A nationwide strike has brought Dutch railway services to a near standstill, with no NS trains running across the Netherlands on Tuesday, except for local Sprinter services between Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport.

The strike, organized by unions seeking a better pay deal and improved working conditions, has prompted warnings of heavy traffic congestion. The transport ministry is advising motorists to avoid driving during peak hours, and the ANWB motoring organization has also cautioned about unusually heavy traffic.

The labor action follows a previous strike on Friday that centered in the Utrecht region, which significantly disrupted the railway network. The VVMC rail union stated that the lack of an adequate response from NS, the state-owned railway operator, motivated the renewed strike action.

Unions are requesting a higher pay increase to compensate for inflation and better working conditions for employees working irregular hours. Additionally, they are advocating for the implementation of an early retirement plan for individuals engaged in physically demanding jobs. While NS has proposed an annual pay raise of 2.55%, unions deem this insufficient.

Regional train services operated by companies like Arriva are not affected, and international train services will continue to run as scheduled. Further strikes are anticipated in the coming weeks, as the dispute between the unions and NS remains unresolved. “We are asking travelers for their understanding and calling on the NS to come up with a serious and fair proposal,” union official Wim Eilert told broadcaster NOS at the weekend.