More Dutch travelers chose to travel by international train this summer. NS International noted an average growth of 13% to all destinations in the months of June until August. The intercity to Berlin performed best and realized a growth of 19%. It is the third summer record in a row for NS International.

NS International aims to be the first choice of travelers within a distance of 700 kilometers. They already do well on their routes to the south with the Thalys and the Intercity Brussel. They also created a comfortable and fast train connection to London with Eurostar last year. And they have big ambitions for Berlin as well, even though they have to depend on the Deutsche Bahn and German government. It is certainly not up to the traveler, they want to travel by train.

As an explanation for the growth, NS International sees two important developments: firstly the range in good international connections has expanded further. The travel time to Brussel is shorter, Thalys expanded their capacity and added a newly popular destination in the form of Marne-la-Valée, right in front of the entrance to Disneyland Paris. And with the Eurostar from both Amsterdam and Rotterdam, there is also a better connection to London. Besides that, the attention to traveling by train has also grown. People are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of travel on the climate and the environment. The train is more often considered as a sustainable alternative to the aircraft. Travelers choose more consciously nowadays.

Intercity Berlin

Intercity Berlin is the absolute leader when it comes to traveler growth. The train is popular amongst travelers with Interrail – the multi-day international travel pass. Hustle and bustle in the summer months bring some challenges. NS International advises travelers who book at NS International in these months to always reserve a seat. And especially for domestic travelers who also use the Intercity, they run an extra train between Amsterdam and Deventer from June to August. This way there is also enough room for domestic travelers and extra space is created for travelers across the border.

Eurostar to London

After the success at the introduction last year, London was the only destination in the summer months that recorded a slight decrease of 1% compared to a year earlier. NS International expects to create new growth in London after the start of the passport and baggage control in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Travelers to London now have to interrupt their journey in Brussel. NS International is impatiently waiting for the Dutch government to conclude the necessary treaty with the other three countries involved: Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. They want to further increase the number of daily trains to and from London. The facilities at the Amsterdam Central and Rotterdam Central stations are ready for it.

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