Major rail disruption hit the Netherlands on Tuesday after suspected sabotage to railway tracks, according to ProRail, the country’s railway infrastructure operator.
Pipes and cables were placed on tracks in multiple locations across the country, according to local media and police statements. ProRail said the incident appeared to be “an intentional disruption… caused by human action,” though no suspects or motives had been identified.
“Objects were found on railway tracks at several locations across the country, causing major disruption to rail traffic,” Dutch police said in a statement. The national public prosecutor’s office and the Netherlands’ intelligence agency AIVD launched investigations alongside police.
The disruption affected major routes, including services to Amsterdam, Schiphol airport, Eindhoven, and Utrecht. ProRail reported 30 disruptions across the country on Tuesday. Train operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen said the disruption was so extensive that providing bus replacement service was “not possible.” By Tuesday afternoon, services were gradually resuming with some delays and cancellations.
Footage from Dutch broadcaster NOS showed police removing metal pipes approximately 1.5 metres long and cables from railway tracks at Veenendaal in central Netherlands. One train in Steenwijk struck one of the objects, but ProRail reported no injuries resulted.
The disruption also affected road traffic, as closures of some level crossings caused congestion. A Eurostar train from Amsterdam to Paris was delayed due to “operational restrictions” at Amsterdam Centraal, though the company said it was not directly impacted by the wider disruption.
The incident occurred on Prinsjesdag, when the Dutch government presents its budget. Later that afternoon, hay bales were lit on fire along various roads as Farmers Defence Force (FDF) staged protests against government plans requiring farmers to reduce nitrogen emissions. Authorities have not established a link between the protests and railway disruption. The FDF said it was not responsible for the railway sabotage but could not rule out individual farmer involvement.
The disruption followed separate reports in French media suggesting a possible sabotage-related derailment in Normandy on Friday, though France’s interior minister urged caution pending investigation.
Key facts
- Pipes and cables were placed on railway tracks at multiple locations across the Netherlands
- 30 disruptions were reported across the country on Tuesday
- ProRail confirmed the incident appeared to be intentional disruption caused by human action
- One train struck an object on the tracks but no injuries occurred
- Routes to Schiphol airport, Eindhoven, and Utrecht were among those affected
- Police, prosecutors, and the Dutch intelligence agency AIVD launched investigations