Railway stations in the Netherlands

There are currently 401 railway stations in the Netherlands including three next to football stadiums, which are used only during special events and one, Utrecht Maliebaan railway station which provides a service into the exhibition area of the National Railway Museum during its opening hours. Before being discontinued Heerenveen IJsstadion railway station serviced the ice arena Thialf in case of events. NS Stations is the body which manages and owns all railway stations in the Netherlands.

Naming conventions

Stations are generally named after the town they serve. In cases where a town is served by more than one station, additional designations specify the station's status or location, for example:

Centraal : "Central" – a town's most important station with more than 40,000 daily passengers.
Centrum: "Centre" – a centrally located station, and/or a town's most important station with, however, fewer than 40,000 daily passengers.
Zuid: "South"
Noord: "North"
Oost: "East"
West: "West"
A specific locality within the town, e.g. Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway station sometimes associated with a nearby institution e.g. Tilburg Universiteit railway station.

In the situation, where a station serves two communities, both community names are given, separated by a hyphen, e.g. Krommenie-Assendelft.
As of 15 December 2019 eight stations are designated Centraal. They are: Amsterdam Centraal, Amersfoort Centraal, Arnhem Centraal, Den Haag Centraal, Eindhoven Centraal, Leiden Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, and Utrecht Centraal.

List of stations, with their official abbreviations

Station	Code	Opened	Closed	Reopened	Passengers
	Atn	1885
	Ac	1843			1579
	Akm	1868			749
	Amrn	1980			4836
	Amr	1865			18930
	Amri	1926			1241
	Aml	1865			10618
	Almb	1987			6458
	Alm	1987			23784
	Almm	1987			6681
	Almo	2004			4630
	Almp	1996			3584
	Ampo	2012			3085
	Apn	1878			9725
	Amf	1863			39675
	Amfs	1987			5762
	Avat	2006			2583
	Asa	1939			28976
	Asdar	1996
	Asb	1971			22684
	Asd	1889			167427
	Ashd	2008			3227
	Asdl	1986			14042
	Asdm	1896			11888
	Rai	1981			6808
	Assp	2009			4117
	Ass	1956		1986	47615
	Asdz	1978			43716
	Ana	1865			2137
	Apdm	2006
	Apdo	2006			1110
	Apd	1876			14628
	Apg	1884
	Akl	1883	1938	1940
	Arn	1872			461
	Ahpr	1969			2829
	Ah	1845			39164
	Ahp	1893			2066
	Ahz	2005			2909
	Asn	1870			9136
	Brn	1874			4413
	Nsch	1868
	Bf	1893
	Brd	1872		2001	5226
	Bnc	1902
	Bnn	1938	1944	1951
	Bnz	2015
	Bdm	1884
	Bk	1862			2028
	Bsd	1883
	Bl	1870			2124
	Bgn	1863			6939
	Bet	1866	1938	1940	5263
	Bv	1867			5572
	Bhv	1863			4771
	Br	1868			1131
	Bll	1900			1192
	Bdg	1878			2924
	Bn	1865			2272
	Bsk	1934			1377
	Bsks	2017
	Bkf	1977			759
	Bkg	1885			2301
	Bhdv	2012
	Bmr	1883
	Btl	1865			5917
	Bdpb	1988			1589
	Bd	1855			30554
	Bkl	1843			4997
	Bmn	1865			1025
	Bp	1866
	Bde	1862			872
	Bnk	1868	1938	1972	2131
	Bsmz	1966			3893
	Cps	1981			2311
	Cas	1867			7024
	Cvm	1949
	Co	1905
	Ck	1883
	Cl	1868			8144
	Da	1906
	Dln	1905	1950	1987
	Dl	1903
	Dvnk	1906	1928	1985	3146
	Dwe	1885
	Dei	1863
	Ddn	1865
	Dt	1847			31630
	Dtz	1970			4688
	Dz	1884
	Dzw	1969
	Dld	1895			1817
	Gvc	1973			77783
	Gv	1843			34946
	Laa	1907			14516
	Gvm	1966			3178
	Gvmw	1996			2603
	Ypb	2005			2233
	Hdr	1865			3946
	Hdrz	1980			2082
	Dn	1864			4333
	Dvc	1888	1933	1989	1464
	Dv	1865			19739
	Did	1885
	Dmn	1882	1929	1974	2996
	Dmnz	1993			3551
	Dr	1865			3641
	Dtch	1985
	Dtc	1856
	Ddr	1872			23172
	Ddrs	1990
	Ddzd	1973			1336
	Db	1844			9235
	Dh	1957			903
	Drp	1863
	Dron	2012			3428
	Dvn	1856	1936	1980
		1993			14383
	Ec	1862			2263
	Edc	1902	1944	1951
	Ed	1845			17599
	Eem	2018
	Edn	1861	2006	2011	162
	Ehv	1864			60450
	Ehs	1990
	Ehb	1971
	Est	1879			3710
	Emn	1905
	Emnz	2011
	Ekz	1885			2393
	Ese	2001
	Esk	1996
	Es	1866			18508
	Eml	1863			2849
	Etn	1854			3241
	Eghm	2007
	Egh	1949
	Fwd	1866
	Fn	1863
	Gdr	2006
	Gdm	1868			5909
	Gp	1913			1509
	Gln	1896			627
	Lut	1862			1357
	Gz	1863			2529
	Gbr	1868	1950	2001
	Gs	1868			7160
	Go	1865
	Gr	1883
	Gdg	1993			2998
	Gd	1855			21298
	Gbg	1905
	Gk	1866
	Gerp	2007			1212
	Gnn	1884
	Gn	1866			19706
	Gw	1868			947
	Hlm	1839			37399
	Hlms	1998			3420
	Hwzb	2012			2118
	Hdb	1905
	Hd	1863			5629
	Bzm	2011
	Gnd	1885
	Hrn	1870	1936	1968	1190
	Hlgh	1863
	Hlg	1863
	Hk	1969			2135
	Had	1891			6396
	Hry	1975
	Hr	1868			5893
	Hwd	1865			7352
	Hrl	1896			7491
	Hrlw	2010
	Hz	1913		1977	1568
	Hlo	1867			4676
	Hno	1881			693
	Hmbv	2006			1057
	Hmbh	1987			1767
	Hm	1864			6807
	Hmh	1992			1137
	Hmn	1882
	Hglg	2012
	Hglo	1975
	Hgl	1865			13437
	Hil	1898	1944	2000	2401
	Hvsn	1974			3853
	Hvs	1874			24105
	Hvsp	1874			7125
	Hnp	1885
	Hb	1896			202
	Hvl	2012
	Hor	1874			865
	Hon	1886			1278
	Hfd	1981			15258
	Hgv	1870			4472
	Hgz	1868
	Hks	1885			2300
	Hnk	1986			5149
	Hn	1884			13527
	Hrt	1866			2675
	Htnc	2001	2008	2010	3936
	Htn	1868	1935	1982	7436
	Sgl	1890
	Hdg	1866
	IJt	1885	1938	1985
	Kpn	1865			4136
	Kpnz	2012			1506
	Bzl	1868			1125
	Krd	1949
	Ktr	1882
	Kbk	1882
	Kmr	1915
	Kbw	1869			2898
	Kmw	1885	1938	1940
	Kbd	1868			571
	Kma	1869		2008	5262
	Kw	1868
	Krg	1868			802
	Zlw	1883			883
	Lg	1896
	Llzm	2018
	Ldm	1883
	Lwc	1991
	Lw	1863			9682
	Ledn	1842			71100
	Ldl	1961			3886
	Lls	1988			13369
	Ltv	1878
	Lc	1865
	Lp	1884
	Ltn	1902	1944	1951
	Mz	2010			1333
	Mrn	1845		1972	1493
	Mas	1843			4524
	Mtn	2013
	Mt	1853			15633
	Mtr	1987			1776
	Mg	1883	1938	1973
	Mrb	1905
	Mth	1868
	Mes	1853
	Mp	1867			5638
	Mdb	1872			4549
	Mmlh	2009
	Ndb	1874			9148
	Na	1905
	Nwk	1909	1935	1971	3370
	Nvp	1981			2756
	Nkk	1863			3338
	Nmd	1973			1845
	Nmgo	2014
	Nmh	1972
	Nml	1882	1934	2002	1108
	Nm	1865			43195
	Nvd	1881			2958
	Ns	1863			2762
	Nh	1896			481
	Obd	1898			1430
	Ot	1865			2311
	Odz	1865
	Ost	1866	1936	1940	1187
	Omn	1903
	Otb	1845			511
	Op	1880	1890	1898
	O	1881			8078
	Ow	1981			1833
	Odb	1854			1254
	Ovn	1881			2637
	Pmo	1971			2058
	Pmr	1884			2401
	Pmw	2007			1588
	Pt	1863			1813
	Rat	1881			2117
	Rvs	1881			1413
	Rv	1862
	Rh	1882			805
	Rhn	1886	1944	1981	1394
	Rsn	1888			2398
	Rsw	1965			7735
	Rb	1872			445
	Rm	1865			13274
	Rd	1893		2018
	Rsd	1854			10399
	Rs	1881	1938	1981	2364
	Rta	1968			16756
	Rtb	1877			23368
	Rtd	1847			85246
	Rlb	1964			6206
	Rtn	1953			2254
	Rtst	1937
	Rtz	1877			3031
	Rl	1878
	Sptn	1957			797
	Sptz	1867			803
	Ssh	2011			3479
	Swd	1884
	Sgn	1865			5326
	Sda	1868
	Sdm	1847			18630
	Sog	1853
	Sn	1896			246
	Shl	1978			71585
	Hto	1987			1616
	Ht	1868			43172
	Std	1862			12110
	Sdtb	1885	1938	2011
	Sdt	1885
	Sknd	1973
	Sk	1883
	St	1898			211
	Stz	1898			2014
	Sd	1898			764
	Sbk	1896			261
	Stv	1885
	Stm	1884
	Swk	1868			3232
	Srn	1862			918
	Sm	1862
	Hde	1863			1306
	Tg	1865
	Tbg	1885
	Tpsw	2007			1434
	Tl	1882			3445
	Tb	1863			32158
	Tbr	2003			2556
	Tbu	1969			6929
	Twl	1887	1951	2006	1433
	Utg	1867			5167
	Uhz	1893
	Uhm	1893
	Ust	1893
	Ut	1843			176552
	Utlr	2013			784
	Utl	1874	1932	1980	2885
	Utm	1874	1939	2005
	Uto	1968			8217
	Utt	2003			3285
	Utvr	2016
	Utzl	2007			2003
	Vk	1853
	Vsv	1885
	Vdm	1910	1953	2011
	Vndc	1886	1944	1981	2239
	Vndw	1981			1619
	Klp	1845			4007
	Vp	1865			1416
	Vl	1865			4370
	Vry	1883
	Vlb	1882
	Vtn	1881			3717
	Vs	1873			2955
	Vss	1986			975
	Vdl	1915
	Vb	1870			2302
	Vh	1892	1944	1997	3310
	Vst	1843	1944	1969	3074
	Vem	1876	1938	2006
	Vd	1878
	Vz	1906
	Vhp	1906
	Vg	1868	1938	1940	1976
	Wadn	1973			883
	Wad	1934			1613
	Wadt	2018
	Wfm	1893
	Wt	1879			7694
	Wp	1874			9052
	Wl	1885
	Wtv	1856	1936	2011
	Wz	1863			1048
	Wdn	1881			1775
	Wc	1881			4100
	Wh	1866	1936	1940	1125
	Ws	1868
	Wsm	1893
	Ww	1878
	Www	2001
	Wd	1855			11948
	Wf	1845			527
	Wv	1868			1639
	Wk	1885
	Wm	1869			3804
	Zdk	1989			1445
	Zd	1869			20790
	Kzd	1869			3020
	Zbm	1869			3445
	Zvt	1881			4770
	Za	1882
	Zv	1856
	Zvb	1854			1243
	Ztmo	1870	1938	1965	3345
	Ztm	1973			5292
	Zb	1868
	Zh	1866
	Zp	1865			11732
	Zwd	1872			5491
	Zl	1864			41618
	Zlsh	2019

Platforms and tracks

Not the platforms, but the tracks are numbered. In Dutch communication, NS refers to "spoor 1", etc. while in English communication, NS refers to "platform 1" where "track 1" is meant. Tracks without platform access, used for through traffic, also have a number. This number is not indicated, but it shows indirectly in cases when in the numbering of the accessible tracks a number is skipped. Track numbers are usually increasing in the direction away from the centre of the city and hence away from the main entrance of the station.
A track along a long platform may have an "a" and a "b"-side, and sometimes three sections "a", "b" and "c".
At many stations, above platforms and at their access points, there are dynamic displays of the destination and departure time of the next train

Machines and counters for train tickets

For checking in and out with an OV-chipkaart card readers are at station entrances, halls and/or platforms. It can be recharged at ticket machines. The anonymous variety of the card can also be purchased here. For some minor rail operators all this does not apply yet.
Paper tickets are available from the same ticket machines; at the counter a supplement of €0.50 per ticket has to be paid. In both cases one can choose a dated or undated ticket; the latter can be useful if one has not decided yet about the travel date. If the ticket is not dated it requires a stamp from a stamp machine on the travel date.
With an e-ticket bought in advance for a specific journey one can just get on the train without any further validation of the ticket.

NS Stations

NS Stations is a Dutch company that manages and exploits all railway stations in the Netherlands.

Safety and comfort

Passenger comfort sometimes suffers from beggars or pickpockets, especially in large cities. Measures taken to remedy this include installation of CCTV, locking waiting rooms in the evening, and sometimes removal of benches from station halls. Also, a valid train ticket is required to access platforms, at many stations enforced by gates that require an OV-chipkaart to activate them. Passengers with large luggage should note that no luggage trolleys are provided, although platforms are accessible by elevator.

Station abbreviations

The official abbreviations of names of stations are used internally by the NS, but also on handwritten tickets; they can also conveniently be used when entering a station in the NS planner and are needed in some URLs, see below. In a station it can be found in the lower right corner of the yellow departure schedules. In most URLs they have to be written in lowercase, in some a capital is optional. On the departure schedules they are written in lowercase. In other cases the abbreviations are written with a capital letter.
Stations also have a four-digit code that is used on the keypad of older ticket machines to specify a destination.

History

Photos

: photos and info on current and old stations
: photos and info on current stations and Dutch trains
: The European Railway Server, section on Dutch stations

Maps

Schematic maps of all tracks, switches and platforms: http://www.sporenplan.nl/html_nl/sporenplan/ns/ns_normaal/start.html
Zoomable map of all tracks and stations, updated for 2009: http://www.trein-kaart.nl/
http://www.ns.nl/ :
* railway map with all stations: search for spoorkaart
* maps of station surroundings and station lay-out of some stations: select Nederland - Reisinformatie - Stationsvoorzieningen