Cross-border rail traffic between the eastern Netherlands and northwest Germany was thrown into disarray on the morning of 27 December after a rolling-stock failure forced the cancellation of multiple stopping services between Hengelo (NL) and Bad Bentheim (DE). NS International and Deutsche Bahn, the two main operators on the line, warned passengers to expect delays of up to 90 minutes and arranged replacement buses linking Hengelo, Oldenzaal and Bad Bentheim.
The Hengelo–Bad Bentheim corridor is a popular route for Dutch and German commuters working in the Osnabrück and Münster tech clusters and for business travellers connecting to ICE services onward to Berlin. Disruption therefore has a knock-on effect on Germany’s long-distance network: the Intercity 77 service from Amsterdam to Berlin was forced to run non-stop between Deventer and Rheine, skipping several Dutch border stations.
![Rolling-Stock Failure Halts Hengelo–Bad Bentheim Trains, Disrupts Germany–Netherlands Commuter Corridor]()
Frequent cross-border travellers—especially those from outside the EU who may need a Schengen visa before boarding a replacement bus or onward ICE connection—should make sure their documents are in order. VisaHQ can streamline the process, offering step-by-step online applications and real-time tracking; check https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for fast assistance with German visas and other travel paperwork.
For employers, the incident illustrates the fragility of cross-border rail during the winter period when staffing levels and spare rolling stock are typically tight. HR teams should remind employees that EU passenger-rights regulations allow claims for compensation after 60 minutes of delay, even on international segments. Where critical meetings are involved, switching to car hire via the A30/A1 motorway may be the quicker option until full service resumes.
Rail operators expect normal timetables to return by 16:00 CET, but have cautioned that residual delays may persist into the evening peak as equipment and crews are repositioned.
The Hengelo–Bad Bentheim corridor is a popular route for Dutch and German commuters working in the Osnabrück and Münster tech clusters and for business travellers connecting to ICE services onward to Berlin. Disruption therefore has a knock-on effect on Germany’s long-distance network: the Intercity 77 service from Amsterdam to Berlin was forced to run non-stop between Deventer and Rheine, skipping several Dutch border stations.
Frequent cross-border travellers—especially those from outside the EU who may need a Schengen visa before boarding a replacement bus or onward ICE connection—should make sure their documents are in order. VisaHQ can streamline the process, offering step-by-step online applications and real-time tracking; check https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for fast assistance with German visas and other travel paperwork.
For employers, the incident illustrates the fragility of cross-border rail during the winter period when staffing levels and spare rolling stock are typically tight. HR teams should remind employees that EU passenger-rights regulations allow claims for compensation after 60 minutes of delay, even on international segments. Where critical meetings are involved, switching to car hire via the A30/A1 motorway may be the quicker option until full service resumes.
Rail operators expect normal timetables to return by 16:00 CET, but have cautioned that residual delays may persist into the evening peak as equipment and crews are repositioned.
