Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Sabotage disrupts Dutch trains before parliament’s state opening
Trains in the Netherlands were disrupted during Tuesday’s morning rush hour.
Long, thin pipes had been attached to railway tracks in many places.
ProRail said the materials were deliberately put there and called the incident sabotage.
More than 20 locations were affected, mostly in rural areas.
Trains near the blockages had to stop.
International trains to Germany were also disrupted.
Some roads were affected because level crossings stayed closed.
Police, prosecutors and the AIVD were investigating.
Officials did not yet know who placed the pipes or why.
ProRail said deliberately placed pipes disrupted train services across the Netherlands on Tuesday morning.
Pipes were attached to railway tracks in more than 20 locations, mainly in rural areas.
All trains near the blockages stopped, with serious disruption also affecting international services to Germany.
ProRail classified the incident as railway-infrastructure sabotage, while police, prosecutors and the AIVD investigated.
Several level crossings remained closed, disrupting road traffic; officials did not know the perpetrators’ identity or motive.
- Who
- ProRail reported the disruption; police, prosecutors and the AIVD investigated, but no responsible person was identified.
- What
- Train services were disrupted after pipes were deliberately attached to railway tracks, which ProRail classified as sabotage.
- When
- Tuesday, September 15, during the morning rush hour and hours before the state opening of parliament.
- Where
- More than 20 locations across the Netherlands, mainly rural areas in the middle and east; services in central and northern areas were affected.
- Why
- ProRail said the disruption appeared deliberate, but the perpetrators and motive were unknown.
- Affected locations
- More than 20 railway locations, mainly in rural areas in the middle and east of the Netherlands
- Disruption timing
- Tuesday morning rush hour, hours before the state opening of parliament
- Object found
- Long, thin pipes deliberately attached to railway tracks
- ProRail classification
- Sabotage of railway infrastructure
- Transport impact
- Trains near blockages stopped; international services to Germany were also seriously disrupted
- Investigation
- Police, prosecutors and the AIVD were investigating
- Additional impact
- Several level crossings remained closed, affecting road traffic