New NS intercity trains in trials between The Hague and Eindhoven

The new intercity trains used by the national railway NS started trial runs with passengers between The Hague and Eindhoven on Monday. The so-called InterCity New Generation (ICNG) stops at The Hague Holland Spur, Delft, Rotterdam Central, Breda and Tilburg stations along the way, and partly runs on high-speed lines. The new train has been in trials between Amsterdam Central Station and Rotterdam Central Station since mid-April.

The two intercity trains tested have already covered more than 100,000 kilometers on the route, according to NS. “This gives us confidence for the next step. The Hague-Eindhoven is the second route ICNG is testing, so we are gaining experience as quickly as possible,” said the program manager. says Maarten Backer of

The new intercity trains can run faster on the high-speed line than current trains on the line, and feature additional luggage space, large doors with horizontal entrances, and more legroom. Travelers can also use sockets and USB ports in both first and second class.

The ICNG has been sent to the depot workshop several times in the past for inspection and adjustment. In early June, for example, it was discovered that after a passenger blocked a door more than a certain number of times, such as trying to open an already closed door, the car’s interior doors would no longer open automatically. An NS spokesperson said the issue has now been resolved with a software tweak.

NS has invested over €1 billion in 99 new intercity trains. It was due to go into operation for the first time last year, but delivery issues due to the coronavirus pandemic delayed the start.

A spokeswoman said that if all goes well, NS hopes to have the new train running quickly between Amsterdam and Rotterdam as part of the official timetable by the end of the year, after a trial period. .