Interesting lines in the Netherlands

[MCR247]

Hi all

I’m in Amsterdam next week (thanks Eurostar sale!) and since managed to cover most of the city’s metro and trams last time, I’m thinking about getting a Holland Travel ticket on one or more of the days and exploring the NS network. Are there any interesting or particularly noteworthy lines I should try to do?

 

[WolvertonWorks]

How about taking the train to Hoorn and then the stoomtram https://www.stoomtram.nl/en/ to Medemblik (assuming it's running the day you want to go). You then have the choice of returning on the stoomtram and going on elsewhere or taking the boat to Enkhuisen and then a train from Enkhuisen back to Hoorn.

 

[alholmes]

The service from Utrecht Centraal to Utrecht Maliebaan is a little unusual - it takes you to the railway museum and the adjacent platform will have a few exhibits. Operates hourly, and only when the museum is open.

Otherwise, I’m struggling to think of anything interesting or noteworthy. The scenery is the same across much of the country, there’s not a huge variety in rolling stock and services are relatively reliable (compared to UK). If you’re based in Amsterdam, the other alternative is to plot a big circular route around the country, maybe taking in one or two of the lines operated by other operators.

 

[Gaelan]

The service from Utrecht Centraal to Utrecht Maliebaan is a little unusual - it takes you to the railway museum and the adjacent platform will have a few exhibits. Operates hourly, and only when the museum is open.

"A little unusual" is an understatement - it involves a reversal on the running line in the middle of nowhere.

 

[eastwestdivide]

+1 for the Utrecht museum and shuttle.
Couple of other things I enjoyed:
I took a train to Sliedrecht near Dordrecht for a bit of lineside photography beside the freight-only Betuweroute. Also cycled out of Gouda to take photos at the 3-way flying junction to the W of town.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The scenery in the south of the country (Limburg) is more varied and Maastricht is an attractive city. Served by one of the principal main lines for a fast(ish) run. Similary in the north Groningen is lovely with two routes to choose from for an out and back trip.

Arnhem has a folk museum with trams plus a splendid city-wide trolley bus system. The main line to Zeeland (Middleburg / Vlissingen) is quite interesting with a preserved line at Goes.

Rotterdam, of course, has an extensive tram system plus metro to explore.

 

[MCR247]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far!

 

[Oldercouple]

You can travel with the Holland Travel Ticket to Aachen, Emmerich and Gronau in Germany.
Another tip: by train to Enkhuizen. Ship Enkhuizen-Stavoren. Diesel-Arriva-train Stavoren-Leeuwarden. NS-Intercity Leeuwarden-Zwolle-Lelystad-Amsterdam.

 

[bspahh]

Hi all

I’m in Amsterdam next week (thanks Eurostar sale!) and since managed to cover most of the city’s metro and trams last time, I’m thinking about getting a Holland Travel ticket on one or more of the days and exploring the NS network. Are there any interesting or particularly noteworthy lines I should try to do?

https://spoortijdlijn.nl/ is an interesting map which shows how the passenger rail network in the Netherlands built up. Its in Dutch, but in Chrome, Google Translate does a good job.

There was a comment from the author on twitter that it didn't include all the local lines, but I'm not sure if they have been added in. His twitter account has been deleted.

 

[30907]

NS-Intercity Leeuwarden-Zwolle-Lelystad-Amsterdam.

...which includes a new-build line IIRC, and ought to be of interest.

Another recent opening is from Rodeschool to Eemshaven just north of Groningen, but it's a fair way to go for new track