ROTTERDAM, 5 June 2025 – Train services across the Netherlands, including those in and around Rotterdam, will be suspended on Friday due to a strike. NS has confirmed the disruption is caused by a labour action affecting its operations hub in the central region.
P.S. There won't be any NS trains on Tuesday, June 10th either. Read about it here.
National train services halted on 6 June due to strike
Rail transport throughout the Netherlands will come to a standstill on Friday, 6 June, as Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) train staff in the central region take industrial action. The disruption is expected to affect all domestic services, with operations around Utrecht—considered the logistical heart of NS—significantly impacted.
The strike has been organised by labour unions amid ongoing negotiations over employment terms (cao-onderhandelingen). Due to the central role played by Utrecht in the control and coordination of NS’s train network, no national services will run during the action.
International trains, including those arriving in or departing from Rotterdam, are expected to continue operating as scheduled.
Travellers advised to check schedules before departure
NS stated that it aims to resume normal service on Saturday, 7 June. Travellers departing from Rotterdam Centraal or other stations in the region are advised to consult the NS app or Reisplanner for real-time updates and to activate travel alerts.
Affected passengers can find more information on alternative travel arrangements or submit claims via the NS website at ns.nl/staking.
Additional strike actions expected in June
Further disruption is anticipated later in the month, with strikes scheduled for Tuesday 10 June in the western Netherlands and Thursday 12 June in the northwest and eastern parts of the country.
There is also a possibility of strikes occurring on 16 and 17 June. NS has indicated it will release further information should these actions go ahead.
NS remains open to negotiations
NS expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to passengers. In a public statement, the company noted that while talks with unions had stalled, it remains willing to return to the table at any time to negotiate a new collective labour agreement (cao).
“We were and are not done negotiating as far as we are concerned,” the statement reads. “We remain open to continuing discussions with the unions.”
