Utrecht Centraal

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Utrecht Centraal is the main station of Utrecht, the Netherlands. The station forms the main interchange of the Dutch rail network, making it the largest station of the country in both physical dimensions and number of travellers.

Understand

Orientation

Utrecht Centraal has two main entries: Centrumzijde (City centre side) and Jaarbeurszijde (Jaarbeurs side). Track numbers increase from 1 to 21, with track 1 being located at the Centrumzijde and 21 at the Jaarbeurszijde.

The main station concourse is elevated over the tracks. Stairs, escalators and elevators connect to every platform. On the north side of the platforms, a pedestrian tunnel (Noordertunnel) can be found that connects platforms 1 through 15.

Services

Overview of the station's platforms.

Intercity to Deventer awaiting departure.

Four railways meet in Utrecht: The Rhijnspoorweg (Rhine railway, Amsterdam - Elten (Germany)), Centraalspoorweg (Central railway, Utrecht - Kampen), Staatslijn H (State Line H, Utrecht - Boxtel) and a branch of the Rhijnspoorweg to Rotterdam. These railways meet at eight platforms. These are divided across sixteen tracks (1-5, 7-12, 14, 15, 18-21), with services divided into several groupings:

Tracks 1 through 4

Stopping trains (Sprinter) in the direction of Baarn, Hilversum and Amersfoort.

• Sprinter to Almere Centrum via Hilversum.
• Sprinter to Baarn via Den Dolder, departing every 30 minutes, or every hour during weekends.
• Sprinter to Zwolle via Amersfoort.
• Sprinter to Utrecht Maliebaan (Spoorwegmuseum), departing hourly except for Mondays outside of school vacations.

Tracks 5 and 7

Fast trains (Intercity) in the direction of Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport.

• Intercities to Den Helder and/or Alkmaar, via Amsterdam Centraal.
• Intercities to Enkhuizen via Hoorn and Amsterdam Centraal.
• Intercities indirectly to Dordrecht and/or Rotterdam, via Amsterdam Zuid, Schiphol and Den Haag HS. Note that its last destinations (Den Haag, Rotterdam and Dordrecht) can be reached quicker through more direct services.

Tracks 8 through 12

Fast trains (Intercity) in the directions of Amersfoort and Gouda.

• Intercities to Groningen or Leeuwarden, together connecting to Zwolle via Amersfoort every half hour.
• Intercity to Den Haag Centraal via Gouda. Note that this service reaches Den Haag quicker than the Intercity to Dordrecht/Rotterdam mentioned above. The connection between Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag HS can be made relatively easily on foot, by tram, and by Sprinter train.
• Intercity to Enschede via Amersfoort and Deventer.
• Intercity to Rotterdam Centraal via Gouda. Note that this service reaches Rotterdam quicker than the Intercity to Dordrecht/Rotterdam mentioned above.

Tracks 14 and 15

Stopping trains (Sprinter) in the directions of Breukelen and Veenendaal.

• Sprinter between Breukelen (14) and Rhenen (15).
• Sprinter between Uitgeest (14) and Driebergen-Zeist (15).
• Intercity Express (ICE) to Amsterdam Centraal, once every two hours. Note that this service requires an additional supplement to be bought before boarding. For domestic travel, the €2.90 surcharge doesn't justify the roughly five minutes that the direct service saves.

Tracks 18 and 19

Fast trains (Intercity) in the directions of Den Bosch and Arnhem.

• Intercities to Nijmegen and/or Arnhem, departing every ten minutes on Monday to Thursday, and once every fifteen minutes on Fridays and weekends.
• Intercities to Venlo via Den Bosch and Eindhoven.
• Intercities to Heerlen via Den Bosch, Eindhoven and Roermond.
• Intercity Express (ICE) to Frankfurt am Main Hbf via Duisburg, Düsseldorf and Keulen, extended to München via Stuttgart once per day, departing once every two hours. For domestic travel, a €2.90 surcharge is required for this train, unless a seat has been booked in advance. Since the train only stops in Arnhem and only saves a handful of minutes over a normal Intercity before crossing the border into Germany, this option is hardly deemed useful for domestic travel.
• NightJet (NJ) to Zürich HB via Frankfurt am Main, Baden-Baden and Basel, departing once per day. Booking is mandatory.

Tracks 20 and 21

Fast trains and stopping trains towards Leiden, Woerden and Geldermalsen.

• Sprinters to Den Haag Centraal via Gouda.
• Sprinters to Leiden via Alphen aan den Rijn.
• Sprinters to Den Bosch via Geldermalsen.
• Sprinters to Tiel via Geldermalsen.

Unless stated otherwise, the services listed above are at least half hourly connections, meaning that a train departs for the listed destination every thirty minutes. International services have been listed in bold.

Local transportation

Trams

All three of Utrecht's tram services stop at the train station, which notably has two tram halts to its name. The main tram halt is CS Centrumzijde, which can be found on the east side of the station, just beyond the exit gates on the city centre's side. Walking towards the city centre, you'll find the stairs and escalators down to the four tram platforms on your right. The other tram halt is CS Jaarbeursplein, found on the west side of the station. Of the two, Centrumzijde is the more convenient halt.

The Utrecht tram network consists of two lines going south towards the ajointed towns of Nieuwegein and IJsselstein. In the west they connect to the Utrecht Science Park, an area shared between the Univerity of Utrecht and the Utrecht hospitals (UMC, Princes Máxima Centrum and Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis).

•  20 : P+R Science Park – Nieuwegein-Zuid.
•  21 : P+R Science Park – IJsselstein-Zuid.
•  22 : CS Centrumzijde – P+R Science Park, running only on weekdays.

Buses

Utrecht, CS Jaarbeurszijde as seen from the Moreelsebrug pedestrian bridge.

Buses can primarily be found at the Jaarbeurszijde of the station concourse. Outside the ticket barriers, on the left are stairs and escalators down to CS Jaarbeurszijde. Like the Centrumzijde tram halt, this bus station is integrated within the station and is a relatively comfortable bus station, sheltered from most weather. CS Jaarbeurszijde has two platforms, labelled C and D.

Platforms A and B can be found at the opposite end of the station, at CS Centrumzijde, underneath the station concourse by the tram halt. This stop just serves a couple of local buses.

Lines 2, 3 and 28 call at Centrumzijde. All other buses, both long-distance and local, call at Jaarbeurszijde. Buses mostly serve the greater region - Utrecht Province and some ways outside that, with some buses connecting to far-flung cities like Breda, Rotterdam and Papendrecht.

Bicycle

Using a bike around Utrecht gives you, if nothing else, the opportunity to explore the world's largest bicycle garage, which is located underneath the Stationsplein.

OV-Fiets, a bike rental scheme by the Dutch Railways, has two locations around the station. Note that this service is based around a subscription for which you need an OV-Chipkaart. The rental point at Centrumzijde can be reached via the Noordertunnel underneath tracks 1-21, the Noordertunnel underneath tracks 1-15, or the entrance at the Stationsplein. The other location can be found at the Knooppassage. This location is found outside of the station concourse at Jaarbeurszijde. After exiting the station, turn left before the escalators and stairs down. You'll find the bike parking to your right, with the OV-Fiets rental point being located on the first floor.

Multiple bike rental companies can be found in the city centre. In and around Hoog Catharijne mall, you'll find the following bike rental options:

• 1 Laag Catharijne Rental & Repair

Wait

With almost all domestic trains operating on a half-hourly schedule, waiting times between domestic trains are (in theory) never longer than half an hour. Utrecht Centraal is more or less optimised to this, and doesn't offer many facility for long waits.

• Get a haircut. On the Stationspassage, not far outside the gateline, a hairdresser can be found: 2 Haarlijn Kappers.
• Watch the trains. The Stationspassage, and the areas behind the shops of the main concourse offer great views of the incoming trains, which come more or less uninterrupted with Utrecht Centraal being the national railway hub that it is.

Longer waits

• Explore Hoog Catharijne. One of the Netherlands' most famous malls, is located right opposite of the station. It has some 160 shops spread across its two floors. The venue is quite busy though, with the mall also being the main thoroughfare for pedestrians between the city centre and the station.
• Public art along the Croeselaan. Exiting at the Jaarbeurszijde and continuing straight, turn left when you're past the Beatrixtheater. The median between both directions of travel here, is filled with a small pedestrianised park with many artworks and sculptures lining the sides of the path.
• Combine a layover with a visit. Several Utrecht-based destinations are found within a short walking distance of the station.
  • 1 Beatrix Theater, a theatre and congress venue directly outside the station at the Jaarbeurszijde. The theatre mostly has Dutch acts lined up, but also features the occasional English act.
  • 2 Kinepolis, a cinema found across the street from the Beatrix Theater. In the Netherlands, most movies that aren't directly intended for children tend to be subtitled. For movies aimed at younger audiences, both dubbed and subtitled versions are often available, with only movies aimed at the youngest of children always being dubbed over.
  • 3 TivoliVredenburg is a concert hall due north of Hoog Catharijne. It can be reached through the left corridor of Hoog Catharijne, using the exit on the left where the Stadsbuitengracht (city moat) intersects the mall. The building can be found on your right, outside the mall.

Eat and drink

In the station and Stationsplein

• Quick bites
  • 1 Starbucks
  • AH To Go. ToGo-variant of the Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn. Sells mostly drinks including a hot coffee or tea, snacks, sandwiches, and similar items. They are found on both sides of the station concourse, by the exits.
  • Kiosk. Usually has smaller shops on the platforms themselves. Kiosk stocks things you might need whilst waiting on the platform: Coffee and tea, snacks, sandwiches, candy, newspapers, et cetera.
  • 1 Julia's, a restaurant-like formula in Italian style. Julia's sells to-go pastas prepared in their own kitchen, as well as Illy-coffee, ciabatta's, salads and tiramisu. They can be found in the main hall.

• Bars
  • 2 Bar Beton – A café, restaurant and office centre on the second floor of the main concourse.
  • 3 Tea Guys – Bubble tea store.

• Fastfood
  • 2 Burger King – American hamburger chain.
  • 3 Smullers – Dutch 'snackbar' chain found in most major stations.
  • 4 KFC – American fast food chain.
  • 5 Five Guys – American fast food chain.
  • 6 The Döner Company – Dutch döner chain.
  • 7 Hoi Anh – Vietnamese to-go restaurant.
  • 8 Manneken Pis – Higher end Dutch 'snackbar'.

• Restaurants
  • 9 Vapiano – Italian restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere. Has indoor seating with views over the Stationsplein and the tracks.
  • 10 Wagamama – Casual, Japanese-inspired Asian restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.
  • 11 The Seafood Bar – Seafood restaurant with indoor seating overlooking the Stationsplein.

Further out

Most restaurants near the station can be found at the Jaarbeurszijde. Within Hoog Catharijne Mall you'll also find plenty of restaurants and other kinds of eateries. For a more idyllic site to have a bite, you can cross through Hoog Catharijne towards the Oudegracht, where many restaurants over seating along the city's moat.

• 12 RUIG, Veemarktplein 43 (Jaarbeurszijde - Cross the Croeselaan then turn left onto it, and the restaurant will appear on your right.), ☏ +31 308 881 111, info@restaurantruig.nl. Tu-Su: 15:00, no listed closing time. Restaurant specialising in steaks, burgers and beers. (updated Dec 2024)
• 13 Miyagi & Jones, Handelskamerstraat 14 (Jaarbeurszijde, next to RUIG.), ☏ +31 303 075 088. Asian restaurant, based around Japanese street food primarily. (updated Dec 2024)
• 14 Uncle Jim, Croeselaan 91 (Jaarbeurszijde - Cross the Croeselaan and turn left onto it, then on your right after 140 m (150 yd).), ☏ +31 302 931 251, info@uncle-jim.nl. Mo-Fr: 11:30, Sa, Su: 16:00, no listed closing time. Bar and grill restaurant (updated Dec 2024)
• 15 The Green House, Croeselaan 16 (Turn left after the Beatrix Theater without crossing the street, after about 100 m (110 yd) the restaurant appears on your left.), ☏ +31 622 131 447. Mo-Fr: 10:00-22:00, Sa: 11:30-22:00. Sustainable restaurant near the station, with ingredients coming from their own urban farm, and the Utrecht province as a whole. (updated Dec 2024)
• 16 Metro City Kitchen, Jaarbeursplein 15 (Inside of World Trade Center Utrecht. Immediately turn right coming out of the station at Jaarbeurszijde.), ☏ +31 303 073 535. Mo-Fr: 9:30-23:00, Sa: 10:30-23:00, Su: 10:30-20:00. (updated Dec 2024)

Buy

Inside the concourse

• 1 America Today
• 2 Sissy Boy
• 3 Rituals
• 4 BLOEM!
• 5 Bruna
• 6 HEMA
• 7 Etos

Outside the concourse

• 8 Hoog Catharijne Mall, a 107,000 square metres (1,150,000 sq ft) two-storey mall with around 160 shops, lying directly opposite the train station on the Centrumzijde.

Sleep

Should you be in need of a bed in Utrecht whilst passing through by train, then several hotels can be found in the direct vicinity of the station. These, however, tend to be at least mid-segment when it comes to price. For more budget-friendly options, it would help to search for cheaper hotels or hostels in the city centre, or the suburbs. The suburbs in particular can be reached with public transit relatively easily.

• 1 NH Utrecht, Jaarbeursplein 24 (Jaarbeurszijde. Turn right when leaving the station. The hotel can be found by the Jaarbeursplein tram halt.), ☏ +31 204 990 317. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. €109. (updated Dec 2024)
• 2 Park Plaza, Westplein 50 (Jaarbeurszijde. Turn right and follow the tram tracks. The hotel is found roughly where the tram crosses underneath the railway.), ☏ +31 302 925 200. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. €115. (updated Dec 2024)
• 3 Intell Hotels, Smakkelaarshoek 24 (Centrumzijde. Turn left before the mall and head down the stairs. The hotel is on your left.), ☏ +31 302 020 990. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. €105. (updated Dec 2024)
• 4 Crowne Plaza, Catharijne Esplanade 13 (Centrumzijde. Inside Hoog Catharijne Mall, entrance at its main plaza.), ☏ +31 302 377 100. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. €134. (updated Dec 2024)
• 5 Hampton by Hilton, Boven Catharijnepoort 4 (Centrumzijde. Inside Hoog Catharijne Mall, entrance at its main plaza.), ☏ +31 302 377 033. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. €106. (updated Dec 2024)