Amsterdam Zuid tunnel to open after years of works

A new passenger tunnel at Amsterdam Zuid station is expected to open in November.

The tunnel is called the Brittenpassage. It will be one of the main passenger passages at the renewed station. It will include shops, service points and access for travellers moving through the station.

The opening is an important milestone for Zuidasdok, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Amsterdam. For years, travellers and drivers have faced closures, diversions and construction work around station Zuid and the A10 Zuid.

Until now, much of the project has felt like disruption without a finished result. The opening of the Brittenpassage will be the first major visible step forward for passengers.

The tunnel has been under construction since 2019. Building it was complex because parts of the work took place under train tracks, metro tracks and the motorway. Large concrete roof sections had to be moved into place, sometimes requiring temporary closures.

The wider Zuidasdok project remains expensive and controversial. The total cost is now estimated at around 5.4 billion euros. The original estimate was 4.3 billion euros. That means the shortage has grown beyond 1 billion euros.

Station Zuid is especially important because the area is close to the Zuidas business district, international offices, universities, hotels and future housing developments. It is also a major transfer point for trains, metro services, trams and buses.

A better station should make daily travel easier. More space can reduce crowding, improve transfers and make the area feel less chaotic.

But the work is not finished. Once the Brittenpassage opens, attention will move to the existing Minervapassage. That passage will be upgraded and made much larger. It is expected to become three times wider and twice as high.

That means passengers may still face years of construction around station Zuid.

The project is part of a larger plan to make Amsterdam Zuid a major transport hub. As the city grows, the station must handle more passengers. The area also needs better connections between the north and south sides of the Zuidas.

For now, the November opening gives residents and commuters one clear improvement after years of inconvenience.