A first step in the process towards the construction of the Lower Saxony line has been completed, reports rail manager ProRail. This phase, in which people could share their ideas and concerns, resulted in 148 views from local residents. And well-attended information evenings.
The Lower Saxony Line is a railway line from Groningen via Emmen to Almelo, largely by expanding existing track and partly by constructing new track. The railway is not an end in itself, but a means to improve accessibility and to increase spatial-economic development and broad prosperity in the region.
In recent weeks, information meetings have been organized about the Lower Saxony line and the new section of the railway line to be constructed between Emmen and Veendam. These meetings were in the municipalities of Emmen, Coevorden, Ter Apel, Midden-Groningen, Stadskanaal, Veendam and Hardenberg.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW), these meetings were well attended. “It was positive to notice the great involvement of residents. We heard many positive sounds during these evenings, but residents also expressed their concerns about nuisance such as vibrations, where the route will run and the timetable,” a spokesperson said.
ProRail and the ministry do not yet want to say anything about the content of the views. This will happen later this year in a so-called response memorandum. It contains all the ideas and concerns that people have submitted. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, rail manager ProRail and the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen will investigate whether the comments and ideas can be included in the further development of the Lower Saxony line.
We cannot implement all suggestions immediately, ProRail says. “In that case, we explain in the response note what we can or cannot do now. We will provide a full answer for some topics later. Then we will point this out to the applicants again. We expect the response note to be ready in the summer of 2026,” says Jiska Kazius, Lower Saxony line project manager at ProRail.
Research will be conducted in the coming years. These studies concern new track to be constructed between Emmen – Veendam, new stations and possible adjustments to existing stations between Groningen and Twente. A solution may also need to be found for the STAR museum railway line, which runs with historic steam trains between Veendam – Stadskanaal and Nieuw-Buinen on the existing old track.
The starting document for the railway (MIRT exploration) was already established in October 2025 and recently also one for the Area Development Exploration. The Area Development Exploration is about the opportunities that the Lower Saxony Line brings to the area for spatial developments, economy and living environment. For example, jobs and training become more accessible and building more houses near stations.
The research into the railway and area development runs parallel to each other and should, if all goes well, reinforce each other. Together, both explorations provide decision-making information about where exactly the railway line will be located and what developments are associated with it.
