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In the Netherlands there are local trains without toilets. So far so good.

I would like to know if there are catering facilities (bar, restaurant, trolley, dispenser, ... ) on domestic Dutch IC trains as well as on the IC trains from Brussels to Den Haag. Or do I have to do self-catering? I was not able to find an answer to this question on the NS website.

I know that many train trips are short, but e.g. Rotterdam to Groningen or Maastricht to Amsterdam last more or less 2h30.

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    Best I've seen is trolleys, but I don't know the structure. I would guess on international trains only.
    – Bernhard
    Commented Apr 16, 2013 at 18:17

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There is catering on some local Intercity trains as well. It used to be served using small trolleys, but a few years ago they switched to backpacks and added more brands like Starbucks.

The NS is not providing structured information about where they are.

"On Intercity's throughout the Netherlands and on the NS Hispeed train ..."

Source (Dutch)

However, you'll have the greatest chance to find them on the longer IC tracks, e.g.:

  • Utrecht ⇄ Zwolle
  • Zwolle ⇄ Almere
  • Utrecht ⇄ Den Bosch
  • Utrecht ⇄ Deventer
  • Zwolle ⇄ Groningen

There is some info about this on Wikipedia, but I'm not sure how acurate it is.

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On local trains there is no catering. About 20 years ago the trains were specially designed to facilitate catering trolley, but these are all removed.

For train connections between Belgium and the Netherlands there is now a sort of a void. A recent introduction of a high speed link between Amsterdam and Brussels completely failed. On the Thalys there is catering, on the other trains I wouldn't count on it.

I assume that once a solution is found there will be catering, like it was the case we the good old "beneluxtrain"

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    When I traveled on A'dam->Brussels train few months ago, there was a trolley (train was normal IC, not Thalys), but they didn't offer much (coffee and candy bars). That train seemed to be operated by Belgian Rail.
    – vartec
    Commented Apr 16, 2013 at 23:02
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    @vartec that was the good old "beneluxtrain". It got canceled in december.
    – user141
    Commented Apr 17, 2013 at 4:52
  • Benelux trains have been reintroduced, but catering is not always guarantied.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 12:42
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Dutch person here!

Generally, on almost any IC (InterCity) or double train with multiple stops (about 7 or more) will have catering services. A guy/girl will speak on the intercom to announce and come by. Pay in cash or by debit card. No bars/restaurants.

There is no timetable, but as said, almost any IC has this service. Hope that helps!

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    I do not agree. (I am Dutch as well.) There is the service on several lines but by no means on all of them and there are many times when there is nobody on those trains (even when there is someone on some of the trains.)
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented May 21, 2018 at 19:21

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