Rotterdam–Delft rail line to stay closed until at least Sunday evening
Arson damaged 35 cables; repairs and safety tests could last until Monday morning.
Follow-up to: Arson halts rail services between Rotterdam and Delft Saturday, 10 October 2026, 08:45
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Trains between Rotterdam Centraal and Delft Campus will not run until at least Sunday evening. ProRail reports that 35 cables were damaged in the arson attack in Delfshaven and that rail services may not resume until Monday morning.
The damage occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday at a railway bridge in Rotterdam-Delfshaven. A contractor discovered smouldering cables in a technical room whose access door had been cut open. Police are investigating the fire as deliberate arson.
The damaged cables are needed to supply power to the overhead line and for the railway signalling system. As a result, ProRail cannot reopen the line until the installations have been replaced, inspected and tested.
ProRail expects the repair work to be completed at the earliest by 11 p.m. on Sunday, after which rail services can resume. The rail infrastructure manager is warning at the same time that the work could continue until Monday morning, when the timetable begins.
Police have now completed the forensic investigation. Detectives and Forensische Opsporing are examining camera footage, among other things, and are appealing to witnesses to share information or images. According to police, no one was injured.
For passengers, the disruption means that no trains will run between Rotterdam Centraal and Delft Campus on Sunday either. NS refers passengers to its journey planner and is informing them about alternative routes. The precise consequences vary depending on the departure point and destination.
The arson affects more than just passengers travelling between Rotterdam and Delft. The route is part of a busy connection in the Randstad, meaning that travelling via alternative routes can cause additional journey time and crowding on other trains or road links.
The cause and possible perpetrators remain unknown. Police have not stated a motive and no suspect has been arrested. It is therefore too early to attribute the arson to a wider sabotage campaign or a specific group.
The new forecast is a clear deterioration compared with the initial expectation, when rail services were only expected to be disrupted until the end of Saturday. Passengers would be wise to check the official travel information again shortly before departure.
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 new forecast, extent of the damage and cause were checked directly with ProRail and the police. The text makes no claims about perpetrators or motive that are not supported by the sources.
- confirmed Rail services between Rotterdam Centraal and Delft Campus will be suspended until at least Sunday evening. — ProRail reports that no rail services will be possible on Sunday and names Sunday evening as the earliest possible restart. source
- confirmed Thirty-five cables were damaged in the arson attack. — This is stated in ProRail's update at 7.06 p.m. source
- confirmed Police are investigating deliberate arson and are seeking witnesses. — ProRail and Politie Nederland report this separately. source
- confirmed Police have not disclosed a suspect or motive. — The police publication consulted contains no suspect or motive. source
Editor's note
The duration of the disruption and the number of damaged cables come from the latest ProRail update. The perpetrator, motive and any wider consequences are not known.Sources
The story so far
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 08:45 Arson halts rail services between Rotterdam and Delft
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 12:45 Police investigate sabotage after arson near railway
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 20:45 Rotterdam–Delft rail line to stay closed until at least Sunday evening (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „rotterdam delft”
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- De Telegraaf — „rotterdam delft”