This evening, train passengers were surprised when the intercity train they were on came to a standstill on the track between Amsterdam Central station and Sloterdijk. At that time, the travelers were inside without power and air conditioning for about half an hour, after which they were evacuated from the train under the supervision of ProRail and the police. “The cause of the cancellation of this train is still unknown at this time,” an NS spokesperson said.
“Everyone has now been safely evacuated from the train, about half an hour ago,” says the NS spokesperson. The passengers were escorted on foot to Sloterdijk station, from there they were helped by ProRail and the police. The train itself is still on the track and there appears to be no movement at the moment.
“We have to see whether the train needs to be removed, or whether it can start moving itself. There is also work between Sloterdijk station and Haarlem this weekend and that makes this just a little more complicated.”
A passenger tells AT5 that ‘it was quite an experience to experience’. “We were told over the intercom that it was the overhead line and not the train. And that they would provide an update when they knew more.”
After about forty minutes it became clear that there would be no movement on the train for the time being. That was the moment when the occupants of the Intercity were evacuated and the doors opened. “Some passengers had already opened the doors themselves and jumped out,” says the man.
It is still unclear whether the stranded train will cause many irregularities in the timetable tonight. “We don’t know how long this will last and whether it will really cause delays. We always recommend checking the timetable carefully in advance. Now that is certainly a good idea,” said the spokesperson.