@@HalveMelk The line itself is fine. It’s really the trains that cause problems. They’re just not meant to operate high speed service and were only meant to be used temporarily. Their replacement entered service in 2013, but those trains failed terribly and were taken out of service after a few months. The new replacement will enter service somewhere in the coming 6 to 12 months.
Thanks Dylan this brought back many happy memories when i used to travel this service twice a year with my partner to and from Amsterdam, keep up the good work by far the best channel out there.
I was there, but not to get a train - but a National Express coach from and back to London Victoria. This video brings back good memories at the station, thanks for going to Brussels Zuid!
I took that trip about 25 years back on Belgian rolling stock, had a compartment to myself for the entire ride that took 4 hours plus, including a half hour pause at Antwerp while they moved the loco to the other end of the train to reverse direction. Also additional stops at Rosendahl on the border and Den Haag. Great fun.
"Even at 6'1" or 185 cm..." Which makes you more or less average height in the Netherlands for a male of your age. 🙂 Regarding Antwerp: as a Dutchman, who lived for three years in Amsterdam, and loves the city and its central station, Antwerpen-Centraal is a sight to behold, even from the outside. It has been named by some as the most beautiful railway station in the world. It's next door to a zoo, which was rather less splendid when we last visited (early 2000s).
Hey Dylan, great video showcasing Belgium and The Netherlands. I will be visiting Maastrict and London mid August. I'll be taking the Stena cruise ovetnight to Harwich. I've riden on this train. Nothing to brag about. The loos are dirty. 😅 I can't wait to get out of NYC. THANKS to your videos, I managed to survive my. "I can't travel anxiety attacks" during the pandemic. 😖😅
Back in the 80's and 90's NS had foodservices on board of their Intercity-trains: Railcatering. In the first IRM-series there is still an elevator for the railcatering-carriages.
Antwerp Central might be worth a film of its own, interesting about the lack of wifi in the train the passengers seemed to be talking to each other as a difference to more "modern" trains where people stare at the screens.
The frustrating part of this train is the absolute slogfest that is slowly creeping through the 4 Brussels stations. Fun fact, on my retour journey I barely mist the train, but could take a local Belgium intercity that did not go via the airport, so it arrived at Antwerp 5min before so there I could change over and change back to the international train. edit: Also fun fact, if you noticed the train changed sides before/after I think Rotterdam, going from the French/Belgian driving on the left side, to the Dutch right side
On the North section of the HSL we run right hand side, on the South section we run left hand traffic. Also at Barendrecht there are 9 mainline tracks next to each other with an average of about a train Avery two minutes. This is the reason all tracks are covered and a park was build on top of the line so people do still have a good place to live in stead of getting hammered with sound pollution all day. If we look from the south portal towards Rotterdam, 2 tracks HSL, One track Betuweroute for dangerous loads with all kinds of fancy extinguisher and foam stuff to make a good party. Two tracks Betuweroute for non hazardous freight and 4 tracks normal mainline to Dordrecht.
Perhaps you like the colour of the train because it reminds you of Leeds United colours. Really enjoying your videos. Looking forward to my Amtrak trip later this year.
The New Jersey Transit ALP46 is a derivative of the Traxx locomotive hauling commuter trains between New Jersey and NYC. They've been a pretty solid locomotive even after 20 years of service.
Certainly a better deal than the Thalys, even if it does feel weird to go around a banked high-speed curve on a low-speed train. And the open tickets save a lot of anxiety if you're connecting from a flight at Schiphol.
Depends. I often travel between Brussel and Rotterdam. If you travelling on Friday/Week-ends, it will be 10€ more expensive than during the week so 29€. If you are younger than 25, you can get thalys tickeys for 19€. Id honestly take the thalys which his faster and has wifi+plug outlet.
I took this service to Amsterdam when the Thalys was fully booked; I was also surprised not to be able to use a machine. Similarly, when I was staying in Lille and took a day-trip to Ypres, I had to use the international ticket office in Lille Flandres.
I remember doing a video clip of that same stretch of highway when riding on the Thalys. At Thalys speed, the cars appeared to be almost standing still! I think I would find those seats uncomfortable on a long trip. Fine for a 1-hour short haul but not 3 hours.
Every time I hear about cross-border trains in mainland Europe I feel sad that Regional Eurostar never happened. Imagine being able to catch a train from Birmingham right into Benelux instead of having to fly!
just a small correction: You refer to the coaches as ICRm prio. However the coaches are actually: ICRmh. Prio merely refers to the Fyra colorscheme and is not in use today anymore.
Been away from this train for almost three weeks as I also needed a vacation. But next Saturday I’ll be on the first one to Brussels again doing my daily returns as a train manager on “the old lady”. Yes I also did FYRA on this route as well as Eurostar, and can’t wait to get my hands on the ICNG “Wasp” when it will be introduced later this year between Amsterdam and Breda, and internationally later next year. Also the service will be extended to twice per hour using NMBS I11 coaches and newly ordered loco’s. The Wasp will cut yourney times by half an hour skipping many stations on the route where the I11 stock will fill that gap and do Brussels to Rotterdam calling all stops of the current service.
You're very chirpy this week, Dylan. Oh, that's right! It's midsummer over there. Looks like you had a pleasant trip despite the niggles about the windows and restroom. Brussels Central Station looks like a real people friendly place, unlike our Aussie airports in recent weeks (Flight cancellations, luggage handling issues and general chaos due to staff shortages brought about by COVID/ Omicron - It's darkest sombre winter down here and the winter school vacation travel period was one of the worst for domestic air travel ever). I have had a few interesting rail trips out of Melbourne and don't intend flying anywhere or driving unnecessarily for quite a while given the uncertainties of the short term future. Your journey and commentary really brightened up my day so thanks for posting this one.😀😀😀😀
taking your bike with you in NS trains actually is pretty bad, and the reason they do that is because if it was to convenient everyone would take there bike with them and you would end up with bikke trains instead of people trains. Or at least that is what I have heard people say. Even nowadays I have found myself having to wait for the next train as there is no bike space left anymore.
This is true, and additionally NS has a rather good bike rental service (OV-Fiets) on plenty of stations across the country for a decent price (less than €5 per 24h).
If i'm not mistaken, NS will replace these trains with their new ICNG rolling stock (The Beglian version of that stock that is), which is capable of getting the top speed of 200km/h.
8:03 yeah belgian railways are the backbone of the country. Belgium has among the highest railway density in the world. If you just take flanders, it's the highest.
I've never heard an actual positive review of these trains, I look these last week on a Friday afternoon and had to stand all the way, because the train was full.
It will be interesting to see if the new Alstom Coradia SING units make a difference to the journey time. However loco hauled stock certainly has a charm all of its own. Another fantastic video Dylan!
The ICNG train will be a lot faster than this one. Partly because of the increased top speed (200km/h like DutchGames states) and faster acceleration of this new train, but especially because NS plans to reduce stops on this route, especially in Belgium. It is likely that Breda, Noorderkempen, Antwerpen-Berchem, Mechelen and one or more stations in Brussels will be skipped, which would reduce travel times to around two hours, only a couple of minutes slower than Thalys. NMBS, the Belgian railways, are likely to launch their own Intercity train to the Netherlands, probably a TRAXX hauled train like this one, but with a higher top speed of 200km/h as well. This train will likely end either in Breda or Rotterdam/the Hague. I am looking forward to see if this will become a thing, as this would mean that the current direct service to many stations will keep existing, but a new, faster affordable Intercity train will become reality between Amsterdam and Brussels.
@@janbaukespoelstra6839i disagree the fact they don’t tell you anything until last minute is horrible! At least NS/NS International keeps you updated with what’s going on! Same with ARRVIA Netherlands
I took this route in reverse back in 2001 and we had to change trains as the border. The Dutch train was much nicer the the EMU Belgian offering which was really not suitable for the large passenger numbers. Antwerp Central featured in the popular Sound of Music Flashmob video. It looked beautiful.
I've been watching various driver's eye view videos on board the Thalys services going from Brussels to Amsterdam and the other way round, a really fun to watch route. Hope I'll get to Antwerp myself someday, that station really is magnificent. Thought I should mention an international service that you definetly have to try: Hamburg to Copenhagen, as the trains go onto a ferry! These ferries are bound to be replaced by a tunnel in the future, so you shouldn't miss your chance to check it out while you still can. That goes for myself as well as I haven't gone the full route myself yet, but all fo the German half because I actually live at this route. A cool feature of the IC3 trains being used is you can look the train driver over his shoulder, or at least you used to be able to (it's been a while).
It's also interesting to note that there's talk of another separate service between Breda/Rotterdam-Brussels operated by SNCB using Belgian rolling stock. The new ICNGB Coradia trains will probably skip some stations like Breda and Antwerpen-Noorderkempen, but SNCB obviously wants to keep serving those stations. So we might have two connections between Rotterdam and Brussels in the future--a fast one and a slower one.
The many stops that this train makes, makes it slower than cars actually. The travel time from Brussels South to Amsterdam Central is 2 hours and 50 minutes by train compared to 2 hours and 15 minutes by car.
Nice video, you must see Antwerp station it is a grand building, well worth a visit! Shame you missed part of the train, perhaps (please accept this as constructive) you need to start your train tour earlier in the journey whilst the train is emptier.
"I waffeld long enough arround... " There might be a joke hidden somewhere in there... Belgian waffles... I find it though quite funny that NS is using the Bombardier Traxx Locos in Sandwich use instead of a control car shuttle train like DB does with their Traxx Locos
I have a video idea: What about a train rating? You can also not rate them, but after riding so many trains, I would be interested in an overview video where you talk what you think about them. Or if you already have one, I haven't found it yet on the channel. I'll keep looking.
I think the old trains while be missed by everybody I remember the refreshment used to accept Dutch Guilders & Belgian Francs before the euro have they been given a reprieve
The train got you where you wanted to go but I agree that it should have had a food service for three hours. As far as cleanliness goes, during the first window shot I thought for a moment that my screen was filthy . The ending was great with those beautiful old Dutch buildings in central Amsterdam.
No power sockets in 2nd class. I know these trains are being replaced in a couple of years. But it would have been nice a light refurbishment to add the power sockets. What international train doesn't offer power sockets in 2022 (1st class has them btw).
They were actually written off 15 years ago but do to the Fyra debacle they were quickly put back in service with only some new seats and new toilets. But no worries the new ICNG train sets have all the modern amenities you expect from a modern train, they are also a lot faster
I believe one of the reasons that bike tickets are so expensive in the Netherlands is to guarantee that your bike will fit if you book one. Otherwise the entire train would just be piled full of bikes
It's a very nice train and I love these carriages. But it can also be a very busy train and was, and is, often overcrowded. I used to take this service regularly and found it often unreliable but this was due to the former multi-network Belgian locomotives breaking down. The new Traxx locos were an instant solution. But the ride quality is very high but bear in mind that much of the journey uses the high speed track which is laid to an exceptional standard. But great to see these again, even though the original maroon and yellow colour scheme has now been superceded by the current Dutch livery.
The current locomotives are also not the most reliable. Sometimes the switch in either safety or electrification systems just causes their electronics to crash leading to delays on every service using the high speed line
I notice that those NS Coaches, also depicted the (B) motif of the NMBS/SNCB also, the HLE18 (Series 18) was once controlled by the Belgians and the Coaches by the Netherlands, that was in the days when these trains went through two incarnations of "Benelux Express". It was all because the NS got mud on their faces, due to their useless choice of an unproven rail-set from Italy. The Dutch are always making wrong moves where their trains are concerned, like Sprinters with zero loo's, which is asking for trouble on trains at night! By the way, the very first railway in Mainland Europe, was in Belgium between Schaerbeek and Mechelen, and that was before Bavaria!
Great video :) I personally think the NS Intercity Direct between Brussels and Amsterdam offers a relatively poor service compared to Thalys (at least, when Thalys was reliable which is now a problem) for almost the same price. If you book your Thalys ticket in advance, you can get it for 29 euros. Thalys has a more efficient route for an international train not calling at the three Brussels stations, Mechelen, Noorderkempen and Breda. The NS Intercity in my experience is also often delayed or cancelled or run into troubles when crossing the border as the electric systems are not the same in the two countries. I also think Breda is a useless stop costing time. It would have made more sense to build a station like Noorderkempen alongside the High speed line rather than getting the train to the main Breda station, increasing the chances of a break down because the train has once again to switch between different electric systems. Futhermore, it takes a while in the Rotterdam direction before getting actually back on the high speed line. Finally, there is no wifi in the train. With Thalys, you are also sure of having a place to sit, which in the NS train especially from Antwerp certainly not the case. So, I think Thalys is overall a better deal, but maybe it will change when the new trains will be used.
The domestic ones should come into passenger service by the end of this year, the Belgium-equipped ones were originally indeed scheduled for 2025 but there are strong rumours that they may enter service even earlier; certification is already as good as complete.
As someone who's taking this train every week-end between Rotterdam and Brussel, here's my experience. It used to be a good deal for me with tickets starting at 16,5€ until they decided travels during friday and the week-end will start a 26€ (+10€ extra) and they recently up the pice (now its from 18€ during the week). Remeber Thalys tickets start at 29€ and now it starts at 19€ for the students. That makes this train way less competitive as remember it is 1h longer than a trip with Thalys and it doesnt have any plug outlet and wifi. I'm also very frustrated with the stop at Brussels Airport as this detour ad 25minutes to the trip even tho Ive barely seen more than 10people boared in at this station. I do have to admit the seats are confortable and the fact you can take any trains of the day is a huge stress releiver. But in my mind, those trains arz better for occasional trips but thalys is a much better deal if you travel quiet frequently.
I do wonder why they decided to use 160 km/h TRAXX rather than Siemens' Taurus which can do up to 230 km/h, but I suppose they were limited by the maximum permissible speed of the rolling stock. And it was only intended as a short term substitute for the disastrous Fyra until new high speed trains could be ordered, wasn't it
When eurostar 1st opened I used this service a lot and there was a refreshment trolley. Thalys took a lot of the traffic from the service and of course there is also the direct london - Brussels - amsterdam service. also in the old days Antwerp was also a reversal and there was a stop at the border due to the need to change locos AC to Dutch DC.
2:27 It's so funny to me that SNCB International just copied the booking system of NS International without even bothering to change the security image of the smiling lady in front of a Dutch VIRM train. Could have at least made that a Belgian train, lol.
I agree that the standard of cleanliness on the rrains leaves quite a bit to desired, but it's been that way for a long time. For the reat, they're reasonably comfortable and reliable. I travelled on them many a time, and it's as good a way of seeing the Netherlands as any other mode of travel. For ME personally, they're OK, they serve their purpose but are nothing special to Z MY way of thinking. But! That's just MY opinion.
0:18 The Dutch name for it is Zuid, not Zaud. I know the ui is hard to pronounce but you're making it sound like you're not even trying :P 5:57 the route on that map is wrong, it's drawn past Breda instead of via, and it's drawn via Dordrecht instead of via the High Speed Line.
Unfortunately, the Nederlandse Spoorwegen has the same problem as many comparable organisations. After everything is in full swing again after the trouble of the recent years, its hard for them to hire enough staff, so services might be of a bit lower standard than usual.
The comfort level on this train (and other NS intercity train) is real bad in First Class standard. NS should really install seats with better ergonomics (though the new ICNG's First class seats look equally disappointing).
You were too generous with your review of Bruxelles Midi/Brussel Zuid, Dylan. It's not advisable to linger outside after sunset or inadvertently stumble into the homeless area. Not exactly a 'Welcome to Brussels' location. The other two Brussels stations are no better.
@@DylansTravelReports I can understand that Dylan but for the 'capital' of the EU to have three s******e stations, is bad news. Brussels needs to do something about the loiterers and homeless people. Many people travelling from Brexitania to Brussels for the first time are guided by the French name of the Eurostar arrival station 'Midi' thinking it is located in the centre of the city. The Dutch name of 'Zuid' gives an accurate location.
@@Eurobazz Brussels central is nice though. It's literally 300 m from the grand place! Yes there are like 4-5 homeless dudes out of it but they never do anything, maybe they put up some music. Zuid and North suck it's true! But again, Central is quite nice. I take a train from there 4 times a weeks for the last 4 years, it's good.
The Dutch High Speed track from Schiphol to Belgium is the track most plagued by delays and technical problems in the Netherlands.
Yup, thats the sad reason the reputation is low.
No you mean the train to Breda not the IC Brussel ! Same coaches but without the B of Belgium !
@@janbaukespoelstra6839 he's probably just talking about the Highspeed line itself, not the actual train...
@@HalveMelk The line itself is fine. It’s really the trains that cause problems. They’re just not meant to operate high speed service and were only meant to be used temporarily. Their replacement entered service in 2013, but those trains failed terribly and were taken out of service after a few months. The new replacement will enter service somewhere in the coming 6 to 12 months.
@@mernisch8307 the ones for the Belgian service are not mean't to start till 2025
Thanks Dylan this brought back many happy memories when i used to travel this service twice a year with my partner to and from Amsterdam, keep up the good work by far the best channel out there.
Thanks!
Hey Dylan, Great video. I'll be in Europe in mid August. Finally. You've kept my spirits up during the pandemic. Thank you for that!👍
I was there, but not to get a train - but a National Express coach from and back to London Victoria. This video brings back good memories at the station, thanks for going to Brussels Zuid!
Finally a dutch train report!!!😀
You simply must visit Antwerp station, it's amazing!
great you visited Belgium! greatings from Wevelgem Belgium
I took that trip about 25 years back on Belgian rolling stock, had a compartment to myself for the entire ride that took 4 hours plus, including a half hour pause at Antwerp while they moved the loco to the other end of the train to reverse direction. Also additional stops at Rosendahl on the border and Den Haag. Great fun.
Roosendaal was the old border station 😉
@@Thomas_TdK Roosendaal still gets a fairly frequent service to Antwerp on a local train
"Even at 6'1" or 185 cm..."
Which makes you more or less average height in the Netherlands for a male of your age. 🙂
Regarding Antwerp: as a Dutchman, who lived for three years in Amsterdam, and loves the city and its central station, Antwerpen-Centraal is a sight to behold, even from the outside. It has been named by some as the most beautiful railway station in the world.
It's next door to a zoo, which was rather less splendid when we last visited (early 2000s).
Hey Dylan, great video showcasing Belgium and The Netherlands. I will be visiting Maastrict and London mid August. I'll be taking the Stena cruise ovetnight to Harwich. I've riden on this train. Nothing to brag about. The loos are dirty. 😅 I can't wait to get out of NYC. THANKS to your videos, I managed to survive my. "I can't travel anxiety attacks" during the pandemic. 😖😅
Great video! Now I'm looking forward to a good tour of the Antwerp station.
It’s interesting seeing trains from around the world
Back in the 80's and 90's NS had foodservices on board of their Intercity-trains: Railcatering. In the first IRM-series there is still an elevator for the railcatering-carriages.
Antwerp Central might be worth a film of its own, interesting about the lack of wifi in the train the passengers seemed to be talking to each other as a difference to more "modern" trains where people stare at the screens.
These days data is fast & cheap, I guess many wouldn't use public WIFI due to security concerns.
Definately. I was actually catching this very train from Antwerp Central not long ago, and it is an absolute marvel.
The frustrating part of this train is the absolute slogfest that is slowly creeping through the 4 Brussels stations. Fun fact, on my retour journey I barely mist the train, but could take a local Belgium intercity that did not go via the airport, so it arrived at Antwerp 5min before so there I could change over and change back to the international train.
edit: Also fun fact, if you noticed the train changed sides before/after I think Rotterdam, going from the French/Belgian driving on the left side, to the Dutch right side
I noticed the change of side!
I never noticed that. Very interessting!
On the North section of the HSL we run right hand side, on the South section we run left hand traffic. Also at Barendrecht there are 9 mainline tracks next to each other with an average of about a train Avery two minutes. This is the reason all tracks are covered and a park was build on top of the line so people do still have a good place to live in stead of getting hammered with sound pollution all day. If we look from the south portal towards Rotterdam, 2 tracks HSL, One track Betuweroute for dangerous loads with all kinds of fancy extinguisher and foam stuff to make a good party. Two tracks Betuweroute for non hazardous freight and 4 tracks normal mainline to Dordrecht.
Perhaps you like the colour of the train because it reminds you of Leeds United colours.
Really enjoying your videos. Looking forward to my Amtrak trip later this year.
That Dutch trainset you've shown at the beginning looks like the ETR POP trainsets in use in Italy for many regional services
The New Jersey Transit ALP46 is a derivative of the Traxx locomotive hauling commuter trains between New Jersey and NYC. They've been a pretty solid locomotive even after 20 years of service.
Certainly a better deal than the Thalys, even if it does feel weird to go around a banked high-speed curve on a low-speed train. And the open tickets save a lot of anxiety if you're connecting from a flight at Schiphol.
or a eurostar from london
Depends. I often travel between Brussel and Rotterdam. If you travelling on Friday/Week-ends, it will be 10€ more expensive than during the week so 29€. If you are younger than 25, you can get thalys tickeys for 19€. Id honestly take the thalys which his faster and has wifi+plug outlet.
3:12 Small sidenote: "PRIO" was the old "candy cane" livery. Its official name now: "NSInternational ICRmH (BDs, driving trailers)"
I don't think I'd ever rent a car in Europe. Seems the trains go everywhere you'd ever want to go.
I took this service to Amsterdam when the Thalys was fully booked; I was also surprised not to be able to use a machine. Similarly, when I was staying in Lille and took a day-trip to Ypres, I had to use the international ticket office in Lille Flandres.
The ICR carriages were also used on trains from The Hague CS to Cologne Hbf untill early 90's.
That's true 👍
And there were also a couple of ICR carriages that drove to Luxemburg. In my memory that was only on saturday
I remember doing a video clip of that same stretch of highway when riding on the Thalys. At Thalys speed, the cars appeared to be almost standing still! I think I would find those seats uncomfortable on a long trip. Fine for a 1-hour short haul but not 3 hours.
Every time I hear about cross-border trains in mainland Europe I feel sad that Regional Eurostar never happened. Imagine being able to catch a train from Birmingham right into Benelux instead of having to fly!
just a small correction:
You refer to the coaches as ICRm prio. However the coaches are actually: ICRmh. Prio merely refers to the Fyra colorscheme and is not in use today anymore.
Thanks for the info!
@@DylansTravelReports ur welcome!
Been away from this train for almost three weeks as I also needed a vacation. But next Saturday I’ll be on the first one to Brussels again doing my daily returns as a train manager on “the old lady”. Yes I also did FYRA on this route as well as Eurostar, and can’t wait to get my hands on the ICNG “Wasp” when it will be introduced later this year between Amsterdam and Breda, and internationally later next year. Also the service will be extended to twice per hour using NMBS I11 coaches and newly ordered loco’s. The Wasp will cut yourney times by half an hour skipping many stations on the route where the I11 stock will fill that gap and do Brussels to Rotterdam calling all stops of the current service.
Great trip and think I used this train between Brussels and Antwerp. Lovely city and the station is well worth a visit. On three levels if I recall!
Thanks Dylan. We do this when flying to Brussels and take it directly from the airport. Have to pay the Diablo tax but worth the convenience.
You're very chirpy this week, Dylan. Oh, that's right! It's midsummer over there. Looks like you had a pleasant trip despite the niggles about the windows and restroom. Brussels Central Station looks like a real people friendly place, unlike our Aussie airports in recent weeks (Flight cancellations, luggage handling issues and general chaos due to staff shortages brought about by COVID/ Omicron - It's darkest sombre winter down here and the winter school vacation travel period was one of the worst for domestic air travel ever). I have had a few interesting rail trips out of Melbourne and don't intend flying anywhere or driving unnecessarily for quite a while given the uncertainties of the short term future.
Your journey and commentary really brightened up my day so thanks for posting this one.😀😀😀😀
The coaches are build in the early eighties, then they had orange seats !
Excellent as usual
Great! I love this train. When need to go between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, always prefer this one to standard Intercity
Damnnn you got that extra 1,60 money. But yea it's definitely the better choice. I am really exited about the new trains being introduced
taking your bike with you in NS trains actually is pretty bad, and the reason they do that is because if it was to convenient everyone would take there bike with them and you would end up with bikke trains instead of people trains. Or at least that is what I have heard people say. Even nowadays I have found myself having to wait for the next train as there is no bike space left anymore.
This is true, and additionally NS has a rather good bike rental service (OV-Fiets) on plenty of stations across the country for a decent price (less than €5 per 24h).
Nice day trip and the old train still looked good the stations looked nice and clean
Great trip.
brilliant video dylan mate
If i'm not mistaken, NS will replace these trains with their new ICNG rolling stock (The Beglian version of that stock that is), which is capable of getting the top speed of 200km/h.
Correct
Nice job and nice train!
Off course it's silky smooth at 160 km/h since you were on the high speed line :) And do visit Antwerpen-Centraal!
8:03 yeah belgian railways are the backbone of the country. Belgium has among the highest railway density in the world. If you just take flanders, it's the highest.
I've never heard an actual positive review of these trains, I look these last week on a Friday afternoon and had to stand all the way, because the train was full.
It will be interesting to see if the new Alstom Coradia SING units make a difference to the journey time. However loco hauled stock certainly has a charm all of its own. Another fantastic video Dylan!
The new ICNG can do 200km/h. So yeah, the journey time will be sorter
The ICNG train will be a lot faster than this one. Partly because of the increased top speed (200km/h like DutchGames states) and faster acceleration of this new train, but especially because NS plans to reduce stops on this route, especially in Belgium. It is likely that Breda, Noorderkempen, Antwerpen-Berchem, Mechelen and one or more stations in Brussels will be skipped, which would reduce travel times to around two hours, only a couple of minutes slower than Thalys.
NMBS, the Belgian railways, are likely to launch their own Intercity train to the Netherlands, probably a TRAXX hauled train like this one, but with a higher top speed of 200km/h as well. This train will likely end either in Breda or Rotterdam/the Hague. I am looking forward to see if this will become a thing, as this would mean that the current direct service to many stations will keep existing, but a new, faster affordable Intercity train will become reality between Amsterdam and Brussels.
Love the trains and also the livery of them in the Netherlands and Belgium, do look real interesting to try out .
Well, British trains are much better !
@@janbaukespoelstra6839i disagree the fact they don’t tell you anything until last minute is horrible! At least NS/NS International keeps you updated with what’s going on! Same with ARRVIA Netherlands
And that’s from my partner who lives there
Hey! We went from Ghent to Amsterdam (Leiden, really) on July 1, '22, on NS! Small(ish) world!
I took this route in reverse back in 2001 and we had to change trains as the border. The Dutch train was much nicer the the EMU Belgian offering which was really not suitable for the large passenger numbers. Antwerp Central featured in the popular Sound of Music Flashmob video. It looked beautiful.
14:22 Or even just vending machines. A "muur" would be good as well.
I've been watching various driver's eye view videos on board the Thalys services going from Brussels to Amsterdam and the other way round, a really fun to watch route. Hope I'll get to Antwerp myself someday, that station really is magnificent.
Thought I should mention an international service that you definetly have to try: Hamburg to Copenhagen, as the trains go onto a ferry! These ferries are bound to be replaced by a tunnel in the future, so you shouldn't miss your chance to check it out while you still can. That goes for myself as well as I haven't gone the full route myself yet, but all fo the German half because I actually live at this route.
A cool feature of the IC3 trains being used is you can look the train driver over his shoulder, or at least you used to be able to (it's been a while).
For authentic train travel cannot beat loco hauled rolling stock….. although restaurant/buffet would be good
It's also interesting to note that there's talk of another separate service between Breda/Rotterdam-Brussels operated by SNCB using Belgian rolling stock. The new ICNGB Coradia trains will probably skip some stations like Breda and Antwerpen-Noorderkempen, but SNCB obviously wants to keep serving those stations. So we might have two connections between Rotterdam and Brussels in the future--a fast one and a slower one.
THANKS AGAIN
The many stops that this train makes, makes it slower than cars actually. The travel time from Brussels South to Amsterdam Central is 2 hours and 50 minutes by train compared to 2 hours and 15 minutes by car.
Nice, ride on the BeNeLux. If you have the time you should do a chill ride between Brussels and Luxemburg
Peace be upon you brother with love ❤️❤️🇵🇰❤️❤️
Nice video, you must see Antwerp station it is a grand building, well worth a visit! Shame you missed part of the train, perhaps (please accept this as constructive) you need to start your train tour earlier in the journey whilst the train is emptier.
Great video!
Thanks!
"I waffeld long enough arround... " There might be a joke hidden somewhere in there... Belgian waffles... I find it though quite funny that NS is using the Bombardier Traxx Locos in Sandwich use instead of a control car shuttle train like DB does with their Traxx Locos
Amazing.
Great trip report Dylan
I have a video idea: What about a train rating? You can also not rate them, but after riding so many trains, I would be interested in an overview video where you talk what you think about them.
Or if you already have one, I haven't found it yet on the channel. I'll keep looking.
I think the old trains while be missed by everybody I remember the refreshment used to accept Dutch Guilders & Belgian Francs before the euro have they been given a reprieve
The train got you where you wanted to go but I agree that it should have had a food service for three hours. As far as cleanliness goes, during the first window shot I thought for a moment that my screen was filthy . The ending was great with those beautiful old Dutch buildings in central Amsterdam.
Nice trip. Greetings from Venezuela.
Beautiful train 👌🇧🇪🇳🇱
Boa tarde Dylans lindo trem gostei bom 👍
No power sockets in 2nd class. I know these trains are being replaced in a couple of years. But it would have been nice a light refurbishment to add the power sockets. What international train doesn't offer power sockets in 2022 (1st class has them btw).
They were actually written off 15 years ago but do to the Fyra debacle they were quickly put back in service with only some new seats and new toilets. But no worries the new ICNG train sets have all the modern amenities you expect from a modern train, they are also a lot faster
That is not a light refurbishment. That whole process isn’t cheap and needs to be tested and approved again.
I believe one of the reasons that bike tickets are so expensive in the Netherlands is to guarantee that your bike will fit if you book one. Otherwise the entire train would just be piled full of bikes
Lovely video.
The livery is quite odd. Nice one Dylan
The catering was abolished one year ago
It's a very nice train and I love these carriages. But it can also be a very busy train and was, and is, often overcrowded. I used to take this service regularly and found it often unreliable but this was due to the former multi-network Belgian locomotives breaking down. The new Traxx locos were an instant solution. But the ride quality is very high but bear in mind that much of the journey uses the high speed track which is laid to an exceptional standard. But great to see these again, even though the original maroon and yellow colour scheme has now been superceded by the current Dutch livery.
The current locomotives are also not the most reliable. Sometimes the switch in either safety or electrification systems just causes their electronics to crash leading to delays on every service using the high speed line
I notice that those NS Coaches, also depicted the (B) motif of the NMBS/SNCB also, the HLE18 (Series 18) was once controlled by the Belgians and the Coaches by the Netherlands, that was in the days when these trains went through two incarnations of "Benelux Express". It was all because the NS got mud on their faces, due to their useless choice of an unproven rail-set from Italy. The Dutch are always making wrong moves where their trains are concerned, like Sprinters with zero loo's, which is asking for trouble on trains at night! By the way, the very first railway in Mainland Europe, was in Belgium between Schaerbeek and Mechelen, and that was before Bavaria!
yea, I hate it how they fucked over the Fyra with the V250 instead of buying already known and proven trains like the ICE 3M or a TGV
Ive been on them trains before and i think there are plugs above your head
There are plug sockets in First Class. Not in 2nd
woah - I had no idea there were accessible toilets on ICRm sets. I always ride in first class, where can I find this extra large toilet?
the Doors on the Train were "Prideful" Mr Bowes!
Great video :) I personally think the NS Intercity Direct between Brussels and Amsterdam offers a relatively poor service compared to Thalys (at least, when Thalys was reliable which is now a problem) for almost the same price. If you book your Thalys ticket in advance, you can get it for 29 euros. Thalys has a more efficient route for an international train not calling at the three Brussels stations, Mechelen, Noorderkempen and Breda. The NS Intercity in my experience is also often delayed or cancelled or run into troubles when crossing the border as the electric systems are not the same in the two countries. I also think Breda is a useless stop costing time. It would have made more sense to build a station like Noorderkempen alongside the High speed line rather than getting the train to the main Breda station, increasing the chances of a break down because the train has once again to switch between different electric systems. Futhermore, it takes a while in the Rotterdam direction before getting actually back on the high speed line. Finally, there is no wifi in the train. With Thalys, you are also sure of having a place to sit, which in the NS train especially from Antwerp certainly not the case. So, I think Thalys is overall a better deal, but maybe it will change when the new trains will be used.
Apparently the new Coradia trains will be put into service in 2025
The domestic ones should come into passenger service by the end of this year, the Belgium-equipped ones were originally indeed scheduled for 2025 but there are strong rumours that they may enter service even earlier; certification is already as good as complete.
@@nibuanad Great news! Thanks for your detailed answer.
As someone who's taking this train every week-end between Rotterdam and Brussel, here's my experience. It used to be a good deal for me with tickets starting at 16,5€ until they decided travels during friday and the week-end will start a 26€ (+10€ extra) and they recently up the pice (now its from 18€ during the week). Remeber Thalys tickets start at 29€ and now it starts at 19€ for the students. That makes this train way less competitive as remember it is 1h longer than a trip with Thalys and it doesnt have any plug outlet and wifi. I'm also very frustrated with the stop at Brussels Airport as this detour ad 25minutes to the trip even tho Ive barely seen more than 10people boared in at this station. I do have to admit the seats are confortable and the fact you can take any trains of the day is a huge stress releiver. But in my mind, those trains arz better for occasional trips but thalys is a much better deal if you travel quiet frequently.
I do wonder why they decided to use 160 km/h TRAXX rather than Siemens' Taurus which can do up to 230 km/h, but I suppose they were limited by the maximum permissible speed of the rolling stock. And it was only intended as a short term substitute for the disastrous Fyra until new high speed trains could be ordered, wasn't it
Traxx are cheaper,than the Taurus.
The ICR carriages are restricted to 160 kph. And those were the only carriages left in stock.
just a few more years and the new ICNG will replace all 186+ICR on this route and increase the service speed to max 200km/h!
When eurostar 1st opened I used this service a lot and there was a refreshment trolley. Thalys took a lot of the traffic from the service and of course there is also the direct london - Brussels - amsterdam service. also in the old days Antwerp was also a reversal and there was a stop at the border due to the need to change locos AC to Dutch DC.
That isn't true. Since 1986 there is a multicourant loco hauled service from Brussels to Amsterdam C without the need to change locos.
Book tickets for this train online, you don't pay any fee at all.
Wasn't it possible to buy the ticket online on your phone?
2:27 It's so funny to me that SNCB International just copied the booking system of NS International without even bothering to change the security image of the smiling lady in front of a Dutch VIRM train. Could have at least made that a Belgian train, lol.
ICR isn't used in the netherlands only international
Are Dutch trains really that efficient. My dad has been to The Netherlands and he said that their trains are so reliable and always run on time.
In 2019 last year before Corona, 92,6% of the ns trains arrived on time
True
I agree that the standard of cleanliness on the rrains leaves quite a bit to desired, but it's been that way for a long time. For the reat, they're reasonably comfortable and reliable. I travelled on them many a time, and it's as good a way of seeing the Netherlands as any other mode of travel. For ME personally, they're OK, they serve their purpose but are nothing special to Z
MY way of thinking. But! That's just MY opinion.
0:18 The Dutch name for it is Zuid, not Zaud. I know the ui is hard to pronounce but you're making it sound like you're not even trying :P
5:57 the route on that map is wrong, it's drawn past Breda instead of via, and it's drawn via Dordrecht instead of via the High Speed Line.
High speed ? 160 km for this train !
Lad, how much coffee did you have before recording this narration? 😀
Unfortunately, the Nederlandse Spoorwegen has the same problem as many comparable organisations. After everything is in full swing again after the trouble of the recent years, its hard for them to hire enough staff, so services might be of a bit lower standard than usual.
what about dutch sleeper?🙃
Nice video Ns intercity direct 👍 can you ride tram 🚊 kassel and frankfurt in Germany 🇩🇪
The comfort level on this train (and other NS intercity train) is real bad in First Class standard. NS should really install seats with better ergonomics (though the new ICNG's First class seats look equally disappointing).
I bin in this train
I live in belguim😅 and I am a traindriver in belguim
Is it common to charge to bring bikes on trains, I thought you usually just had to reserve them? 12 euros seems ridiculously expensive
You were too generous with your review of Bruxelles Midi/Brussel Zuid, Dylan. It's not advisable to linger outside after sunset or inadvertently stumble into the homeless area. Not exactly a 'Welcome to Brussels' location. The other two Brussels stations are no better.
I think myself it is good
That's just like in the United States in Greyhound bus stations.
Tbh, while maybe not the best area, I've certainly come across much worse before.
@@DylansTravelReports I can understand that Dylan but for the 'capital' of the EU to have three s******e stations, is bad news. Brussels needs to do something about the loiterers and homeless people. Many people travelling from Brexitania to Brussels for the first time are guided by the French name of the Eurostar arrival station 'Midi' thinking it is located in the centre of the city. The Dutch name of 'Zuid' gives an accurate location.
@@Eurobazz Brussels central is nice though. It's literally 300 m from the grand place! Yes there are like 4-5 homeless dudes out of it but they never do anything, maybe they put up some music. Zuid and North suck it's true! But again, Central is quite nice. I take a train from there 4 times a weeks for the last 4 years, it's good.
Interesting that a 1st class advance ticket is cheaper than a 2nd class walk up ticket!
Tickets for ns trains are the same price if you buy them on the day or months in advance
@@Thomas_TdK Not on this one. There is a discount if purchased at least one week in advance.