No trains to Amsterdam’s central station on Oct. 3, very few on Oct. 4-5

No trains will run to or from Amsterdam Centraal on October 3, and services will be heavily adjusted on October 4 and 5. This is because ProRail will work around Amsterdam Centraal to connect new tracks to the rail network, the organization said in its press release. NS added that there will be no bus replacements.

This weekend will reportedly mark an important milestone for Amsterdam Centraal’s renovations. “We are adapting the station step by step so that there will be more space for passengers and trains in the future,” said ProRail’s construction manager Wai Ko. Over the weekend of October 3, together with contractor Dura Vermeer, we will connect track 11a to the rail network. We will also disconnect track 14a. That involves a great deal of visible work, such as physically joining the tracks, as well as a great deal of work that passengers never see.”

It is that unseen work that usually causes the most disruption to travelers. "It is the work on the signaling systems in technical rooms and at the traffic-control center. To bring track 11a into service and take track 14a out of service, the signaling must be modified. Changes to those installations require us to halt all traffic to and from the station for one day,” Wai explained further. “The adjustments at traffic control are comparable to installing an update on a computer.”

ProRail and contractor Strukton will have a chance to finish the renovation of the entire platform, ProRail said in its press release. In the upcoming months, contractor Dura Vermeer will reportedly also extend the platform to the new railway bridge, and access points to the platforms will be widened. As a result, the space will feel more spacious for the travellers, ProRail expects.