80 weeks of paused operations is a lot, but the Dutch had to adapt. The work started in late 2024.

Since then, there have been diversions along other routes and a reduction in capacity. The Netherlands has had to run many thousands of trains less than previously. Naturally, last year’s announcement by Germany that the Third Track connection wouldn’t be completed in the coming decade came as a major disappointment and setback.

German unclarity hinders Dutch infrastructure planning

Germany does not have the capacity to work on the Third Track project. The country is working on a major overhaul of its entire rail network. Other projects are higher on the priority list.

RailFreight.com’s sister publication SpoorPro reported that the Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail still has no plan on how to cope with this situation. “It is still too early to say exactly what impact the works in Germany will have”, spokesperson Marcella Wesseling told SpoorPro. “Whether additional freight trains will be diverted depends on the nature, scale and schedule of the works in Germany. The German side has not yet provided this overview.”

Clearly, coordination between the Dutch and German infrastructure managers is lacking. This puts rail work in the Netherlands in question. ProRail and DB InfraGO had earlier agreed on a timeline that would allow the Dutch to work on ERTMS implementation and renovations in Eindhoven and Venlo.

Political games?

The head of the Dutch rail freight association, Hans-Willem Vroon, told SpoorPro about his suspicions that there are some political games going on. “Perhaps Germany is also sending a signal to The Hague that it believes the Venlo-Kaldenkirchen and Oldenzaal-Bad Bentheim border crossings should be used more frequently.” These are alternative border crossings that could facilitate diversions from the Third Track works.

“Moreover, I suspect that DB InfraGO is deliberately holding back the growth of rail traffic because their rail network simply cannot cope. It is striking, after all, that in Switzerland the complaints about the German feeder and outbound lines are even greater than here, and Switzerland does operate with multiple border crossings.” These include Basel, Schaffhausen and St. Margarethen.

The total rail freight volume in the Netherlands in 2025 amounted to 38.1 million tonnes. This includes imports, exports, domestic and transit traffic and is a 4% (-1.6 million tonnes) decline compared to 2024.

In similar fashion to 2023 and 2024, the volume of coal has shrunk significantly. In 2024, 5 million tonnes of coal were transported on the Dutch rail network. Last year, this number fell by another 30% to 3.5 million tonnes. The huge impact of this trend on the overall volume is clear: the decrease in coal transportation of 1.5 million tonnes covers the vast majority of the total decline of 1.6 million tonnes.

Likewise, the volume of liquid bulk contracted by 0.3 million tonnes (-5%). Breakbulk and dry bulk both fell by around 0.1 million tonnes.

Intermodal stands, but does it stand strong?

By contrast, the intermodal segment has grown slightly, from 17.9 million tonnes in 2024 to 18.2 million tonnes in 2025. That is a cautiously positive development. As rail freight loses volumes in traditional segments, the intermodal sector provides new business opportunities.

However, as ProRail points out, intermodal is not risk-free. It is partially dependent on world trade. The inflow of containers in, for instance, the Port of Rotterdam rises when trade barriers are low and vice versa. Intermodal is also sensitive to supply chain disruptions, such as the inaccessibility of the Suez Canal or container shortages. Lastly, the competitiveness of rail compared with other modes of transport plays an important role in the size of intermodal rail.

A notable development concerns the growing popularity of the “rocktainer ore”: iron ore transported in intermodal loading units. At the same time, ProRail records a decline in ore transportation in conventional loading units, indicating a shift from one type of loading unit to another. The total volume transported in ILUs increased by 4% to 21.7 million tonnes. They now account for a 57% share of the entire rail freight volume.

Single wagonload on the decline

It appears that single wagonload (SWL) operations in the Netherlands are subject to some of the same pressures as elsewhere in Europe. SWL accounts for around half of the decline in the number of freight trains that cross the border with Germany. In total, 2,050 fewer trains crossed the border in 2025 compared to 2024. An important cause of this development is the switch from SWL trains to block trains, says ProRail.

Block trains are cheaper and faster for shippers, who are now choosing to send entire trains less frequently as opposed to a couple of wagons every day. The consequence is that SWL services operate with lower frequencies or are cancelled altogether, the Dutch infrastructure manager explains.

Companies are now working to clear their backlogs. The success of that depends on border crossing capacity and coordination between the German and Dutch infrastructure managers, operational director of HUPAC Mark Jansen says.

The past two days

Whereas on 6 January some train traffic was possible in the Rotterdam port area, by the next day, all freight trains had halted operations, infrastructure manager ProRail reported. The problems have to do with mass failures of switches. They froze or the large amounts of snow got them stuck in one position.

The winter problems were concentrated around the Botlek and Waalhaven ports, as well as rail yard Kijfhoek. The important hinterland Betuwe line to Germany was also limited to a single track for some time.

The work on the German side has resulted in frequent single-track and double-track outages on the Hollandstrecke since November of last year. These have already led to diversions for freight trains in the Netherlands. These diversions were put in place through collaboration between ProRail, DB InfraGO, and passenger and freight operators. The most important diversion is the Brabant Route, which runs from the Port of Rotterdam via the Kijfhoek rail yard, Breda, Tilburg, Eindhoven, and border point Venlo to Germany.

The Brabant Route is already very congested with passenger traffic, so handling 135 freight trains on days when the Betuwe Route is closed was a near-impossible task. Thanks to sophisticated planning, developed over several years, the problems for both passenger and freight transport have so far been manageable.

One more long-term, full-service closure is planned, from April 20 to May 17, 2026. At the end of May, the 80-week project, during which Germany is working hard on the third track, will be completed. But, as it turns out, the job won’t be finished by the end of May 2026. Not by a long shot.

No delivery date

“To date, our German colleagues have not yet issued a planned completion date for the complete construction of the third track,” state secretary Aartsen explains. “However, it is generally clear that there is limited room for further work on the third track until 2030 due to the overlap of other railway projects in the Netherlands and Germany. Furthermore, not all the necessary environmental and building permits for the remaining part of the third track have been finalised yet. To add to that, large-scale work will be carried out in Germany between 2025 and 2035 to replace and upgrade the infrastructure to European standards. This work could impact the capacity to build the third track, even after 2030.”

In this context, the German side has unfortunately still not been able to provide a planned completion date for the third track. Based in part on information obtained from ProRail, the current picture is that, depending on factors such as the further planning of large-scale construction in Germany, particularly for the period after 2030, a full connection of the Betuwe Line to the third track in Germany will not be completed within the next 10 years.

Aartsen says he deeply regrets this situation. “The completion of the third track is crucial for the Dutch railway network, particularly the Betuwe Line. I will reiterate this position in my contacts with German counterparts. In these discussions, I will also emphasise the importance of investments in other cross-border sections and the further development of international passenger and freight connections in terms of quality and quantity. Where possible, I want to intensify cooperation in order to achieve a concrete, planned completion date for the third track and to accelerate the work in Germany,” he concludes his letter to parliament. What the news means for the planned work in the Netherlands is still uncertain.

ProRail ‘not amused’

ProRail is equally unhappy with the news from Germany. “As part of the 80-week service period, DB InfraGO and ProRail agreed back in 2022 that no major service closures would be planned between Kijfhoek and Oberhausen via the Betuwe Line after the 80-week period from May 2026 until the end of 2027,” the Dutch infrastructure manager stated in a report addressed to Aartsen.

This is because the Netherlands can then carry out work on the routes from its ports to Venlo and Bad Bentheim (partly postponed due to the 80-week period), which are also of great importance to the Netherlands. These include ERTMS implementation, a renovation in Eindhoven, and one in Venlo. This was also shared with the parties in the third-track consulting group at the time, according to ProRail.

“In summary, ProRail and DB InfraGO have agreed that large-scale work on the third track cannot take place from mid-2026 to the end of 2027. Due to the decision in Germany regarding the work around Cologne, large-scale work on the third track cannot take place in 2028 and 2030. Working on the third track between 2026 and 2030 would mean that the Netherlands (for Rotterdam and other ports) would have very little rail connection to Germany.”

This article was originally published by our sister publication SpoorPro.nl. 

Martin Wijnen of RWS says that quality infrastructure is a prerequisite for the construction of new homes and military mobility. “A lot of money is needed for that. I see that the Hague also acknowledges this”, says Wijnen. “But I’m missing the necessary step: They are not making the budget available.”

For the Dutch rail network alone, there is a backlog of some 20 billion euros in infrastructure investments. The total figure for the country amounts to over 50 billion euros. ProRail and RWS plead for a stable investment of 2% of GDP in infrastructure annually. That was the rule in the past, but infrastructure spending has declined in recent years.

Stakeholders hope for decisive action

The Logistieke Alliantie (Logistics Alliance), an association of 17 logistics stakeholders, comments that many pieces of infrastructure are nearing the end of their lifespan. It also notes the significant investments observed in neighbouring countries, and the lack of an equally ambitious response to infrastructure challenges from the Dutch government.

The Logistics Alliance hopes for decisive action from the Hague based on the signals from ProRail and RWS. That should lead to structural investments in maintenance, renewal, reinforcement, and smart utilisation of the infrastructure. The association points out that that requires “funding that extends beyond annual budgets, rigorous prioritisation of bottlenecks, and clear governance, including the ability to deploy NATO resources for projects with both civilian and military strategic importance.”

“Only by choosing a strong, future-proof network now will the Netherlands remain competitive, accessible, and resilient”, an association spokesperson commented.

First things first. Everyone got out ok, with the exception of cuts and bruises, and potentially a traumatic experience they’ll still be telling to the grandkids. A few pears were bruised as well. On the serious side, it didn’t matter what sort of train was involved. The full-speed collision wiped out the truck and left a huge repair job for ProRail. Freight and passenger traffic is disrupted on the key Utrecht–Eindhoven railway after the serious collision at Meteren, which has closed one of the Netherlands’ most important mixed-traffic corridors.

Wreck-around-the-clock repairs

As reported by our sister service, RailTech.com, the crash caused significant damage to both the train and the infrastructure. The Utrecht–’s-Hertogenbosch–Eindhoven line carries a dense mix of intercity and regional passenger services alongside regular freight operations, including international traffic linking the Netherlands with Germany and Belgium.

Under normal conditions, up to ten passenger train paths per hour and two per hour for freight operate on the section through Meteren, making it a crucial artery in the Dutch rail network. In the interest of rail safety, ProRail has released CCTV footage of the moment of impact, giving drivers the sobering warning that, while not actually getting stuck on a crossing is a good idea, the next best thing is to drive on through it. Repairing a crossing is better than attending a fatality, they say.

After two days of clearing debris and assessing the damage, ProRail and its contractor Strukton began reconstruction work on Saturday, 1 November. Engineers are replacing around 500 sleepers and two kilometres of rail, along with the level crossing infrastructure, lighting, and signalling systems destroyed in the impact. A temporary access road and lighting have been installed to enable work to continue around the clock. While the overhead lines and underground cables remained intact, the precision work required to realign the track and crossing elements means that full restoration will take several days. ProRail is targeting the end of this week, if work progresses without delay.

Passenger diversions and freight impacts

Passenger disruption is already extensive. The Dutch national operator, NS, has deployed replacement buses between Geldermalsen and ’s-Hertogenbosch (also known as Den Bosch). Additional trains are running on the Utrecht–Rotterdam–Eindhoven–Heerlen route. Freight operators have been advised to reroute via alternative corridors, including the Betuweroute, though that line is already operating close to capacity. Given the importance of the Utrecht–Eindhoven axis for domestic and cross-border freight, the closure represents a significant logistical challenge. ProRail said it expects no services to resume before Friday morning, 7 November, as teams continue what it described as a “huge logistical operation”.

The swift mobilisation of resources reflects the strategic importance of the route and the urgency to restore mixed-traffic capacity. While the full investigation into the cause of the collision continues, the Dutch infrastructure agency has pledged to complete the repairs “as quickly and safely as possible”, mindful of the disruption to both passengers and freight carriers alike. The incident comes just a week after a near miss on the UK’s equally important East Coast Main Line, which is still a matter of investigation.

The Meteren incident has also highlighted the vulnerability of mixed-traffic corridors in the Netherlands, where freight and high-frequency passenger operations compete for limited track capacity. Even before the crash, the Utrecht–’s-Hertogenbosch–Eindhoven section was recognised by ProRail as a congestion hotspot. The temporary closure effectively removes two hourly freight paths in each direction—forcing international freight operators to divert or delay services. Industry observers say it underscores the need for continued investment in resilience measures—such as freight-dedicated routing, improved signalling, and dynamic traffic management—to maintain flow and minimise cascading delays when incidents occur.

Single wagonload operations allow companies that do not export enough goods to form a block train to transport their goods by rail. Single wagons, or a small number of wagons, from various companies are combined into trains at shunting yards, from where they depart to the train’s destination.

This type of rail freight operation requires a lot of movements, which leads to high costs and makes it very challenging to run a profit on it.

Rail freight transported 39,3 million tonnes of goods in the Netherlands in 2023, which is around 2% of the total volume of transported goods in the country via all modes of transportation: rail, road, waterways, air and pipelines, according to infrastructure manager ProRail. (Rail freight has a modal share of around 5% to 6% in tonne-kilometres, according to Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis.) Some 15% of the rail volume is moved through SWL operations: approximately 6 million tonnes. That would make for around 0,3% of the total volume of goods transported in the Netherlands in 2023.

In other words, single wagonload only accounts for a tiny fraction of total freight transportation in the country. Despite that, the infrastructure ministry recently announced a 30 million euro investment in shunting operations at the Kijfhoek rail yard, close to Rotterdam.

The investment should help suppress costs, lead to reliable and more sustainable freight flows and support ports and industries. In a policy plan, the Netherlands explains that it wants to change the operating model with a neutral service offering at the Kijfhoek rail yard. That means that infrastructure manager ProRail will take over shunting locomotives from DB Cargo, which is currently the only operator that has them.

The neutral service offering will then periodically be put to the market. That should also improve the accessibility of shunting at Kijfhoek for other companies that offer SWL services, say the Netherlands.

Are the Dutch not reading the room?

The move to support SWL operations at Kijfhoek could be seen as somewhat remarkable. In Germany and Switzerland, recent developments have suggested a move away from SWL because it is not financially viable. As part of its restructuring process, DB Cargo floated the idea of quitting single wagonload altogether. The Swiss SBB Cargo is planning to close three SWL terminals.

Dutch rail freight association RailGood has been opposed to the investment, saying that it primarily allows large companies with foreign shareholders to profit from lower fees and that it is a “waste of taxpayer money”. Why, then, would the Dutch government commit to a multimillion investment in SWL?

The answer is found in a report by infrastructure manager ProRail. It points out that single wagonload operations are crucial for a number of economic sectors, like the steel, chemical and paper industries. It is no wonder that shippers’ association evofenedex has been supportive of the 30 million investment.

A necessity for some industries

The products of the steel, chemical and paper companies are often unsuitable for container-based transport, and cannot move via the road for various reasons. “In particular for long-distance transport, the railways are a secure mode of transportation”, says ProRail. “In some countries, particular groups of chemicals can only be transported by train.”

The availability of SWL services should also improve the business climate in the area of the Port of Rotterdam. “For the abovementioned reasons, SWL has a high (potential) economic value for the Netherlands and can play a role in making both existing and transport flows more sustainable […]”, says ProRail.

In 2022, 130 companies moved their goods by single wagonload transport in the Netherlands. The vast majority of those are in the steel and chemical industries, which add 24 billion and 55 billion euros to the Dutch economy. The SWL investment comes at a moment when eight chemical companies have already left the country in 2025 due to the high costs.

Beyond the Netherlands

The Kijfhoek rail yard offers connections to various industrial zones across the Netherlands, but also to European destinations. Freight flows to and from Germany dominate here (80% of the total international traffic), with around 100,000 wagons being exchanged annually with the Netherlands’ eastern neighbour. Kijfhoek sorts around 175,000 wagons yearly.

Other European countries have seen their single wagonload operations decline, says ProRail, and are therefore resorting to active support measures. France currently has a 450 million euro scheme for first and last-mile operations, and Germany spends 300 million euros in subsidies for SWL. In 2023, Belgium invested 15 million euros as a stimulus package for the Antwerp Noord rail yard.

It seems that the Netherlands has chosen to support SWL, in order to not fall behind European competitors in attracting (rail) freight and to support the modal shift. Despite that, ProRail foresees no spectacular SWL growth in the coming decades. In a best case scenario, with a level playing field between rail and other modes of transport, the Digital Automatic Coupler and Automated Train Operations implemented, a neutral service offering at Kijfhoek and Industrial growth, the maximum SWL volume in 2050 is 9 million tonnes (+50% compared to 2024).

In a worst case scenario, where none of those positive factors come true and the road sector manages to become more sustainable, SWL volumes could be as low as 2,8 million tonnes in 2050.

“Kijfhoek plays a crucial role in the distribution of goods from the ports to industrial zones in the Netherlands and Europe”, Aartsen stated. “With this impulse, we’re making rail freight safer, more efficient and more attractive for companies.”

The 30 million euros are drawn from a 79 million euro fund to improve freight transportation in the Netherlands by inducing a modal shift from the road to inland waterways and the railways. In other words, the ministry has decided to use nearly 40% of those funds to help SWL.

Taking traction away from DB Cargo

In the Dutch policy plan “Vision of the Future for Rail Freight 2050”, the government also highlights that the current format of the gravity shunting yard, in which DB Cargo provides locomotive traction, no longer matches the size and projected size of SWL traffic. It wants to change the operating model with a neutral service offering at the site. That means that infrastructure manager ProRail will take over DB Cargo’s shunting locomotives and that the service offering will periodically be put to the market. That should also improve the accessibility of shunting at Kijfhoek for other companies that offer SWL services.

The investment in SWL could be seen as a remarkable decision. Whereas European leaders in SWL traffic Germany and Switzerland seem to be killing it off, the Netherlands is going the other way by giving it a helping hand. The Dutch rail freight association RailGood has responded negatively to the 30 million euro investment, and points to the situation in Germany.

The investment hurts intermodal and block trains

“A waste of Dutch tax payer money”, director Hans-Willem Vroon says on LinkedIn. “Wrong political choice. […] First, the German government injects billions of euros into its own loss-making state company for many years. Then, the European Commission puts an end to it towards 2029, which has hindered a healthy functioning of the market on the railways for years.”

The bottom line, according to RailGood, is that only a few large industries with foreign shareholders will be able to enjoy subsidised transport for a couple of years more. “The continuation of single wagonload transport with state support is unhealthy, not goal-oriented and keeps volumes away from transporters of intermodal and block trains.”

Besides that, the Netherlands expects container traffic to grow even more in the coming years. “The import and export of containers is crucial for businesses and consumers in both the Netherlands and Europe, and thus for European prosperity”, explains ProRail. “We need to be able to efficiently handle this ever-increasing flow of containers to and from the hinterland.”

EMZ will facilitate 740-metre trains, more than the current standard length of 600 metres. That allows for fewer train movements and therefore lower transportation costs, as well as fewer emissions.

Even more importantly, critical industrial sectors for rail freight are facing economic headwinds. In particular, coal used to account for a quarter of the total freight volume in 2014, but the energy transition has considerably reduced the demand for it. As of 2024, coal constituted merely 12% of all rail freight in the Netherlands.

It is especially shrinking demand for coal in Germany that is impacting Dutch rail freight, according to Dutch statistics agency CBS. As Berlin hopes to boost the share of renewables, coal disappears into the history books.

Key industries

What’s more, high energy prices are affecting the automotive, chemical and steel industries. Those are all traditionally important customers for rail freight operators. And with rail’s increasing costs, more companies are looking to the road or inland waterways for their transportation needs.

This is also visible in the share of rail in the Port of Rotterdam. When it comes to hinterland transportation of containers, rail only manages to capture 9%. That stands in stark contrast with Rotterdam’s German counterpart Hamburg, where rail accounted for over 50% in hinterland container transports.