September 9: 24 hours of almost no public transport, plan your journey
On Wednesday, September 9, public transport in the Netherlands will be at a near-standstill for the entire day. The FNV trade union has called for a 24-hour strike in protest against cuts to social security. The action was announced at the end of July and is proceeding, even though leaked Budget Day documents have shown that the cabinet is reversing some of those cuts. The unions believe the cabinet is not making sufficient concessions.
What will be running? The NS (Dutch Railways) has announced that no trains will run all day. There is one exception: the Airport Sprinter between Amsterdam Central, Schiphol, and Hoofddorp will run four times an hour. For city and regional transport, it varies by operator. Some operators will not run any metros, trams, or buses at all. Others will operate a limited service, depending on how many drivers and conductors are available.
For those who rely on public transport, this means that work, school, and appointments will need to be rescheduled. Various hospitals are alerting patients to the strike on their websites. Planned care will continue as normal in many places, but you must ensure you can get there yourself. The ANWB expects that the extra traffic on the road will be manageable because the strike was announced well in advance, although bad weather or roadworks could still cause congestion.
Check your own operator's journey planner tonight, as what is running varies by region. If you have an appointment on Wednesday at an agency, a hospital, with a lawyer, or at city hall, call today or early in the morning to ask if the appointment can be rescheduled. If possible, put that request in writing via email as well, so that you can prove you reported it in time. Anyone who can work from home would be wise to do so on Wednesday. Arrange transport with colleagues or neighbors if you really need to be somewhere on Wednesday. The strike lasts for 24 hours.