Public transport strike on Monday 30 April and 1 May 2018

On Monday April 30rd and Tuesday May 1st, there is a public transport strike in the Netherlands. This means that regional buses do not run, and trains of Arriva, Breng/Connexxion and Keolis do not run on Monday and Tuesday. Trains by NS, NS International and R-Net do run, as do the city buses of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague (GVB, RET and HTM).

The strike will begin on Monday, 30 April 2018 and continue until Tuesday, 1 May. The reason for the strike is that there is a conflict between the collective bargaining agreement for regional transport. NS employees are covered by their own collective bargaining agreement and therefore do not strike.


Which trains are not running?

The following trains do not run on Monday and Tuesday:

  • Arriva trains in Friesland and Groningen
  • Local train Groningen-Weener (Germany)
  • Local train Zwolle-Emmen
  • Local train Zwolle-Kampen
  • Local train Zwolle-Enschede
  • Local train Almelo-Hardenberg
  • Local train Apeldoorn-Zutphen
  • Local train Zutphen-Oldenzaal
  • Local train Zutphen-Winterswijk
  • Local train Arnhem-Winterswijk (both Arriva and Breng)
  • Local train Arnhem-Tiel
  • Local train Amersfoort-Barneveld and Amersfoort-Ede-Wageningen (Valleilijn)
  • Local train Nijmegen-Venlo-Roermond
  • Arriva local trains in southern Limburg (including Maastricht-Roermond and Heerlen-Sittard)
  • Express train Maastricht-Heerlen
  • Local train Dordrecht-Gorinchem-Geldermalsen

In addition, there no buses are running in most places: only the city buses of Amsterdam (GVB), Rotterdam (RET) and The Hague (HTM) do run (see below for details). In all other places the drivers will strike, including for example U-OV in Utrecht. In Utrecht, the express tram between Utrecht and Nieuwegein/IJsselstein is cancelled either. Special buses such as Qliners will not run on Mondays and Tuesdays either.

Which trains are running?

The following trains do run on Monday and Tuesday:

  • All NS and NS International trains
  • International trains, including Thalys, ICE International and Eurostar
  • All international local trains, with the exception of Groningen-Weener
  • R-net train between Gouda and Alphen a/d Rijn

City buses operated by GVB (Amsterdam) and HTM (The Hague) will run as normal. Most city buses operated by RET (Rotterdam) will run, but a part of the drivers will be on strike. GVB, HTM and RET trams and metro's will run as normal.

Is there replacement transport?

During the strike on Monday and Tuesday, there is no replacement transport. For example, there are no buses when the train is not running. The advice is to arrange alternative transport yourself, for example by going by car, by hitchhiking with someone, by taxi or by bicycle. Not every train driver will strike, but the chance that trains or buses are running is very small.


Can I get compensation?

It is probably possible, as a passenger, to get compensation for the two days when there are no trains. If you already have a ticket, it is best to contact the customer service of your operator.

Do you have to incur extra costs or do you suffer damage as a result of the strike? Then, unfortunately, the chance of compensation for this is very small. You are not entitled to compensation, as this is excluded by law.

How do I stay informed?

On Monday and Tuesday, there will be virtually no trains from regional carriers. To be sure, you can check the current departure times or use the journey planner. On the way you are always up to date with the NL Train Navigator app.