The NS states on their website that the sale of international train tickets is picking up again, according to the sales figures of NS International. Mid-April, sales hit rock bottom, with only 3% tickets sold compared to normal. In recent weeks, that number has risen sharply again, to 30% again from normal. That growth seems to continue. The share of tickets to Berlin has been significantly larger than usual in recent weeks. Most trains have been running to our neighboring countries Germany and Belgium since the beginning of June.

Like many other companies, 2020 was a rollercoaster for NS International. In 2019, NS International recorded impressive growth of 13%. In the first months of 2020, comparable growth in the number of travelers was also visible at all destinations. More and more travelers are finding the sustainable train for a trip within Europe. In addition, at the end of April, Eurostar would start operating directly between Amsterdam and London in four hours, bringing another popular destination within reach. The start of the direct train Amsterdam-Rotterdam-London has been postponed by corona until later this year.

Based on the figures of the last few weeks, the top 5 most popular international train destinations are unchanged: Antwerp, Brussels, Parisintern, Berlin and Cologne. It is striking that proportionately Berlin a lot more popular (almost twice) than usual in this period. An explanation for this may be that Berlin is always a popular destination in the summer, but that travelers only purchase their tickets late this summer. Destinations such as Brussels and Cologne, which are normally popular with business travelers, are slightly behind. That type of travel is even less likely to start.

NS In these uncertain times, it is important that travelers can book their train journey with peace of mind. That is why the conditions of many tickets have been relaxed, so that they can be rebooked free of charge until shortly before departure. In the trains, NS pays a lot of attention to hygiene, which means that areas are additionally disinfected. There are also rules in neighboring countries about wearing a mouth mask or covering the mouth and nose. The measures may differ slightly in detail. At www.nsinternational.com travelers will find an overview of the measures per country.

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