📋 Tender Overview
Summary
From October 2026 to July 2027, ProRail will replace the Gouwespoorbrug near Alphen aan den Rijn, which is at the end of its lifespan. As a result, no trains will run between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven for 9 months. NS uses buses between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven. Travelers can detour between Leiden and Utrecht via Amsterdam Zuid and Schiphol Airport. After the work, the Gouwespoorbrug will be less susceptible to disruptions and ready for decades of train and boat traffic. Travelers must take into account more transfers and longer travel times. During the work, we advise travelers to plan their door-to-door journey in a timely manner in the NS App or on ns.nl. More information can also be found at NS.nl/beterereis.
The replacement of the Gouwespoorbrug. Preparations for the replacement of the swing bridge are going well. Since the end of 2025, preparatory work has been carried out on site on behalf of ProRail, including measurements and soundings. In February 2026, work began on installing a new sinker for the control cabling. The existing sinker is in the way of the new foundation and is therefore being replaced. The physical layout of the construction site has started in mid-June 2026, so that the actual replacement of the bridge can start in October 2026. Movement has been detected in the abutments and central pillar of the railway bridge over the Gouwe in Alphen aan den Rijn. The safety of the bridge is guaranteed until the bridge is replaced. ProRail is scheduled to start replacing the bridge in October 2026.
Travel advice Due to the duration of 9 months and the impact of the work, NS is using extra resources to accommodate travelers as much as possible. - Travelers between Leiden Central and Utrecht Central can detour via Amsterdam South and Schiphol Airport. The additional travel time is 10 minutes. - Travelers between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven can use NS buses. These will connect to the train service as much as possible. - Due to the work between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven, we expect extra passengers on the Alphen-Gouda Train Service (TAG) during rush hour, especially on the already busy Tuesdays and Thursdays. This ensures busier trains between Waddinxveen and Gouda in particular during rush hour. We advise travelers to check the travel planner carefully in advance for an indication of the crowds.
Extra trains between Leiden Central and Alphen aan den RijnDuring the work, the train between Leiden Central and Alphen aan den Rijn will run four times per hour from Monday to Friday during off-peak hours instead of the current two times per hour. This provides a better connection to the Alphen-Gouda (TAG) train service and a more robust transfer between bus and train in Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven.
Additional measures This decommissioning is exceptional due to its duration of 9 months. To limit any inconvenience for travelers, there are a number of additional measures that NS is taking to accommodate travelers: * The train service between Leiden and Alphen aan den Rijn will be expanded from two to four times per hour during off-peak hours. This ensures a better connection to the Alphen-Gouda (TAG) train service and also improves transfer options to bus and train in Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven. * The range of public transport bicycles at the Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven stations will be temporarily expanded. In addition, during the outage, travelers who travel with a public transport bicycle between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven (and vice versa) do not pay any additional costs for returning the bicycle to another location. * The transfer between the train between Alphen aan den Rijn and Gouda and the train between Alphen aan den Rijn and Leiden will be cross-platform as much as possible during the outage, so that travelers can easily transfer. In the coming weeks, we will investigate what other measures can be taken to accommodate travelers during this period.
Be prepared for your journeyWe advise travelers to consult the NS Travel Planner before departure and to take into account extra travel time, which can amount to approximately 30 minutes. Traveling by train between Utrecht and Leiden costs approximately 10 minutes extra travel time. The most current travel information can be found here. More information about this work can be read on the ProRail website.
