Lift failures continue to make stations inaccessible
ProRail points to vandalism, flooding, technical issues and a shortage of technicians as causes.
Lift and escalator failures continue to hinder travellers at Dutch stations, especially people who cannot use stairs independently. ProRail says prolonged failures have now declined, but individual stations can still face problems for weeks or months.
The problems have various causes. According to ProRail, these include technical defects, vandalism, flooding, long delivery times for parts and a shortage of technicians. When a single lift component fails, repairs can also take longer than travellers expect because parts have to be ordered or specialist knowledge is needed.
ProRail reports that the number of prolonged lift failures in 2025 and 2026 is clearly lower than before. Whereas there were previously regular peaks of more than twenty failures lasting longer than a week, the average is now between five and seven, according to the rail infrastructure manager. That average, however, says little about travellers at a station where that one lift happens to be out of service for a long period.
A recent example is Elst station. The lift to platform 1 has suffered several failures there. ProRail is therefore installing a temporary ramp that bridges a height difference of approximately 1.5 metres. According to the rail infrastructure manager, investigations point to damp and flooding in the lift shaft as a major cause. On Sunday, it was still not known how long the permanent repair would take.
Vandalism remains a separate problem. ProRail says deliberately damaged lifts more often lead to reports being filed with the police, and that camera surveillance and additional patrols are being deployed at some stations. Vulnerable components are also being modified, for example by better protecting buttons or placing barriers by lift doors.
The rail infrastructure manager is also replacing lifts that are approaching the end of their technical service life. In 2026, work is planned in Amsterdam, Boxtel, Haarlem and Sittard, among other places. ProRail ultimately wants to make all Dutch stations accessible, but acknowledges that structural limitations, construction work and limited space can sometimes make temporary solutions difficult.
For travellers with a disability, a lift is not an additional facility but a prerequisite for being able to travel independently. ProRail refers travellers to the NS app and the DOVA station viewer for up-to-date information. If a lift is out of service for a long period, NS Reisassistentie can, according to ProRail, arrange an alternative route or alternative transport together with the traveller.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Lift failures can limit the independent accessibility of stations.
- ProRail cites several technical and organisational causes.
- ProRail is investing in replacement, monitoring, surveillance and temporary solutions.
Left
Arguments Accessibility is a basic public service. Travellers with a disability should not become dependent on chance repairs, taxis or help from others.
Values Equal access, public responsibility and protection of vulnerable travellers.
Consequences More structural investment and stricter accessibility standards may increase costs, but prevent exclusion.
Centre
Arguments ProRail must demonstrably resolve failures more quickly, provide up-to-date information and choose proportionate solutions for each station.
Values Reliability, feasibility and transparent management of public infrastructure.
Consequences A combination of maintenance, replacement, surveillance and temporary routes can bring improvement without immediately rebuilding every station completely.
Right
Arguments The infrastructure manager must take responsibility for vandalism and limit waste. Targeted security measures and holding perpetrators liable could reduce the bill for travellers and taxpayers.
Values Personal responsibility, safety and efficiency.
Consequences More cameras, surveillance and stricter prosecution could reduce vandalism, but also entail privacy and implementation costs.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is based on recent information from ProRail and an independent local source. The text makes clear that national averages do not fully describe individual inaccessible stations.
- confirmed ProRail cites technical issues, vandalism, flooding, parts and technicians as causes of prolonged failures. — Mentioned on ProRail’s page about lift failures. source
- confirmed The average number of prolonged lift failures is around five to seven in 2025 and 2026. — ProRail cites this average in the report of 22 April 2026. source
- confirmed A temporary ramp is being installed at Elst station and flooding plays a significant role. — ProRail published information about this on 25 September 2026. source
- confirmed ProRail uses, among other measures, camera surveillance and preventive patrols against vandalism. — Described in ProRail’s FAQ. source
Editor's note
The causes cited by ProRail, the national approach and the temporary ramp at Elst are certain. A complete, up-to-date national count of all lift and escalator failures is lacking.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „prorail stations”
- AD — „prorail stations”
- de Volkskrant — „prorail stations”