Wednesday 9 September 2026
Money back during an NS strike
On Wednesday 9 September, NS runs no trains: a 24-hour strike across the Netherlands. Buses, trams and the metro are largely at a standstill too. Do not count on public transport this Wednesday.
What is running and what is not?
| Connection | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Airportsprinter Amsterdam Centraal - Schiphol - Hoofddorp | Running | DetailFour times an hour, staffed by volunteers. |
| Waterbus Rotterdam and Drechtsteden | Running | DetailSailing to its normal timetable. |
| Every other NS train | Not running | DetailAcross the country, all strike day. |
| International trains | Not running | DetailEuroCity, EuroCity Direct, Eurostar, NightJet and ICE, plus Roosendaal - Antwerp and Liege - Aachen. |
| GVB Amsterdam | Not running | DetailFrom 04.00, the ferries included. |
| RET Rotterdam | Not running | DetailAll day, and the metro stations stay shut. |
| HTM Den Haag | Not running | DetailFrom Wednesday 04.00 until Thursday 04.00. |
When does the strike start and end?
| Who | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| NS train crews | StartsWednesday 02.00 | EndsThursday 02.00 |
| NS maintenance staff | StartsTuesday 22.30 | EndsThursday 02.00 |
| Regional transport | StartsStart of service | EndsEnd of service |
NS asked for these times itself, so that Thursday is disrupted as little as possible. Regional operators each set their own hours.
Do you get any money back?
No. The allowance for replacement transport was scrapped five days before this strike.
| Scheme | At earlier strikes | On 9 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Allowance for replacement transport | At earlier strikesUp to 25 euro per person per day | On 9 September 2026Scrapped |
| Check-in required | At earlier strikesNo | On 9 September 2026Yes |
| Routes to get something back | At earlier strikes2 | On 9 September 20261 |
Up to and including 3 September 2026 you could claim up to 25 euro per person per day for a taxi, a rental car or your own transport during a strike. That scheme ended on 4 September 2026.
NS calls the old scheme complicated and prone to abuse. After the June 2025 strikes around 180,000 requests came in, with a claim value of roughly 4 million euro.
The national consumer body for public transport (LOCOV) advised against scrapping it. That advice is not binding, so the scheme disappeared anyway.
What remains is Money Back for Delays. That scheme requires a check-in and a journey you actually make, which is impossible when no train runs.
We cannot file any claims for this strike day. If you travel by another means, you pay for it yourself.
What you can do
- Work from home if you can. No journey, no costs.
- Move your appointment to Tuesday or Thursday.
- Arrange your alternative in advance. Taxis book out fast on a strike day.
- Work out what the alternative costs: petrol, parking and tolls add up.
- Share a car with colleagues heading the same way.
Why is there a strike?
The strike was called by trade union FNV and targets the government's plans to cut social security, in particular unemployment benefit (WW) and disability benefit (WIA). It is not aimed at NS and not at passengers.
Public transport was chosen because, according to FNV, staff in this sector have an above-average chance of ending up on disability benefit.
On 24 June 2026 no trains ran for four hours for the same reason.
NS expects to run its regular timetable again on Thursday 10 September. Restarting the network takes time, so expect more disruption than usual in the morning.
An ordinary delay is covered
This strike day falls outside the compensation scheme. An ordinary delay does not.
- 30 minutes delay: 50 percent of the fare back
- 60 minutes or more: the full fare back
Plenty of passengers never file that claim, simply because it is a hassle. Link your travel pass once and we do it automatically from then on.
Frequently asked questions about the strike
No. NS runs no trains anywhere in the Netherlands for 24 hours on Wednesday 9 September 2026. The only exception is the Airportsprinter between Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol and Hoofddorp, which runs four times an hour and is staffed by volunteers.
Only the Airportsprinter Amsterdam Centraal - Schiphol - Hoofddorp runs, four times an hour. Every other connection to Schiphol is cancelled, including the international trains.
No. The allowance of up to 25 euro per person per day for replacement transport ended on 4 September 2026. If you travel by another means, you pay for it yourself.
NS expects to run its regular timetable again on Thursday 10 September. Restarting takes time, so there is more disruption than usual in the morning.