Transport in the Netherlands

Railways:

• total: 2,808 km, all standard gauge (1.435 m);
• electrified: 2,061 km (2001), 1500 volt DC.

Railways for public transport:

• operated mainly by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) ([http:/www.ns.nl www.ns.nl]), minor parts by NoordNed, Syntus, Connexxion and DB Regionalbahn Westfalen; all have a common tariff system.

International trains:

• Amsterdam C - Schiphol Airport - The Hague HS - Rotterdam C - Dordrecht - Roosendaal - Antwerp Berchem - Mechelen - Brussels Nord - Brussels C - Brussels Midi).
  • The train can use 1500 DC (Netherlands) and 3000 volt DC (Belgium).
• Thalys: Amsterdam C - Schiphol Airport - The Hague HS - Rotterdam C - Antwerp Berchem - Brussels Midi -Paris Nord (twice a week also to Marne-La-Vallée-Chessy (Disneyland Paris)
  • The train can use 1500 DC (Netherlands), 3000 volt DC (Belgium) and 25000 volt AC 50 Hz (France).
  • High speed between Brussels and Paris.
  • HSL-project: a new high-speed railroad is being built between Schiphol Airport and Brussels.

Underground systems: (all standard gauge (1.435 m))

• Amsterdam, operated by GVB (www.gvb.nl)
  • power 750 volt DC
• Rotterdam, Schiedam, Spijkenisse, Albrandswaard, Capelle aan den IJssel, operated by RET (www.ret.rotterdam.nl)
  • power 750 volt DC, mix of third rail/overhead wires

Tram / light rail systems: (all standard gauge (1.435 m))

• Amsterdam, Diemen, operated by GVB
  • power 600 volt DC
  • one line partly runs on underground track, therefore the light rail vehicles on this line are capable of using 600 volt DC as well as 750 volt DC
• Rotterdam, Schiedam, operated by RET
• The Hague, Rijswijk, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Delft, Nootdorp (mun. Pijnacker-Nootdorp), operated by HTM
  • power 600 volt DC
• Utrecht, Nieuwegein, IJsselstein, operated by Connexxion (light rail in the sense of intermediate form between tram and train, with its own right-of-way, with level crossings with priority).
• Houten, operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (light rail line, could be called metro, though not underground, with its own right-of-way, without level crossings).
  • power 1500 volt DC (tram has been adapted with a so-called 'downchopper' to allow the use of this higher voltage), overhead wires

Randstad Rail is a plan to connect tram lines 3 and 6 in The Hague with the Erasmus Line of the Rotterdam underground system through the existing railway Hofplein Line that would be converted from heavy rail to light rail. The Zoetermeer Line would also be converted, integrated and extended with a new Oosterheem Line.

A special bus line is the Zuidtangent, which has largely its own bus lane, with priority at crossings.

Route: Haarlem - Hoofddorp (mun. Haarlemmermeer) - Schiphol Airport - Amstelveen - Amsterdam southeast

Highways:
total: 125,575 km
paved: 113,018 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 12,557 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 5,046 km, of which 47% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

Pipelines: crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km

Ports and harbors: Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht (addition, not in the CIA Factbook: Vlissingen, Den Helder)

Merchant marine:
total: 563 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,035,899 GRT/4,576,841 DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 343, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 2, container 56, liquified gas 20, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large load carrier 8, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 32, roll-on/roll-off 16, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 5 (1999 est.)
note: many Dutch-owned ships are also operating under the registry of Netherlands Antilles (1998 est.)

Airports: 28 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
(Addition, not in CIA factbook: The largest airport by far is Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, which is actually one of the largest of Europe. Smaller airports with regular passenger service are Zestienhoven near Rotterdam, Eelde near Groningen, Twenthe airport near Enschede, Eindhoven airport and Maastricht-Aachen airport)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)

See also : Netherlands