Rail passengers travelling south from Utrecht face longer journeys until the end of Thursday as major engineering works close the railway between Geldermalsen and ’s-Hertogenbosch.

Trains are still running from Utrecht Centraal to Geldermalsen. From there, passengers continuing towards ’s-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven or other destinations in Brabant must use replacement transport or follow an alternative rail route.

NS estimates that affected journeys will take about 35 minutes longer and advises passengers to check the journey planner shortly before leaving.

What is closed today?

No trains are running between Geldermalsen and ’s-Hertogenbosch from Tuesday 18 through Thursday 20 August. NS is providing local and express replacement buses.

The disruption is part of a longer programme of works south of Utrecht that began on 11 August. The arrangements have changed between phases, so advice from earlier in the week may no longer apply.

Passengers should not assume that every replacement bus leaves from ’s-Hertogenbosch Centraal. Long-running construction around Magistratenlaan in Den Bosch has reduced the space normally used for large numbers of buses.

Travelling between Utrecht and Den Bosch

Passengers travelling from ’s-Hertogenbosch towards Utrecht can first take one of the four trains per hour to ’s-Hertogenbosch Oost, then continue by direct replacement bus to Geldermalsen. The same bus connection operates in the opposite direction.

NS also runs a stopping bus between ’s-Hertogenbosch and Geldermalsen via Zaltbommel.

For many journeys, the exact combination of train and bus will depend on the departure time. Checking the NS app is more reliable than relying on a usual platform or connection.

Travelling between Utrecht and Eindhoven or Breda

For Eindhoven, NS advises passengers to travel by train to Boxtel, where a direct replacement bus connects with Geldermalsen. Six trains per hour run between Eindhoven and Boxtel.

Passengers travelling between Utrecht and Breda are advised to remain on the railway and divert via Rotterdam Centraal instead.

These routes work in both directions. The best option can still vary by time of day, so travellers should plan the complete journey rather than travelling to the closure and deciding there.

Why is the line closed?

ProRail is carrying out several projects on the railway south of Geldermalsen. At Meteren, work on the Zuidwestboog includes lowering part of the overhead wiring, constructing a culvert beneath the railway and installing the deck of a new rail bridge.

The Zuidwestboog is a new connection intended primarily for freight trains between the Betuwe Route and the railway towards ’s-Hertogenbosch. ProRail’s current schedule keeps the Geldermalsen–Den Bosch section free of passenger trains until early Friday morning, 21 August.

For passengers, however, NS lists Thursday 20 August as the final day of the altered service. Travellers making an early journey on Friday should still check the live planner before departure.

What Utrecht passengers should do

Allow roughly 35 minutes of extra travel time, check the NS journey planner shortly before departure and pay particular attention to the named bus departure station. A ticket valid for the planned rail journey can be used on the designated NS replacement buses.

Normal service is expected to resume after the works, but live disruptions or overrunning engineering work can change the first trains of the day. The current restrictions affect the route south through Geldermalsen; they do not mean that all trains southbound from Utrecht Centraal have stopped.