The Dutch rail operator NS is working with Deutsche Bahn to explore the launch of a new service between the Netherlands and Germany. The plan calls for six trains per day in each direction between Amsterdam and the Rhine-Ruhr region, starting in 2028.
The plan calls for the introduction, starting in 2028, of NS trains between Amsterdam and the Rhine-Ruhr region, one of Germany’s most populous and economically important areas.
According to NU.nl, NS’s new generation of Intercity trains would run six times a day in each direction. The trains would stop at Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Arnhem, then cross the border via Zevenaar.
The final destination in Germany has not yet been determined. Possible options in the Rhine-Ruhr region include Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund.
Supplementary Service to ICE Trains
Currently, the rail connection between Amsterdam and Cologne is provided by Deutsche Bahn’s ICE trains, running approximately every two hours.
The new service being considered by NS and DB would not replace the existing ICE service but would operate as a supplement to it.
This initiative comes at a time when the punctuality of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains remains an issue. In January 2026, only 52.1% of DB’s long-distance trains arrived on time.
By introducing NS trains on this route, the operators could expand service between the Netherlands and western Germany on a route that is important for commuters, business travelers, and tourists alike.
The project has not yet been finalized
The launch of the service is not yet certain. NS recently filed a notification with the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), the Dutch institution that oversees competition and the market.
According to NS, this notification must be submitted 18 months in advance of the launch of a new service.
The next steps include requesting infrastructure capacity from ProRail, the Dutch rail network manager.
If the project moves forward, it would mark the first time that NS’s blue and yellow trains would operate on this international route to Germany, complementing the current service operated by ICE trains.
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