in the Netherlands). But an important station will lose its InterCity status. This is station Dordrecht.

The idea is that the InterCity trains between The Hague and Eindhoven (and Venlo) and the international train between Amsterdam central station and Brussels South (InterCity Brussels) will run between Rotterdam and Breda/Antwerp on the HSL South line. This idea gives 5 minutes time saving, but passengers from Dordrecht are forced to take the Sprinter or other local trains.

IC The Hague-Venlo

Dordrecht is now an InterCity station where all InterCity-, International-, Local- and Sprinter trains stop. Dordrecht central station has seven platforms and more than 20.000 commuters, students and passengers pass through a day. Per hour 22 train depart in the direction of Amsterdam, The Hague, Brussels, Eindhoven and Rotterdam.

But the chance that this idea will be realized is low. Several political parties have criticism.

If the normal InterCity will run over the HSL South line the frequency over this line will increased, so that important trains like Thalys of Fyra will be interfered. If there is an accident or a defect with a normal train, the important trains will be delayed.

Hopefully this idea will be abounded, because the travel time to and from Dordrecht will increase or there will be one or two more transfers.

Modernizing

In the past years, NS have modernized their stations and waiting rooms. Six station will be improved and expanded. NS wants to create world class stations. NS are improving their stations with the thought to connect these with high speed- and international trains. Some stations already have an international (high speed) connection.

The new Utrecht central station

The stations that NS are improving are Arnhem, Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA, Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Breda, Rotterdam Central and Utrecht central station. The most important improvement is that of Utrecht central station. This station is connected with the shopping centre ´Hoog catharijne´ and the exhibition centre “Jaarbeurs”. Utrecht will be revolutional in the future. It will be the most important station in the Netherlands. Utrecht central station is the main junction of the railway network.

The central station of Rotterdam will be renovated, in particular the roofing and the passenger access tunnel, which will be widened from 8 to 40 meters.

Impression of Amsterdam central station

On the other hand, NS will redesign a lot of stations in the Netherlands, like Schiedam Centre, Amsterdam main station and Dordrecht. Amsterdam central station will be redesigned with a clear general view for passengers. The platforms of Amsterdam central station are renewed. Schiedam Centre was renovated and better connected to the metro network. Station Dordrecht was also renovated with new buildings and a bicycle shed.

After all I think it is good thing that NS has modernized or redesigned their stations, because it is a part of their image. Good stations give passengers a better feeling and creates a good cohesion.

Subscriptions

NS has several subscriptions for their passengers. In august 2011, NS introduced six new subscriptions. For commuters it is an improvement. On the other hand it caused problems for some current subscribers.

The old subscription

The old subscription – “voordeelurenkaart” – was a ticket you bought for 55 euro’s per annum. This ticket gives train passengers 40 percent reduction when travelling after nine o’clock in the morning and during weekends.

New subscriptions

In the summer of 2011, NS introduced the six new subscriptions. These have more possibilities to chose from. The new subscriptions are:

‘Weekend vrij’. Passengers can travel free in the weekends for 40 euro’s per month.

‘Kids vrij’. Children (between four and eleven years of age) can travel the whole year round for only 15 euro’s.

‘Dal vrij’. For those who want to travel in the rush hour and in the weekends. This card costs 95 euro’s per month, you only have to check-in and out.

‘Dal voordeel’. This ticket is for commuters who get 40 percent discount outside the rush hour for 50 euro’s a year.

‘Altijd voordeel’. This is a replacement for the old ‘voordeelurenkaart’. Passengers have 40 percent discount outside rush hour and 20 percent discount during the rush hour for 20 euro’s per month.

Last but not least the ‘altijd vrij’ subscription in the second class. With this card you can always take the train to any destination for 295 euro’s per month.

I think this new subscriptions are a solution. It is coupled to your personal OV Chipcard, so you have always the correct reduction.

Unprofitable Lines

In the history of the Dutch Railway several lines were sold or disbanded. Most of the time the decision was justifiable, but in a few cases NS made a mistake. In the future the exploitation of unprofitable lines will stop, for example the line between Rotterdam and Hoek van Holland. Will be replaced by a metro line. One of the mistakes was the selling of the MerwedeLingeline between Dordrecht and Elst to Arriva.

MerwedeLingeline

Logo MerwedeLingelijn

This line between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen was sold in 2009. NS runs twice a hour a train between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen. The passenger rates were too low for NS to continue this line further. But since Arriva has taken over the line, it is profitable again.  Arriva runs with their ‘spurt’ trains four times a hour in both directions. Arriva also built new railway stations, like Blauwe Zoom and Baanhoek. Station Dordrecht Stadspolders is extended with a second platform. Nowadays this line transports more than 7 thousand passengers a day.

Veolia train (Limburg) with marketing...

Other lines

In the province of Groningen and Limburg, NS sold several lines to Connexion, Veolia, Arriva and Synthus. These operators run the bus connections and have extended their services with these railway lines, like the line between Heerlen and Maastricht and between Leeuwarden and Harlingen.

Lines to be sold in the future

The line between Rotterdam Central and Hoek van Holland where the new Sprinter runs, will be sold to RET Rotterdam. This line will be replaced by a metro line and will extend the metro network of Rotterdam.

Connection between NS and KLM

There is a connection between NS and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, but this was recently ended. Now there is only a minor association between the two companies. This is a substitute for flying, so passengers can travel by train.

The connection between NS and KLM was ended at the end of 2011. KLM was an investor in the Fyra high speed train, that in the future will run between Amsterdam and Brussels in place of the normal InterCity Brussels. But very disappointing passenger numbers and profits caused KLM to pull out of the Fyra and HSL-South. The corporation was meant as a substitute for flights between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Brussels Zaventem Airport.

Nowadays the only agreement between the two, are normal train journeys between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Belgium. Passengers of KLM can exchange their airline ticket for a train ticket, train runs every hour. The initial option with the Fyra only had minimal time saving, or you can take a flight to Brussels…(that’s only a 20 minutes flight) ,if there’s a favorable connection (five times daily).

I understand the view-point of KLM, because a bad investment isn’t good for your reputation. The flights to Brussels are there, so why you should exchange a flight of 20 minutes for a train journey of more than 2 hours.

NS Hispeed

NS Hispeed is a part of the NS and operates the normal international intercity and the high speed trains, and also the national high speed train, Fyra. NS Hispeed runs four luxury high speed trains and three normal intercity services. NS Hispeed also operates Thalys Netherlands and HSL-South. NS Hispeed is part of Railteam, an alliance of European railroad companies.

International High speed trains

There are connections between France, Belgium, Germany and the UK.

• The Thalys is high speed service between France and Holland. This train runs between Amsterdam and Paris Nord and also stops at Antwerp and Brussels. The frequency of the Thalys is sixteen times a day. At Paris Nord there are several connections with the French TGV (le Train de Grande Vitesse).
• ICE International is the high speed train to Germany. ICE International runs six times a day between Amsterdam and Frankfurt. The travel time is less than 4 hours. This train stops at Utrecht, Düsseldorf and Köln. Once a day ICE International runs between Amsterdam and Basel SBB.
• Eurostar is the international train between London and Paris Nord over Brussels South.

International intercity

• The InterCity Brussels is the international train between Amsterdam, Schiphol, The Hague, Rotterdam and Dordrecht to Antwerp and Brussels South. This train runs every hour in each direction between 05:00 and 22:00.
• The InterCity Berlin is a substitute of ICE International. This train runs direct from Schiphol and Amsterdam to Berlin in about 6 hours.
• CityNightLine and EuroNight are night trains to Germany and further. There are sleep facilities in this trains.

Finally I like NS Hispeed, because it offers cheap and good international connections. It competes with the airlines because of cheap prices and shorter travel times if you take in to consideration time lost going to the airport and security- and baggage checks.