Editing Nederlandse Spoorwegen (section)

==Coverage==
{{See also|Train routes in the Netherlands|Railway stations in the Netherlands}}
{{multiple image
 | direction = vertical
 | header    = Top three busiest railway stations in the Netherlands
 | caption_align = center
 | image1    = Utrecht Central station 2018 1.jpg
 | caption3  = [[Rotterdam Centraal station|Rotterdam Centraal]]
 | caption1  = [[Utrecht Centraal railway station|Utrecht Centraal]]
 | image2    = Amsterdam (NL), Centraal Station -- 2015 -- 7269.jpg
 | caption2  = [[Amsterdam Centraal station|Amsterdam Centraal]]
 | image3    = Rotterdam Central station overview (33453619126).jpg
}}
The NS covers most of the country, with almost all cities connected, mostly with a service frequency of two trains an hour or more and at least four trains per hour between all of the largest five cities ([[Amsterdam]], [[Rotterdam]], [[The Hague]], [[Utrecht]] and [[Eindhoven]]) as well as some smaller cities ([[Nijmegen]], [[Amersfoort]], [[Arnhem]], [['s-Hertogenbosch]], [[Dordrecht]] and [[Leiden]]). From December 2008 train frequencies were increased on the following services: Arnhem–Nijmegen (8 trains per hour) and The Hague–Rotterdam (12 trains per hour), Amsterdam Centraal–Hoofddorp (16 trains per hour). A night train service was added between Utrecht, Gouda and Rotterdam.<ref>[http://www.treinreiziger.nl/dienstregeling2009/index.php www.treinreiziger.nl] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211045612/http://www.treinreiziger.nl/dienstregeling2009/index.php |date=11 December 2008 }}</ref> Trains usually run between 5:00&nbsp;a.m. and 1:00&nbsp;a.m. although there is also a nightline which connects major cities in the [[Randstad]] throughout the night, as well as in weekends also some major cities in [[North Brabant]].

In addition to its domestic services, NS is also a partner (along with [[Stena Line]] and British railway company [[Greater Anglia]]) in the ''[[Dutchflyer]]'' service. NS has also entered into a partnership with [[KLM]] to operate services on the new [[HSL-Zuid]] under the name [[Intercity Direct]] towards Breda and Brussels. Intercity Direct is part of [[NS International]]; other services such as [[Eurostar]] to France and [[Intercity-Express]] to Germany and Switzerland are also part of NS International.

===Rail network===
[[File:3 op een rij in Arnhem (8641097454).jpg|thumb|left|NS trains at Arnhem Centraal]]
The ''hoofdrailnet'' is the official core internal passenger rail network of the Netherlands. Currently, NS has a concession until 1 January 2034 to provide all passenger services on this network, except that on some stretches there is an overlap with lines for which other operators have a concession. Some of the most notable of these stretches are those from [[Elst railway station]] to [[Arnhem Centraal railway station]], where NS shares tracks with [[Arriva]], and further on to [[Arnhem Velperpoort railway station|Arnhem Velperpoort]]. Here the tracks are shared by three operators, as Breng, ultimately part of [[Transdev]], operates there in addition to the two previously mentioned operators. Officially the overlaps do not constitute competition on the same lines.

The concession was free of charge until 2009, and costs an increasing amount since then, up to €30&nbsp;million for the year 2014. The concession distinguishes the main stations and other stations. Except on [[New Year's Eve]], the main stations have to be served at least twice an hour per direction from 6 a.m. to midnight and the other stations at least once an hour. Exceptions are possible until the start of the next concession.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ns.nl/over-ns/nieuwscentrum/persberichten/2011/11/ns-blijft-vervoerder-op-nederlands-hoofdrailnet.html|title=Nieuws|work=ns.nl|access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>

The next concession period is 2025–2035. For the 2015–2025 concession, requirements include: for every train service where on average more than one-third of the passengers travel longer than 30 minutes, a [[passenger train toilet|train with a toilet]] is used, every newly ordered train has a toilet and in 2025 every train has to have a toilet. The last trains on the hoofdrailnet without a toilet were the [[NS SGMm]] (the so-called classical "Sprinter", retired 2018–21) and the [[Sprinter Lighttrain]] (SLT, these trains have since had on-board toilets [[retrofitted]]).

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