Travelers to Texel should also take into account delays for the ferry this weekend. Due to a malfunction, the waiting times can increase considerably. Last weekend it was already hit and the waiting times rose to no less than four hours. The coming weekend is not expected to be that bad, but TESO expects travelers to stand still for at least an hour.
Due to the outage, only one boat sails between Texel and Den Helder. Ferry service TESO predicts that Friday and Monday will be the busiest. The extra scheduled sailings will be canceled that weekend and Monday.
Currently, the TESO expects a delay of about an hour on Friday from noon. “But you never know for sure,” Arjen Poelman of TESO explains to NH Nieuws. “That depends on the number of travelers.”
It was already hit last week. Then the waiting times for the departures from Texel rose to four hours. Anyone wishing to travel from Den Helder to Texel had to wait three hours.
How do you avoid waiting times?
The cause of the malfunction is not yet clear, according to Poelman, the investigation into the cause is still ongoing. When the cause is clear, we can work on a solution. “But when that will be, I don’t know,” said Poelman.
Poelman does have some tips for travelers who want to avoid the crowds. “Avoid the standard busy moments,” he explains. From Texel to the mainland, for example, this is around ten o’clock in the morning. Then most tourists have to leave their accommodation.
For the boat in the other direction, it is busiest in the afternoon and evening. “So come as early as possible”, advises Poelman. And if you can, avoid Friday and Monday. Those are the busiest days on the boat.