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Yesterday evening a night train ran for the first time on the Maastricht-Schiphol route. The regional carrier Arriva’s train departed Maastricht at 01:01 and traveled to Schiphol via Eindhoven, Utrecht and Amsterdam South, among others. Got there at 3:15.
The night train now runs every Friday evening. Arriva uses new European legislation to connect, it reports 1 Limburg.
Since last year, carriers have been able to offer connections that do not require a government concession if they bear the financial risks. The weekly train between Maastricht and Schiphol is the first connection. In a few weeks Arriva will also operate a train between Groningen and Schiphol on Friday evenings and Saturdays.
Arriva is a wholly owned subsidiary of German railways and would like to compete with the Dutch railways. That’s why the night train has its terminus at Schiphol: Arriva hopes to carry mainly holidaymakers for an early morning flight from Schiphol. The ticket for the night train costs 10 euros, significantly less than the 27.90 euros NS charges for a one-way ticket from Maastricht to Schiphol.
Stake out
During the first run tonight, snacks and drinks were distributed and Dutch-speaking band Wies performed, among others. Also, the many issues Arriva is facing have been briefly put on the sidelines. For example, yesterday and the day before yesterday ceased the Arriva drivers and stewards in the north of the Netherlands because they are demanding a ten per cent wage increase.
New strike actions by Arriva staff are planned for next Monday. Arriva management does not want to go beyond five percent for the time being.
The provinces of Groningen and Limburg to threaten even with fines for Arriva because numerous regional trains and buses have been canceled in recent months. According to Arriva, this is mainly due to staff shortages.
End of night buses
Understaffing also meant that the night buses Arriva used to transport the nightlife crowd from Breda this weekend drive for the last time. Previously, the carrier also stopped night buses that came from Tilburg and Den Bosch.
“We are sad to have to make this decision. Especially now that nightlife has started again on weekends in big cities,” the carrier said on the channel. website. “However, the temporary employment agencies or our cooperation partners cannot provide enough drivers for a reliable timetable on these lines.”
All these problems appear to have no impact on Arriva’s new night line, although not everything has gone according to plan. The train was due to depart from Schiphol back to Maastricht at 05.40, but departed nearly an hour and a half later due to a collision on the platforms near Amsterdam-Zuid.
