Utrecht Centraal station
Utrecht Centraal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Utrecht Centraal in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operated by | Nederlandse Spoorwegen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line(s) | Amsterdam–Arnhem railway, Utrecht–Rotterdam railway, Utrecht–Boxtel railway, Utrecht–Kampen railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Platforms | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Connections | Qbuzz Utrecht Tram: 60, 61 ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Station code | Ut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 18 December 1843 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Utrecht%2C_centraal_station_foto1_2014-03-09_11.42.jpg/300px-Utrecht%2C_centraal_station_foto1_2014-03-09_11.42.jpg)
Utrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest and busiest railway station in the Netherlands, with sixteen platforms (of which thirteen are through tracks) and with more than 285,000[1] passengers per day. With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the most important railway hub of the country with more than 900 trains leaving this station per day, making it the largest junction station in the Netherlands.[2][3] Therefore, disruptions at the station can easily affect the rest of the country's railway network.[4][5]
International, national and local services call at the station, most notably the InterCityExpress trains to Frankfurt and Basel, intercity services to the northern and southern Netherlands, and local commuter services providing access to towns all over the Randstad.
History
The first station at the site was opened on December 18, 1843, when the Nederlandsche Rhijnspoorweg-Maatschappij opened the first station on Utrecht territory. In 1938, the station became the central station as the Maliebaanstation, on the other side of the city, was closed and the line from Hilversum was diverted into the central station.
Until the 1970s the station building of 1865 remained in place, though a fundamental renovation took place in 1936. Two years later, a fire burned down most of the building, which was subsequently rebuilt. That station building of the late 1930s was in turn demolished in the 1970s to make way for Hoog Catharijne, then Europe's largest enclosed shopping mall, which opened on 17 December 1973. Since that moment, the station hall no longer had a real entrance; the passageways of the shopping mall just continue into the station. In 1989, the station hall was enlarged to include an extra platform.
Future expansion
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Madurodam_18.jpg/200px-Madurodam_18.jpg)
Between 2008 and 2016, the station is undergoing a major reconstruction, as part of a general reconstruction of the Utrecht Station Area,[6] and because of the NS-project Wereldstations. The station hall is being replaced by a new glass structure, designed by architects Benthem Crouwel Architekten,[7] the sheltering roofs on the platforms are being restored,[7] and the station is being once again separated from the Hoog Catharijne shopping area.[7] The bus station, which was located on the east side of the station (i.e. on the side of the city centre) is being split in two, with buses and trams arriving from the west of the city (among others the new suburb of Leidsche Rijn) terminating on the west side of the station to reduce traffic congestion.[8]
A scale model of the new station has been displayed at Madurodam.[9]
Train services
The following train services call at Utrecht Centraal:
- international:
- 1 daily Intercity-Express service Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Frankfurt Airport - Basel
- 5 daily Intercity-Express services Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Frankfurt am Main
- 1 daily CityNightLine service Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Cologne - Basel - Zurich
- national:
- 1x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle - Leeuwarden
- 1x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle - Groningen
- 1x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Hengelo - Enschede
- 1x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht - Amersfoort - Amersfoort Schothorst
- 2x per hour intercity service The Hague - Utrecht
- 2x per hour intercity service Rotterdam - Utrecht
- 2x per hour intercity service ((Schagen - ) Alkmaar - ) Amsterdam - Utrecht - Eindhoven - Maastricht
- 2x per hour intercity service Den Helder - Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Nijmegen
- 2x per hour intercity service Schiphol - Utrecht - Nijmegen
- 2x per hour intercity service Schiphol - Utrecht - Eindhoven (- Heerlen)
- 2x per hour intercity service Leiden - Alphen aan den Rijn - Utrecht
- 1x per hour night train (nachtnet) service Rotterdam - The Hague - Amsterdam - Utrecht
- 1x per hour night train (nachtnet) service Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven (weekends only)
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Hilversum - Almere
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Baarn
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Amersfoort - Zwolle
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) The Hague - Leiden - Hoofddorp - Schiphol - Duivendrecht - Hilversum - Utrecht
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Breukelen - Utrecht - Veenendaal Centrum (rush hour only)
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) (Amsterdam -) Breukelen - Utrecht - Rhenen
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) The Hague - Gouda - Woerden - Utrecht - Geldermalsen - Tiel
- 2x per hour local service (sprinter) Woerden - Utrecht - Geldermalsen - 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg - Breda
- 1x per hour local service (sprinter) Utrecht - Utrecht Maliebaan
Bus services
Utrecht Centraal has two bus stations. One next to the station at the city centre side (Busstation Centrum) and the other on the western side (Busstation West), including a tram stop. Bus services are operated by Qbuzz (Abellio) under the brand U-OV, Connexxion (urban and inter-urban services) and Arriva (Brabantliner to Breda and to Gorinchem area).
Busstation Centrumzijde
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Busstation_Utrecht_CS_01.jpg/220px-Busstation_Utrecht_CS_01.jpg)
- 1 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Tuinwijk - Overvecht)
- 2 (Centraal Station - City Centre - Museumkwartier - Centraal Station (circular))
- 3 (Centraal Station - Amsterdamsestraatweg - Zuilen - Zuilen Noord)
- 5 (Centraal Station - City Centre - Wittevrouwen - Tuindorp - Voordorp)
- 6 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Overvecht - Vechtsebanen)
- 8 (Lunetten - Tolsteeg - Centraal Station - City Centre - Oudwijk - Sterrenwijk - Oorsprongpark)
- 9 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Tuinwijk - Overvecht - Overvecht Noord)
- 12 (Centraal Station - Bleekstraat - Rubenslaan - Stadion Galgenwaard - De Uithof AZU)
- 16 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Vechtsebanen)
- 27 (Centraal Station - Vredenburg - De Meern Oost)
- 28 (Vleuten - Vleuterweide - De Meern - Vredenburg - Centraal Station - Wittevrouwen - Rijnsweerd - De Uithof WKZ)
- 34 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Zuilen - Maarssen)
- 36 (Centraal Station - Oudenoord - Nijenoord - Ondiep - Zuilen - Maarssen)
- 41 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Stadion Galgenwaard - Bunnik - Wijk bij Duurstede)
- 47 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Hoograven - Houten West - Houten Station)
- 50 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Zeist - Driebergen-Zeist - Driebergen - Doorn - Leersum - Amerongen - Elst - Rhenen - Wageningen Bus Station)
- 51 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - Zeist - Driebergen-Zeist)
- 52 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Vollenhove - Zeist Handelscentrum - Huis ter Heide - Soesterberg - Amersfoort CS)
- 53 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Vollenhove - Zeist)
- 55 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - Tuindorp - Groenekan - Maartensdijk)
- 74 (Zeist - De Bilt - Wittevrouwen - Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Kanaleneiland Zuid - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Vianen Het Monnikenhof - Vianen De Hagen - Vianen Edisonweg)
- 77 (Nieuwegein Zuid - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum - Nieuwegein - Galecop - P+R Westraven - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Bleekstraat - Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - De Leijen - Bilthoven)
- 120 (Utrecht Centraal - Amsterdamsestraatweg - Zuilen - Zuilen Noord - Maarssen - Breukelen NS - Breukelen - Loenen - Loenersloot - Baambrugge - Abcoude - Holendrecht - Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA)
- 128 (Centraal Station - Wittevrouwen - Rijnsweerd - De Uithof WKZ)
- 247 (Utrecht Centraal - Bleekstraat - Hoograven - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Nieuwegein - Houten West - Houten Station)
- 251 (Utrecht Centraal - Wittevrouwen - De Bilt - Zeist - Zeist Handelscentrum)
Busstation West
- 7 (Centraal Station - Oudenrijn Hospital - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Kanaleneiland Zuid)
- 19 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Leidsche Rijn - Leidsche Rijn Station)
- 21 (Centraal Station - Rivierenwijk - Hoograven)
- 23 (Centraal Station - City Centre)
- 24 (Centraal Station - Transwijk - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Papendorp Noord - De Meern Oudenrijn - De Meern-Oost)
- 25 (Centraal Station - Oog in Al - Lombok - Cartesiusweg)
- 26 (Centraal Station - Lombok - Langerak - Leidsche Rijn - Terwijde - Vleuterwijde)
- 29 (Centraal Station - Transwijk - Kanaleneiland Shopping Centre - Papendorp P&R - Papendorp Zuid)
- 37 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Lage Weide - Maarssenbroek - Maarssen NS)
- 38 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Lage Weide - Maarssen NS)
- 39 (Centraal Station - Vleutenseweg - Leidsche Rijn - Terwijde - Maarssen NS)
- 63 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Vianen De Hagen - Vianen De Biezen) (limited stop between Utrecht CS and Vianen Busstation Lekbrug)
- 65 (Utrecht Centraal - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug)
- 66 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland Zuid - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein Stadscentrum)
- 81 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Meerkerk - Bazelbrug - Arkel - Gorinchem)
- 85 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Leerdam)
- 90 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Ameide - Langerak - Groot Ammers - Nieuw Lekkerland - Kinderdijk - Alblasserdam - Ridderkerk - Rotterdam Lombardijen - Rotterdam Zuidplein)
- 102 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Harmelen - Woerden)
- 103 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Harmelen - Woerden)
- 107 (Utrecht Centraal - Oudenrijn - De Meern - Montfoort - Oudewater - Haastrecht - Gouda)
- 181 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Lexmond - Meerkerk - Bazelbrug - Arkel - Gorinchem) (limited stop service)
- 195 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - IJsselstein - Benschop - Lopik - Schoonhoven - Bergambacht - Krimpen aan den IJssel - Rotterdam Capelsebrug Metro Station)
- 207 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - Montfoort - Oudewater)
- 295 (Utrecht Centraal - Kanaleneiland - IJsselstein - Benschop - Lopik - Schoonhoven (- Bergambacht - Krimpen aan den IJssel - Rotterdam Capelsebrug Metro Station))
- 387 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Gorinchem) Qliner
- 388 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Noordeloos - Sliedrecht - Papendrecht - Dordrecht Hospital) Qliner
- 389 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Noordeloos - Papendrecht - Papendrecht Busstation) Qliner
- 400 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Sleeuwijk Tol - Raamsdonksveer - Oosterhout) Brabantliner
- 401 (Utrecht Centraal - Vianen Busstation Lekbrug - Sleeuwijk Tol - Hank - Breda) Brabantliner
- Eurolines
Tram services
- Line 60: Jaarbeursplein - Transwijk - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - Nieuwegein South
- Line 61: Jaarbeursplein - Transwijk - P+R Westraven - Nieuwegein - IJsselstein
Bicycles
With a large university, Utrecht has a disproportionate number of cyclists, parking their bike virtually anywhere, especially around Utrecht Centraal. Thousands of bicycles clog the area, at almost any time. This not only creates an eyesore, but is also affecting pedestrian traffic. To address the problem, the City Council decided in 2014 to build the world's largest bicycle parking station, near the Central Railway Station. This 3-floor construction will cost an estimated 48 million Euros and will hold 12,500 bicycles. Completion is foreseen in 2018.[10]
References
- ^ "Utrecht". ProRail. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "Treinverkeer Utrecht uren stil door storing". nos.nl.
- ^ "Utrecht Centraal plat door winterweer". Treinreiziger.nl.
- ^ "Treinverkeer Randstad ontregeld door storingen". Treinreiziger.nl.
- ^ "Treinchaos door brand bij Utrecht CS". RTL Nieuws.
- ^ "Reasons to build". CU2030. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ a b c "Public transport terminal". CU2030. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Bus and tram projects". CU2030. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Feestelijke opening Utrecht Centraal in Madurodam" [Festive unveiling of Utrecht Centrall at Madurodam]. ProRail. 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008.
- ^ See: Utrecht to build world's biggest bike park - for 12,500 bikes, DutchNews.nl, Sunday 27 April 2014. Accessed on 28 April 2014.
External links
Media related to Utrecht Central station at Wikimedia Commons