Utrecht Centraal railway station

Utrecht Centraal
Station statistics
Coordinates
Lines Amsterdam–Arnhem railway,
Utrecht–Rotterdam railway,
Utrecht–Boxtel railway,
Utrecht–Kampen railway
Platforms 14
Other information
Opened 1843
Code Ut
Owned by Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Location

Utrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest railway station in the Netherlands in terms of size, with fourteen platforms (of which eleven are through tracks). With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the largest station in terms of passenger volume and the most important railway hub of the Netherlands. With more than 900 trains leaving this station per day, it is also the biggest junction station in the Netherlands.[1][2] and disruptions to services through the station can easily affect the rest of the country's railway network.[3][4]

International, national and local services call at the station, most notably the InterCityExpress trains to Frankfurt and Basel, intercity services to the northern and southern Netherlands, and local commuter services providing access to towns all over the Randstad.

Contents

History

The first station at the site was opened in 1843, when the Nederlandsche Rhijnspoorweg-Maatschappij opened the first station on Utrecht territory. In 1938, the station became the central station as the Maliebaanstation, on the other side of the city, was closed and the line from Hilversum was diverted into the central station.

Until the 1970s the station building of 1865 remained in place, though a fundamental renovation took place in 1936. Two years later, a fire burned down most of the building, which was subsequently rebuilt. That station building of the late 1930s was in turn demolished in the 1970s to make way for Hoog Catharijne, then Europe's largest enclosed shopping mall, which opened on 17 December 1973. Since that moment, the station hall no longer had a real entrance; the passageways of the shopping mall just continue into the station. In 1989, the station hall was enlarged to include an extra platform.

Future expansion

Between 2008 and 2013, the station will undergo a major reconstruction, partly under the flag of the general reconstruction of the Utrecht Station Area,[5] and partly under the flag of the NS-project Wereldstations. Among others, the station hall will be replaced by a new glass structure, designed by architects Benthem Crouwel Architecten. Also, the sheltering roofs on the platforms will be restored.[6] As regards external relations, the station will be separated once again from the Hoog Catharijne shopping area. The bus station, which is currently located on the east side of the station (i.e. on the side of the city centre) will be split in two, with buses and trams arriving from the west of the city (among others the new suburb of Leidsche Rijn) terminating on the west side of the station to minimize traffic around the station.

A scale model of the new station is on display at Madurodam.[7]

Train services

The following train services call at Utrecht Centraal:

Preceding station   Nederlandse Spoorwegen   Following station
Terminus
 Intercity-Express 100
toward Basel SBB
Terminus
 Intercity-Express 120
Terminus
 CityNightLine 419
Terminus
 EuroNight 447
Terminus
 CityNightLine 457
toward Prague
NS Intercity 500
toward Schagen
 NS Intercity 800
NS Nachtnet 1400 Terminus
NS Intercity 1700
toward Enschede
NS Intercity 2000 Terminus
NS Intercity 2800
Terminus
toward Den Helder
 NS Intercity 3000
toward Nijmegen
toward Schiphol
 NS Intercity 3100
toward Nijmegen
toward Schiphol
 NS Intercity 3500
toward Eindhoven
Terminus NS Intercity 4900
NS Intercity 8800 Terminus
Terminus NS Nachtnet 21400
toward Eindhoven
Terminus NS Sprinter 5500
toward Baarn
Terminus NS Sprinter 5600
toward Zwolle
toward Hoofddorp
 NS Sprinter 5700 Terminus
Terminus NS Stoptrein 6000
toward Tiel
NS Sprinter 7400
toward Rhenen
NS Sprinter 9800 Terminus
Terminus NS Sprinter 16000
toward Breukelen
 NS Sprinter 17400
Terminus NS Stoptrein 28300
Terminus

Bus services

Utrecht Centraal has three bus stations. Two next to the station on the eastern side and one at the end of a long walkway on the western side. Bus services are operated by GVU (city services), Connexxion (urban and inter-urban services), Veolia (Brabantliner to Breda) and Arriva to Gorinchem area.

Busstation Noord

Bussstation Zuid

Jaarbeursplein

Gallery

References

  1. ^ http://nos.nl/artikel/164052-treinverkeer-utrecht-uren-stil-door-storing.html
  2. ^ http://www.treinreiziger.nl/actueel/utrecht_centraal_plat_door_winterweer-142101
  3. ^ http://www.treinreiziger.nl/actueel/treinverkeer_randstad_ontregeld_door_storingen
  4. ^ http://www.rtl.nl/(/actueel/rtlnieuws/binnenland/)/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/2010/11_november/19/binnenland/treinverkeer-rond-utrecht-valt-stil.xml
  5. ^ Utrecht.nl - Station area Utrecht
  6. ^ Artist's impressions can be viewed at http://www.utrecht.nl/smartsite.dws?id=70942.
  7. ^ ProRail: Feestelijke opening Utrecht Centraal in Madurodam
Railway stations in Provincie Utrecht
Future stations: Hoevelaken | Utrecht Leidsche Rijn · Vaartsche Rijn
Recently Closed Stations: | Soestduinen (1998)