Utrecht Centraal railway station

Utrecht Centraal
Utrecht Centraal in 2008
Location	Netherlands
Coordinates
Operated by	Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Line(s)	Amsterdam–Arnhem railway, Utrecht–Rotterdam railway, Utrecht–Boxtel railway, Utrecht–Kampen railway
Platforms	16
Connections	Qbuzz Utrecht Tram: 60, 61 Arriva: 81, 85, 90, 94, 181, 195 (shared with Connexxion), 295 (shared with Connexxion), 377, 388, 400, 401 Connexxion: 50, 102, 103, 107, 120, 195 (shared with Arriva), 207, 295 (shared with Arriva), 402, 407, 420, 450, 681 Qbuzz: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 47, 51, 52, 53, 55, 63, 65, 66, 74, 77, 128, 247, 251, 412, 441, 447, 452, 474, 477, 495
Other information
Station code	Ut
History
Opened	1843
Services
Preceding station   ICE   Following station Amsterdam Centraal Terminus Intercity-Express 100 1x/day Arnhem toward Basel SBB Intercity-Express 120 5x/day Arnhem toward Frankfurt (Main) Hbf CityNightLine Amsterdam Centraal Terminus City Night Line 419 1x/day Arnhem toward München Hbf/Zürich HB Nederlandse Spoorwegen Gouda toward Rotterdam Centraal NS Intercity 500 1x/hour; Combined half-hourly service with Intercity 12500 on section Rotterdam Centraal-Zwolle. Transfer to Intercity 12600/12700 to/from Leeuwarden at Zwolle Amersfoort toward Groningen Amsterdam Amstel toward Schagen NS Intercity 800 2x/hour; Weekdays rush hours only 's-Hertogenbosch toward Maastricht Amsterdam Amstel toward Alkmaar NS Intercity 800 2x/hour; Not on weekdays rush hours, evenings and Sundays Amsterdam Amstel toward Amsterdam Centraal NS Intercity 800 2x/hour; Evenings and Sundays only Amsterdam Centraal toward Rotterdam Centraal NS Nachtnet 1400 1x/hour; Nighttrain Intercity service Terminus Gouda toward Den Haag Centraal NS Intercity 1700 1x/hour; Combined half-hourly service with Intercity 11700 on section Den Haag Centraal-Amersfoort. Transfer to Intercity 11600 to/from Amersfoort Schothorst at Amersfoort Amersfoort toward Enschede NS Intercity 2000 2x/hour; Not on late evenings and early Sunday mornings Terminus Gouda toward Rotterdam Centraal NS Intercity 2800 2x/hour; Not on late evenings and early Sunday mornings Amsterdam Amstel toward Den Helder NS Intercity 3000 2x/hour Veenendaal-De Klomp (Except late evenings and early Sunday mornings) toward Nijmegen Driebergen-Zeist (Late evenings and early Sunday mornings only) toward Nijmegen Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA toward Schiphol Airport NS Intercity 3100 2x/hour; Not on late evenings and early Sunday mornings Driebergen-Zeist toward Nijmegen NS Intercity 3500 2x/hour; Not on evenings 's-Hertogenbosch toward Heerlen NS Intercity 3500 2x/hour; Early evenings only 's-Hertogenbosch toward Eindhoven NS Intercity 3500 2x/hour; Late evenings only Terminus Woerden toward Leiden Centraal NS Intercity 8800 2x/hour Gouda toward Den Haag Centraal NS Intercity 11700 1x/hour; Combined half-hourly service with Intercity 1700 on section Den Haag Centraal-Amersfoort. Transfer to Intercity 1600 to/from Enschede at Amersfoort Amersfoort toward Amersfoort Schothorst Gouda toward Rotterdam Centraal NS Intercity 12500 1x/hour; Combined half-hourly service with Intercity 500 on section Rotterdam Centraal-Zwolle. Transfer to Intercity 700/12600 to/from Groningen at Zwolle Amersfoort toward Leeuwarden Terminus NS Nachtnet 21400 1x/hour; Nighttrain Intercity service, Friday Night and Saturday Night only 's-Hertogenbosch toward Eindhoven NS Sprinter 4900 2x/hour, but only 1x/hour at evenings and Sundays Utrecht Overvecht toward Almere Oostvaarders NS Sprinter 5500 2x/hour Utrecht Overvecht toward Baarn NS Sprinter 5600 2x/hour Utrecht Overvecht toward Zwolle Utrecht Overvecht toward Den Haag Centraal NS Sprinter 5700 2x/hour Terminus Terminus NS Sprinter 6000 2x/hour Utrecht Lunetten toward Tiel Utrecht Leidsche Rijn toward Woerden NS Sprinter 6100 2x/hour; Not on evenings and weekends Terminus Utrecht Zuilen toward Amsterdam Centraal NS Sprinter 7400 2x/hour; Weekdays rush hours only Bunnik toward Rhenen Utrecht Zuilen toward Breukelen NS Sprinter 7400 2x/hour; Not on weekdays rush hours Utrecht Terwijde (Except evenings and weekends) toward Den Haag Centraal NS Sprinter 9800 2x/hour Terminus Utrecht Leidsche Rijn (Evenings and weekends only) toward Den Haag Centraal Terminus NS Sprinter 16000 2x/hour, but only 1x/hour at late evenings; Continues at/arrives at 's-Hertogenbosch as Sprinter 13600 to/from Breda Utrecht Lunetten toward 's-Hertogenbosch Utrecht Zuilen toward Breukelen NS Sprinter 17400 2x/hour; Weekdays rush hours only Bunnik toward Veenendaal Centrum Terminus NS Stoptrein 28300 1x/hour; Spoorwegmuseum shuttle Utrecht Maliebaan Terminus
Location
Utrecht Centraal railway station is located in Randstad

Utrecht, central station

Utrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest and busiest railway station in the Netherlands, with sixteen platforms (of which thirteen are through tracks) and with more than 285,000 passengers per day. With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the most important railway hub of the country with more than 900 trains leaving this station per day, making it the largest junction station in the Netherlands. Therefore, disruptions at the station can easily affect the rest of the country's railway network.

International, national and local services call at the station, most notably the InterCityExpress trains to Frankfurt and Basel, intercity services to the northern and southern Netherlands, and local commuter services providing access to towns all over the Randstad.

History

The first station at the site was opened in 1843, when the Nederlandsche Rhijnspoorweg-Maatschappij opened the first station on Utrecht territory. In 1938, the station became the central station as the Maliebaanstation, on the other side of the city, was closed and the line from Hilversum was diverted into the central station.

Until the 1970s the station building of 1865 remained in place, though a fundamental renovation took place in 1936. Two years later, a fire burned down most of the building, which was subsequently rebuilt. That station building of the late 1930s was in turn demolished in the 1970s to make way for Hoog Catharijne, then Europe's largest enclosed shopping mall, which opened on 17 December 1973. Since that moment, the station hall no longer had a real entrance; the passageways of the shopping mall just continue into the station. In 1989, the station hall was enlarged to include an extra platform.

Future expansion

Scale model of the new station at Madurodam.

Between 2008 and 2016, the station is undergoing a major reconstruction, as part of a general reconstruction of the Utrecht Station Area, and because of the NS-project Wereldstations. The station hall is being replaced by a new glass structure, designed by architects Benthem Crouwel Architekten, the sheltering roofs on the platforms are being restored, and the station is being once again separated from the Hoog Catharijne shopping area. The bus station, which was located on the east side of the station (i.e. on the side of the city centre) is being split in two, with buses and trams arriving from the west of the city (among others the new suburb of Leidsche Rijn) terminating on the west side of the station to reduce traffic congestion.

A scale model of the new station has been displayed at Madurodam.

Train services

The following train services call at Utrecht Centraal:

• international:
  • 1 daily Intercity-Express service Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Frankfurt Airport - Basel
  • 5 daily Intercity-Express services Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Frankfurt am Main
  • 1 daily CityNightLine service Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Basel - Zurich
  • 1 daily CityNightLine service Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Hamburg - Copenhagen
• national:
  • 1x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle - Leeuwarden
  • 1x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle - Groningen
  • 1x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Hengelo - Enschede
  • 1x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Amersfoort Schothorst
  • 2x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht
  • 2x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht
  • 2x per hour intercity service ((Schagen - ) Alkmaar - ) Amsterdam - Utrecht - Eindhoven - Maastricht
  • 2x per hour intercity service Den Helder - Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Nijmegen
  • 2x per hour intercity service Schiphol - Utrecht - Nijmegen
  • 2x per hour intercity service Schiphol - Utrecht - Eindhoven (- Heerlen)
  • 2x per hour intercity service Leiden - Alphen aan den Rijn - Utrecht
  • 1x per hour night train (nachtnet) service Rotterdam - The Hague - Amsterdam - Utrecht
  • 1x per hour night train (nachtnet) service Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven (weekends only)
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Hilversum - Almere
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Baarn
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) The Hague - Leiden - Hoofddorp - Schiphol - Duivendrecht - Hilversum - Utrecht
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Breukelen - Utrecht - Veenendaal Centrum (rush hour only)
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) (Amsterdam -) Breukelen - Utrecht - Rhenen
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) The Hague - Gouda - Woerden - Utrecht - Geldermalsen - Tiel
  • 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Woerden - Utrecht - Geldermalsen - 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg - Breda
  • 1x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Utrecht Maliebaan

Bus services

Utrecht Centraal has two bus stations. One next to the station at the city centre side (Busstation Centrum) and the other on the western side (Busstation West), including a tram stop. Bus services are operated by Qbuzz (Abellio) under the brand U-OV, Connexxion (urban and inter-urban services) and Arriva (Brabantliner to Breda and to Gorinchem area).

Busstation Centrumzijde

Bus station

• 1 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Tuinwijk - Overvecht)
• 2 (Centraal Station - City Centre - Museumkwartier - Centraal Station (circular))
• 3 (Centraal Station - Amsterdamsestraatweg - Zuilen - Zuilen Noord)
• 5 (Centraal Station - City Centre - Wittevrouwen - Tuindorp - Voordorp)
• 6 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Overvecht - Vechtsebanen)
• 8 (Lunetten - Tolsteeg - Centraal Station - City Centre - Oudwijk - Sterrenwijk - Oorsprongpark)
• 9 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Tuinwijk - Overvecht - Overvecht Noord)
• 12 (Centraal Station - Bleekstraat - Rubenslaan - Stadion Galgenwaard - De Uithof AZU)
• 16 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Vechtsebanen)
• 27 (Centraal Station - Vredenburg - De Meern Oost)
• 28 (Vleuten - Vleuterweide - De Meern - Vredenburg - Centraal Station - Wittevrouwen - Rijnsweerd - De Uithof WKZ)
• 34 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Zuilen - Maarssen)
• 36 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Zuilen - Maarssen)
• 41 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Stadion Galgenwaard - Bunnik - Wijk bij Duurstede)
• 47 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Hoograven - Houten West - Houten Station)
• 50 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Zeist - Driebergen-Zeist - Driebergen - Doorn - Leersum - Amerongen - Elst - Rhenen - Wageningen Bus Station)
• 51 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - Zeist - Driebergen-Zeist)
• 52 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Vollenhove - Zeist Handelscentrum - Huis ter Heide - Soesterberg - Amersfoort CS)
• 53 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Vollenhove - Zeist)
• 55 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Tuindorp - Groenekan - Maartensdijk)
• 74 (Zeist - De Bilt - Wittevrouwen - Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Kanaleneiland Zuid - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Vianen Het Monnikenhof - Vianen De Hagen - Vianen Edisonweg)
• 77 (Nieuwegein Zuid - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum - Nieuwegein - Galecop - P+R Westraven - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Bleekstraat - Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - De Leijen - Bilthoven)
• 120 (Utrecht Centraal - Amsterdamsestraatweg - Zuilen - Zuilen Noord - Maarssen - Breukelen NS - Breukelen - Loenen - Loenersloot - Baambrugge - Abcoude - Holendrecht - Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA)
• 128 (Centraal Station - Wittevrouwen - Rijnsweerd - De Uithof WKZ)
• 247 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Hoograven - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Nieuwegein - Houten West - Houten Station)
• 251 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - Zeist - Zeist Handelscentrum)

Busstation West

• 7 (Centraal Station - Oudenrijn Hospital - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Kanaleneiland Zuid)
• 19 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Leidsche Rijn - Leidsche Rijn Station)
• 21 (Centraal Station - Rivierenwijk - Hoograven)
• 23 (Centraal Station - City Centre)
• 24 (Centraal Station - Transwijk - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Papendorp Noord - De Meern Oudenrijn - De Meern-Oost)
• 25 (Centraal Station - Oog in Al - Lombok - Cartesiusweg)
• 26 (Centraal Station - Lombok - Langerak - Leidsche Rijn - Terwijde - Vleuterwijde)
• 29 (Centraal Station - Transwijk - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Papendorp P&R - Papendorp Zuid)
• 37 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Lage Weide - Maarssenbroek - Maarssen NS)
• 38 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Lage Weide - Maarssen NS)
• 39 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Leidsche Rijn - Terwijde - Maarssen NS)
• 63 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Vianen De Hagen - Vianen De Biezen) (limited stop between Utrecht CS and Vianen Busstation Lekbrug)
• 65 (Utrecht Centraal - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug)
• 66 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum)
• 81 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Meerkerk - Bazelbrug - Arkel - Gorinchem)
• 85 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Leerdam)
• 90 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Ameide - Langerak - Groot Ammers - Nieuw Lekkerland - Kinderdijk - Alblasserdam - Ridderkerk - Rotterdam Lombardijen - Rotterdam Zuidplein)
• 102 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Harmelen - Woerden)
• 103 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Harmelen - Woerden)
• 107 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Montfoort - Oudewater - Haastrecht - Gouda)
• 181 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Meerkerk - Bazelbrug - Arkel - Gorinchem) (limited stop service)
• 195 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - IJsselstein - Benschop - Lopik - Schoonhoven - Bergambacht - Krimpen aan den IJssel - Rotterdam Capelsebrug Metro Station)
• 207 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - Montfoort - Oudewater)
• 295 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - IJsselstein - Benschop - Lopik - Schoonhoven (- Bergambacht - Krimpen aan den IJssel - Rotterdam Capelsebrug Metro Station))
• 387 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Gorinchem) Qliner
• 388 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Noordeloos - Sliedrecht - Papendrecht - Dordrecht Hospital) Qliner
• 389 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Noordeloos - Papendrecht - Papendrecht Busstation) Qliner
• 400 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Sleeuwijk Tol - Raamsdonksveer - Oosterhout) Brabantliner
• 401 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Sleeuwijk Tol - Hank - Breda) Brabantliner
• Eurolines

Tram services

• Line 60: Jaarbeursplein - Transwijk - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein South
• Line 61: Jaarbeursplein - Transwijk - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - IJsselstein

Bicycles

With a large university, Utrecht has a disproportionate number of cyclists, parking their bike virtually anywhere, especially around Utrecht Centraal. Thousands of bicycles clog the area, at almost any time. This not only creates an eyesore, but is also affecting pedestrian traffic. To address the problem, the City Council decided in 2014 to build the world's largest bicycle parking station, near the Central Railway Station. This 3-floor construction will cost an estimated 48 million Euros and will hold 12,500 bicycles. Completion is foreseen in 2018.

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• NS website
• Dutch Public Transport journey planner