New Intercity trains planned to boost service between Amsterdam and Germany's Ruhr region

Rail travel between the Netherlands and Germany is set for a significant upgrade, with plans to introduce a new, high-frequency Intercity (IC) line connecting Amsterdam to key cities in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region.

Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Dutch Railways (NS) are collaborating on this initiative, which aims to establish a service running every two hours between Amsterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem, and German destinations including Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Dortmund. The new service is slated to begin in 2028, initially with three daily train pairs, expanding to six pairs per day later.

This expansion is driven by a "true demand boom" in international long-distance rail travel, according to a DB spokesperson. Since 2019, nearly a third more people have chosen trains for their European journeys, a trend that continues to rise. The enhanced service will operate alongside the existing ICE line connecting Amsterdam to Frankfurt via Cologne, offering a more frequent and faster connection between Amsterdam and the Ruhr area.

The new IC trains will utilize modern Dutch rolling stock capable of speeds up to 200 km/h. However, it remains unclear whether these trains will make intermediate stops in Lower Rhine towns like Emmerich and Wesel, which are currently only accessible via a regional train service.

This move also comes amid increasing competition in the long-distance rail sector. Private operator GoVolta has already launched services between Amsterdam and Berlin and plans to extend to Paris. By securing route reservations for the new IC trains, DB and NS aim to make it more challenging for competitors to establish fast train services on this lucrative route.

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We are currently experiencing a true demand boom in international long-distance transport. Almost a third more people have switched to rail for their Europe travel since 2019. The trend is still rising.