Arriva pursues direct Netherlands‑Paris train service by 2028

Arriva has submitted capacity applications to the Dutch regulator ACM for new international rail connections between the Netherlands and Paris. The proposals add daily services from The Hague (Den Haag HS) – three round trips – and Amersfoort – two round trips – to the earlier request for a Groningen‑Paris route. Trains will stop in Antwerp and Brussels before crossing the French‑Belgian border after Mons, and will be locomotive‑hauled cars capable of 160 km/h, not high‑speed units.

Arriva targets a start date of 1 February 2028, or earlier if approvals are secured, but the timeline remains uncertain. The operator plans to use currently unused capacity on rail networks in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, while noting that other companies such as NS could raise objections and that ACM may launch investigations.