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Arriva applies for open-access night services in the Netherlands

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DanielB

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Arriva has filed an application with the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) to run three open-access services within The Netherlands. More at: Arriva applies for open-access night services in the Netherlands | International Railway Journal (railjournal.com)

Their request is to be allowed to operate one train in both directions each Friday night from Groningen to Schiphol Airport and from Maastricht to Schiphol Airport. Additionally they've applied to extend their franchised Zutphen - Apeldoorn service through to Amersfoort at off-peak hours. Services should be starting as of December 2022.
The application should be seen as an attempt to gain access to the "Hoofdrailnet" (main railway network) which is currently exclusively operated by NS. Although the links they propose make sense as the nightly services are currently not offered and Zutphen - Apeldoorn now has a lengthy 20 minute change for passengers travelling onwards to Amersfoort at off peak times, there are still quite a few hurdles to take.

For the night trains for example, Arriva would need to obtain suitable rolling stock as their electric Stadler GTW and FLIRT trains operating in Limburg are not really designed for a two hour trip to the airport. Similarly the Stadler WINK trains they operate in Friesland are capable of running under 1,5 kV overhead lines, but are also not designed for the distance to the airport.
The extension of Zutphen - Apeldoorn to Amersfoort would also pose a challenge as I'm not sure their diesel-powered Stadler GTW trains are actually allowed outside their regular routes. Transfers of these diesel trains actually always happen with multiple trainsets to have sufficient train detection by the ATB EG systems. But multiples are overkill for Zutphen - Apeldoorn which is usually operated by a single GTW 2/6.
Should they be planning to accept the OV chipkaart on these trains, they'll also need check in/check out facilities on many stations outside of their current franchises, but those stations often also lack space for additional gatelines.
 
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biko

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I am really not sure if it is possible to make any money at all with these proposals. NS withdrew some late night trains because there was nearly no-one using them. And I don't see how running a single GTW to Amersfoort will be generating a profit as the number of through passengers between Zutphen and Amersfoort will be very low off-peak. I guess it is just some tactic to get to run on the hoofdrailnet and then try to expand with small steps.
 

DanielB

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Amersfoort, NL

Arriva to start three new open-access services in Netherlands​

THE Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has given Arriva Netherlands permission to start three new train services which will be operated at its own risk.

The three new service comprise:

  • a weekly night service between Groningen and Amsterdam Schiphol airport
  • a weekly night service between Maastricht and Schiphol airport, and
  • a daily service between Apeldoorn and Amersfoort with a maximum frequency of five trains per day.
The new train services are an initiative by Arriva and will be the first open-access passenger services to operate in the Netherlands.
Source: https://www.railjournal.com/news/arriva-to-start-three-new-open-access-services-in-netherlands/

The service between Apeldoorn and Amersfoort will be operated as an extension of their current service between Zutphen and Apeldoorn, usually operated with 2-car GTW DMU's.
With departures around 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 13.30 and 14.30 (Apeldoorn -> Amersfoort Centraal) this service fills up the gaps in the NS timetable, as at off-peak times NS only operates three trains an hour between Apeldoorn and Amersfoort with a 15/15/30 interval.
 
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