Large parts of the Dutch rail network, including Amsterdam, were disrupted on Tuesday after what the country’s rail infrastructure operator described as deliberate interference with the tracks.

ProRail said the incident appeared to be “an intentional disruption… caused by human action,” and warned passengers in the centre and north of the Netherlands to expect cancellations and delays. The closure of some level crossings was also expected to affect road traffic.

“Materials were found at multiple locations in the track that were deliberately placed there. This causes section malfunctions. Sabotage appears to be involved,” ProRail said in a statement.

According to local media, pipes were attached to the tracks at multiple points. Footage published by Dutch public broadcaster NOS showed police carrying what appeared to be metal pipes around 1.5 metres long away from railway tracks at Veenendaal, in the central Netherlands.

One train at Steenwijk struck one of the objects, ProRail said, adding that no one was injured.

Scale of the disruption

At least 15 separate disruptions were recorded across the network on Tuesday, according to ProRail’s website, with routes serving Schiphol — the country’s main international airport — and Utrecht among those affected.

Train operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen said services around Zwolle, Deventer and Amersfoort were disrupted, and that the problem was so extensive it was “not possible” to provide replacement bus services.

A Eurostar service from Amsterdam to Paris was also delayed because of “operational restrictions” at Amsterdam Centraal, though it was not established whether that was connected to the wider disruption.

ProRail said no suspects had been identified and no motive established. The national police unit is investigating.

A second European rail incident in days

The Dutch disruption follows reports in French media that a derailment in Normandy last Friday may also have been an act of sabotage. French prosecutors said a section of rail found on the track may have caused that crash.

France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has urged caution while the investigation continues, saying authorities are pursuing all leads. Neither outlet reports any established link between the two incidents.

Not reported

Neither report gives the number of passengers affected, when services are expected to return to normal, or whether Dutch authorities are treating the incident as politically motivated. There is no indication of how the objects were placed without detection, and no comment from Eurostar.

Sources