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I am trying to avoid construction traffic on Friday morning drive and found a route marked "Sprinter". What does sprinter mean / imply in the Netherlands? Is it a bus? Is it not for driving?

enter image description here

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    You selected public transit as a mode of transportation. It is not a driving route.
    – Andrey
    Sep 20, 2016 at 8:23
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    For your convenience, Sprinter light train on Wikipedia.
    – Alexander
    Sep 20, 2016 at 10:09
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    If you use the "depart at" or "arrive by" options in Google Maps for the expected time of your journey, it will adjust its suggestions and time estimates based on historical traffic data. This isn't a complete substitute for local knowledge, but will help give you a more specific idea of typical conditions at the time you'll be traveling. Sep 21, 2016 at 3:58
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    I have rolled back your last edit as it changed the question to a completely different one, making all answers off the 'new main point' of the question. See my comment above this for travel advice.
    – Willeke
    Sep 21, 2016 at 9:03
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    Following on from @Willeke, if you have a new question, please ask a new question, even if it follows on from this one, rather than changing the nature of this question.
    – CMaster
    Sep 21, 2016 at 9:10

4 Answers 4

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'Sprinter' is the name for the train service that stops at each station.

The alternative are the 'Intercity' services that only stop at limited stations.

The route you have selected first uses the sprinter train from Schiphol Airport station to Naarden Bussum station, there you change onto bus line 101 which will drop you off at the AmersfoortseStraatweg in Naarden. That is why, as Willeke commented, you (also) see the bus icons and the route following the roads (the small final leg):

enter image description here

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    The name used to be "stoptrein", but apparently that didn't sound flashy enough.
    – Mr Lister
    Sep 20, 2016 at 6:38
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    Interesting. In Germany, sprinters are very fast ICEs between large metropoles with none or very few stops. For example Berlin - Frankfurt with just one stop in Hannover.
    – sweber
    Sep 20, 2016 at 7:18
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    The name came into use when NS ordered trainsets designed to accelerate quickly, to reduce travel times on routes where stations are close together.
    – Hobbes
    Sep 20, 2016 at 7:40
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    @sweber The notion is that they do short "sprints" rather than long runs. They are lighter and reach the top speed (which is only 130-160 anyway) faster than IC trains and also have more doors per unit of length to load/unload faster.
    – Relaxed
    Sep 20, 2016 at 8:18
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    @MXD Is the word boemel used in official context anywhere? I only know it as a colloquialism.
    – gerrit
    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:19
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Notice the icons on the Google Maps route.

Google car icon Means a car route

Google bus icon Means a bus journey

Google Tram Icon Means a tram journey

Google Train Icon Means a train journey

Slightly confusingly, the icons shown on the route are suggesting that this will be a bus journey, transferring to another bus. However, if you look in the directions pane on the left (on desktop, may be elsewhere on mobile) you will see the correct icons there. If you do not wish to be shown public transport options, then change along the tabs in directions from "any directions" (the arrow sign, which will show the fastest options in all modes) to the little icon of the car. Equally, if you only want public transport, there's a picture of a train. Cycling, walking and flight routes are also available.

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  • Going from the Icons, I'd say this on the map is a bus service, but certainly no car journey.
    – Willeke
    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:51
  • @Willeke if you repeat the OP's search (roughly) it says its a train then bus, and the change is at the train station. google.co.uk/maps/dir/…
    – CMaster
    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:55
  • Yes, I get that, but in the map he shows in the OP, there is ONLY the bus icon. And that I can not get. Might have been a time of day thing.
    – Willeke
    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:58
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    @Willeke I get the same thing drawn on the map (Bus->Bus icon). In the actual instructions of how to do it, I get Train -> Bus. I figure it's a bug.
    – CMaster
    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:59
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It probably suggests the use of a train (sprinter) because the A1 is currently being constructed. There's a lot of traffic there usually and on some days it's closed down completely.

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  • If travelling Friday 9:30AM would I be wise to use route 3? (new routes posted to original question)
    – gatorback
    Sep 21, 2016 at 3:24
  • would I be better of using route-3 and not route-1?
    – gatorback
    Sep 21, 2016 at 3:41
  • @gatorback do you have internet before departure? You can check traffic before you go if you do. My guess is 9:30 AM it would be fine to take route 1 or 2. I've been driving the same route weekly (coincidentally to one street next to your destination) and have not had much trouble after 9:30.
    – Summer
    Sep 21, 2016 at 8:02
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It is indeed a train stopping at all stations and speedy sprints between them. It is marked as an alternative because by car travel time is - much - longer in rush-hours on that particular route. When travelling week-days between 7:00 and 9:30 and 16:30 and 19:00 local time it is much faster,as much as 200%. Trade-off time and cost. It's like the M1 in England, that bad, to travel by car.

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  • On Friday morning, the route is definitely faster by car.
    – Glorfindel
    Sep 20, 2016 at 8:09

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