A planned rail strike for Thursday has been called off, but passengers in Noord-Holland and the eastern parts of the country should still expect fewer trains. This is due to prior preparations for potential disruptions, according to the state-owned railway company NS.

The NS stated that the strike will not proceed because the unions failed to provide the required 36-hour advance “official” notification.

A spokesperson for the CNV rail union indicated that the decision to call off the strike was a strategic move to exert additional pressure on the NS by being unpredictable. This follows a complete shutdown of NS services on Tuesday due to previous strike action by the unions.

The central issue remains the ongoing dispute over wages. The NS has proposed a 2.55% pay increase, but the unions are demanding compensation to offset the impact of inflation. Negotiations have been ongoing for four and a half months without a resolution.

Meanwhile, a significant number of rail users are seeking reimbursement for travel expenses incurred due to the strikes on Friday and Tuesday. According to the AD, tens of thousands of claims have been submitted.

Passengers who were unable to use train services are eligible to claim up to €25. To support their claims, travelers must provide proof of alternative transportation, such as bus or taxi receipts. Additionally, they can claim €0.23 per kilometer if they used their own vehicles.