NS timetable change: dienstregeling 2027 starts 13 December 2026

Dutch rail switches to its 2027 timetable on Sunday 13 December 2026. The timetable year begins at 00:00 that day and runs through Saturday 11 December 2027, a validity period fixed in infrastructure manager ProRail’s network statement.

Why it matters

A new timetable takes effect every year in December. NS presents the 2027 plan as delivering better connections above all in the north and east of the country, and it brings a visible novelty: from 13 December, every NS train line has a line number. A new line map with the numbers, chosen through a public design contest, will hang in stations.

What the new line list shows

NS’s list of lines from 13 December 2026 includes a direct intercity between Groningen and Rotterdam Centraal (ICD7), calling at Assen, Zwolle, Lelystad Centrum, Almere Centrum, Amsterdam Zuid and Schiphol Airport. It also lists an intercity between Amsterdam Centraal and Enschede (IC19) and a sprinter between Veenendaal Centrum and Uitgeest (S74).

In its February 2026 consultation request, NS also set out plans for more trains on several routes, such as extra weekend intercities between Amersfoort and Deventer and more Sunday sprinters between Den Haag and Dordrecht. NS described these as intentions, and the line list does not confirm frequencies or operating days, so check the journey planner for your own route.

Practical information

The new timetable applies from the first train on 13 December 2026. Check the NS journey planner for the exact times on your route around the changeover, since departure minutes can shift even on lines without headline changes.

Common questions

When does the 2027 timetable start?

On Sunday 13 December 2026 at 00:00. It runs through Saturday 11 December 2027.

What changes in the 2027 timetable?

Every NS train line gets a line number, and NS’s line list includes a direct intercity between Groningen and Rotterdam via Lelystad, Almere, Amsterdam Zuid and Schiphol Airport, shown as ICD7.

What are the new line numbers?

From the 2027 timetable, all NS train lines carry a number, with letters for the train type, such as IC for intercity and S for sprinter. NS held a public design contest for the new line map and named Alain Lemaire from Arnhem as the winner on 16 October 2026.

Why does the timetable change in December?

The dates follow EU rules: ProRail’s network statement says they conform to Directive 2012/34/EU, Annex VII. The 2027 year is defined as Sunday 13 December 2026 through Saturday 11 December 2027.