From mid -December, Arriva can run trains between Groningen, Assen and Zwolle on workdays. But a lot still needs to be arranged before the time comes.
Although the trains are allowed to run from December 14, Arriva is not going to save this deadline. The carrier must first train more staff and extra trains are being sought.
In addition, Arriva has no check-in gates at the stations where now only NS trains are running. Whether extra gates are placed or that gates are being taken over from the Dutch Railways is not yet clear. “There are still conversations about this with the Dutch Railways and rail manager ProRail,” says Nikkie Smit of Arriva.
The Arriva trains also stop at Hoogeveen station, the municipality responds with pleasure to the arrival. For years, the municipality argues that the current station will be an intercity station. The municipality believes that matches the ambitions of the municipality in the field of economic growth and the addition of houses.
Although Hoogeveen will not be an intercity station with the arrival of the Arriva trains, more trains will soon stop. “I just spoke to the alderman and he was very happy,” says a spokesperson for the municipality. “Soon we will have to sit down with Arriva, to see how we will fill it all.”
The carrier wants the first trains on the route from Groningen to Zwolle next year.