Punctuality on the main rail network

Passengers attach great importance to the safety, reliability and predictability of their journey. NS makes every effort to ensure the punctuality of services 24/7, throughout the year and everywhere in the Netherlands. Our ‘punctuality for passengers’ performance indicator also incorporates data on whether passengers made their connections. In 2019, punctuality for passengers remained unchanged relative to 2018, at 92.6%. This score is the result of a robust timetable whose reliability is optimised on a continuous basis. In addition, we introduced a number of tools to further improve punctuality in the implementation of the timetable. For example, in May 2019 we launched the roll-out of the smartwatch for train guards. At Utrecht CS we ran a pilot with supplementary boarding information for passengers: crowding on the train, minutes left before departure and final countdown (last ten seconds before the guard blows the whistle). Unfortunately, we have also witnessed several events that prevented us from providing the intended level of service. Most of these events resulted from rolling stock defects, work on the rail infrastructure and unfavourable weather conditions.

Influence of the weather on our timetable

The wintry weather conditions on 21, 22 and 30 January 2019 caused NS to adjust its timetable and reduce the number of trains in service. The heat in July caused cancellations due to malfunctioning trains, points failures and other breakdowns, resulting in inconvenience to passengers. While typical autumn conditions occurred early in the autumn, the expected dip in punctuality rates due to slippery tracks was limited. Every year NS is better prepared to deal with adverse weather conditions and recovers faster by switching to an adjusted timetable, large-scale deployment of mechanics for repairs and technical modifications to trains.