Netherlands approves EUR 2bn northern rail connection
The Dutch government has approved the Nedersaksenlijn, a EUR 2 billion mainline railway connecting Groningen, Emmen and Twente.
Acting transport minister Thierry Aartsen signed the go-ahead last week, launching the exploration phase for the 180 km line that will serve 1.3 million people.
The project requires 44 km of new track between Emmen and Veendam. If completed by the 2035 target, it will be the Netherlands’ first new intercity line in 23 years, following the Hanzelijn which opened in December 2012.
Three-year planning phase begins
The project now enters a three-year exploration examining routing, station locations and construction methods. A route selection decision is expected by late 2028, followed by detailed design and construction phases if approved.
Funding comes from budget reallocated from the cancelled Lelylijn project. Annual operating costs of EUR 25-40 million remain unfunded.
Aartsen simultaneously approved EUR 75 million for electrifying the Almelo-Mariënberg section, eliminating diesel operations on this 18.8 km segment by end 2028.
Why it matters: The investment addresses decades of underconnectivity in northern Netherlands and may work as inspiration for peripheral EU regions seeking mainline rail development.
What’s next: ProRail conducts the exploration phase through 2028, with results informing the government’s decision on whether to proceed to construction.