News item | 15-12-2025 | 06:30
Military transports on rail are given priority if they are urgent and no capacity is available. The government wants to make this priority possible given the expected growth in military mobility. This should prevent a train with tanks, for example, from having to wait until there is room.
State Secretary Thierry Aartsen (Infrastructure and Water Management): “We live in a time when it is becoming increasingly important to be able to move soldiers and military equipment quickly. The threat of a military conflict in Europe is increasing. With this measure we ensure that there is always capacity for military transport on the railways. In this way we anticipate decision-making in Brussels and show what is needed for this. In this way we contribute to the security of the Netherlands and Europe.”
No room on the track
The transport of military equipment mainly takes place from the Dutch seaports to the border. But military transports can also go from Belgium through the Netherlands to Germany, for example. Almost all capacity on Dutch rail is allocated annually, but military transports are difficult to plan in advance. They therefore use the capacity that ProRail reserves as standard for ad hoc transport.
But if that reserve capacity is also full, trains with tanks, equipment or people are forced to wait. With the expected growth of military mobility, the chance that this undesirable situation will occur is increasing. Sufficient capacity for military transports is also part of the obligations as a NATO member state.
Urgent military transport
The regulations are now being adjusted so that in such a case military transport is given priority over other rail transport. There must also be one urgent military transport. This is, for example, the case if special requirements apply to a transport, such as constant surveillance during ammunition transport. The threat assessment can also be a reason to designate a transport as urgent. And finally, there are trains that actually arrive at a certain place at a certain time must arrive.
The Ministers of Defense and Infrastructure and Water Management jointly determine which transports are urgent and therefore receive priority. The measure may cause inconvenience for travelers, but capacity will only be withdrawn if there is absolutely no other option.
Place in regulations
Today, the internet consultation has started to adjust the rules surrounding the distribution of rail capacity. The measure will not take effect until the autumn of 2026 at the earliest. This means that military transport is included in these regulations for the first time. Efforts are also being made in Europe to give priority to military transports.
Giving priority is one of the measures that State Secretary Aartsen is taking to improve military transport by rail. For example, he had an impact analysis carried out on Dutch rail. As a result, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, together with Defense and ProRail, will look for bottlenecks on the rail network for military transport. A joint resilience strategy is also being developed together with ProRail, which will make the railway more resilient to hybrid threats. Aartsen also wants to prevent military trains from stopping at the border due to paperwork. And rail yards are being modified to make them more suitable for military mobility. Consider facilitating 740 meter long freight trains.