Could this be competition for the Eurostar on the Brussels-Amsterdam route? NS and SNCB have stated their intention to improve their rail services on this strategic Benelux route. The two national companies want to boost their capacity on the route Belgium/Netherlands. 32 trains will run daily up to 200 km/h from 2025 on Brussels-Antwerp-Amsterdam. But also on a route linking Rotterdam to Brussels via Breda. To Brussels-Amsterdam, the journey will be 45 minutes shorter than at present. NS will be using the new Intercity train (ICNG) with its maximum speed of 200 km/hour..
This reduction in journey time is made possible not only by faster trains. But also by fewer intermediate stops and a new departure station in the Netherlands. The one inAmsterdam Zuid, closer to the high-speed line than Amsterdam Centraal.
New trains for the Amsterdam Zuid - Brussels Zuid-Midi route will offer greater comfort with a capacity for 413 passengers. Travellers from Utrecht or The Hague, for example, will also benefit from easier connections.
On Rotterdam Centraal-Brussels Midi, NS and SNCB will also offer 16 daily trains. All these new NS/SNCB lines will be marketed under the Intercity name.
With the arrival of these Intercity trains and the current Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains, 47 trains a day should be running between the Netherlands and Brussels by 2025.
