A little over two years ago, a direct rail connection between Eindhoven and Düsseldorf still seemed like a distant dream. However, the relevant parties in the Netherlands and Germany recently reached an agreement on a preferred alternative. As of 2025 a train will cross the border here once every hour. This is achieved by linking the current rail services running between Düsseldorf and Venlo and between Venlo and Eindhoven. “A direct Eindhoven – Düsseldorf rail connection is feasible in the near future,” states Geertje van Engen
Van Engen works as a consultant on German-Dutch rail connections for AT Osborne-RHDHV, which provides support for the EurekaRail programme. EurekaRail is a joint initiative of the Dutch provinces of Limburg and North Brabant, working towards ‘borderless’ rail connections in collaboration with the German Nahverkehr Rheinland, Verkehrsverbund Rhein Ruhr and Aachner Verkehrsverbund and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. They have been part of the attempts to establish this connection since 2015. A preferred alternative was recently selected, which Van Engen sees as an excellent development. “The will to get this done is there on both sides of the border.”
The will to get this done is there on both sides of the border.
Preferred alternative
The preferred alternative is currently being worked out in more detail. That includes the creation of a Design Brief for this rail service. Additionally, negotiations will take place on the duration of the transport contract, the tender, the division of costs and other aspects. The parties involved in the project should sign an agreement at the end of this year.
They have opted to establish this rail connection in 2025. This is when the main railway network concession in the Netherlands will come to an end, as will the current transport contract for the connection between Venlo and Düsseldorf granted by Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR). This creates opportunities for both VRR and the Dutch government to implement changes for this line. As VRR is making the cross-border connection the subject of a public tender, all transport providers will have the chance to travel between Venlo and Eindhoven once an hour.
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