's-Hertogenbosch railway station

's-Hertogenbosch NS interurban rail station
Station entrance
Station statistics
Coordinates	51°41′24″N 5°17′36″E / 51.69°N 5.293333°E / 51.69; 5.293333Coordinates: 51°41′24″N 5°17′36″E / 51.69°N 5.293333°E / 51.69; 5.293333
Lines	Utrecht–Boxtel railway Tilburg–Nijmegen railway
Platforms	2 island platforms 1 side platform
Tracks	8
Other information
Opened	1 November 1868
Accessible
Code	HT
Owned by	Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Traffic
Passengers (2006)	14.652 million[1]  0.2%
Services
Preceding station   Nederlandse Spoorwegen   Following station Utrecht Centraal toward Schagen NS Intercity 800 Eindhoven toward Maastricht/Heerlen Utrecht Centraal toward Schiphol NS Intercity 3500 Eindhoven Terminus Tilburg toward Roosendaal NS Intercity 3600 Oss toward Zwolle Terminus NS Nachtnet 21400 Tilburg Terminus Utrecht Centraal Terminus NS Nachtnet 21400 Eindhoven Terminus Terminus NS Stoptrein 4400 's-Hertogenbosch Oost toward Nijmegen Terminus NS Stoptrein 9600 Vught toward Deurne Tilburg toward Breda NS Sprinter 13600 Terminus Zaltbommel toward Utrecht Centraal NS Sprinter 16000 Terminus
Location

's-Hertogenbosch (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌsɛrtoːɣənˈbɔs]) is a railway station located in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. The station and all services operating from it are run by Nederlandse Spoorwegen, the largest Dutch train operating company.

History

's-Hertogenbosch station opened on 1 November 1868 as the northern terminus of the southern portion of the Utrecht–Boxtel railway (Staatslijn H), with service south to Boxtel. Only in 1870 were the two parts of Line H joined together, allowing for direct service to Utrecht Centraal. As the town was a fortress at the time, the station was designed with attack in mind; its wood truss construction allowed it to be dismantled or damaged with minimal waste. 's-Hertogenbosch station was further expanded upon the opening of the Tilburg–Nijmegen railway, making it an important railway junction.

In 1896, the original station was replaced with a large brick structure designed by Eduard Cuypers. The station was relocated a few hundred metres south of the original, along with the realignment of the tracks to the west. The second 's-Hertogenbosch station was characterised by its neo-Renaissance style, with a second floor for railway employees. During World War II, the station caught fire and burnt down; it was never rebuilt to its former glory.

A more modern, post-war building designed by Sybold of Ravesteyn was erected in 1951. The remaining parts of the second building were incorporated, while the third station's canopy remains to this day. 's-Hertogenbosch was again rebuilt in 1998, with an extension of the roof to the other island platform. Much of the renovation consisted of an aerial walkway, the Stationspasserelle, connecting the roadways on either side of the tracks, and the removal of a special ramp to the platforms. Criticism of the fourth station was levied due to wind sensitivity; Nederlandse Spoorwegen retaliated by declaring: "You are indeed at the train station to go, not to hang out."

Services

The station is an important interchange station, with trains coming from several different directions. The station is also the site where Dutch Auto-Train services leave. These go to Avignon, Bologna and Livorno. These are operated by Euro-Express-Traincharter.

Destinations

The following major destinations are possible from 's-Hertogenbosch:

Utrecht, Amsterdam, Zaandam, Alkmaar, Eindhoven, Roermond, Sittard, Heerlen, Maastricht, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Zwolle, Deventer, Zutphen, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Breda, Roosendaal and Oss.

Railway lines

The following services currently call at 's-Hertogenbosch:

• 2 hourly intercity services Schagen - Amsterdam - Utrecht - Eindhoven - Maastricht/Heerlen
• 2 hourly intercity services Schiphol - Utrecht - Eindhoven
• 2 hourly intercity services Zwolle - Nijmegen - Roosendaal
• 1 hourly night train (nachtnet) service 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg (weekends only)
• 1 hourly night train (nachtnet) service Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven (weekends only)
• 2 hourly local services (stoptrein) Nijmegen - 's-Hertogenbosch
• 2 hourly local services (stoptrein) 's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven - Deurne
• 2 hourly local services (sprinter) 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg - Breda
• 2 hourly local services (sprinter) Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch

Gallery

• 

  The 2nd Station building of the station

• 

  The platform roof, restored from the 2nd station building era

References

1. ^ (Dutch) Aantal in-eu uitstappers Treinreiziger Retrieved 2010-08-04