HSL Zuid High-Speed Rail Line, Netherlands

HSL Zuid (Hogesnelheidslijn Zuid – High-Speed Line South) is a dedicated 125km (78 mile) high-speed rail line, forming part of a new route between Antwerp, Belgium and Amsterdam. A key part of the growing European high-speed rail network, the line will accommodate several routes and different types of rolling stock.

The government approved the project in 1997, the route was finalised in 1998 and construction began in 2000. There was an intention to incorporate a substantial percentage of private sector participation, up to 10% of total construction cost.

This new service will connect Amsterdam to Brussels, via Schiphol, Rotterdam and Breda, and above all will offer travellers a high degree of flexibility. It will be possible to reserve a ticket right up to the last minute and still be sure of getting a seat.

At 2006 prices, projects costs for the line are €6.9bn. After several delays, it is expected that commercial services will start in early 2008.

THE PROJECT

The Netherlands is suffering acutely from growing infrastructure demands, notably in the western Randstad conurbation through which NSL Zuid passes. It already suffers from congestion at its major airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, a major hub between European centres and worldwide destinations.

The 10% involvement of Dutch flag carrier KLM (now part of Air France) in partnership with NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) as service operators HSA, operating as NS Hispeed, is illustrative of integration of the project with other transport modes, as is the building of extensive car parking near the stations involved.

In 2007 NS Hispeed was projecting time reductions from Amsterdam: to Rotterdam, from 1hr 3min to 36min; to Brussels, from 2hr 54min to 1hr 46min; to Paris from 4hr 9min to 3hr 13min.

The line to the Belgian border is being financed through a public private partnership (PPP) scheme led by the Infraspeed BV consortium. It will remain the property of the Dutch government, which will pay an annual performance fee of around NLG230m in return for over 99% availability. The contract covers a four-year construction period and maintenance up to 2030.

Infraspeed consists of Fluor Daniel, BAM/NBM, Siemens, Innisfree and Charterhouse Project Equity Investment. The banking consortium is led by Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank, ING, KBC, KfW, Dexia Public Finance Bank and Rabobank.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Although European rules state that new high-speed rail lines are to be designed for speeds of at least 250km/h (155mph), the Dutch line, however, is being constructed for 300km/h (186mph) running. Unlike the rest of NS electrified routes at 1,500V d.c., HSL Zuid and its Belgian counterpart features a 25kV ac supply.

Major engineering features include the new 7.2km (4.5 miles) Leiderdorp-Hazerswoude tunnel under the Groene Haart (Green Heart) open country between the country's four largest cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag and Utrecht. Construction problems at this site have led to it becoming one of several delays in the project overall.

Work started on the Leiderdorp-Hazerswoude tunnel in October 2001 and uses the world's largest boring machine known as 'Aurora', 120m long, 14.87m in diameter and weighing 3,300t.

Other major structures include a 6km (3.7 mile) viaduct at Bleiswijk, near Rotterdam, nine-track covered way at Barendrecht to be shared with the new Betuwe freight line and conventional trains and two immersed tube tunnels under waterways near Dordrecht.

The Hollandsch Diep waterway is bridged by a structure 2km long, including access ramps. To contain environmental effects, the line is bundled with motorway alignments for 33km (20.5 miles). Of the total route length, 75% in over construction works, the remainder at ground level with extensive use of transparent noise screening.

The Dutch administrative capital, Den Haag, will also be connected directly to the route via existing track at Rotterdam. Breda is to be served, effectively as a terminus, by a north and south spur forming a triangle with the HSL proper, with a new platform added at the station.

The HSL Zuid design team was briefed to come up with a design that fitted well into the Dutch landscape, yet at the same time look innovative. A 'double U' trackbed design is being used, whereby each pair of rails is built into a U-shaped concrete bed.

ROLLING STOCK

The projected HSL services will feature several forms of motive power. New V250 trains made up of two coupled 'half-sets' from Ansaldobreda SpA of Italy and operated as a pool by owners NS and SNCF/NMBS will provide internal Dutch services as far south as Breda, also between Amsterdam and Brussels Midi.

It was planned to replace the long-established Benelux service (now marketed by Hispeed as InterCity Brussels) using the classic route via Roosendaal, although high demand and concerns about enforced higher charges for trains over the new lines may lead to their retention in some form. TGV-based Thalys stock which already serves Amsterdam is being fitted with signalling compatible with HSL Zuid and internally refurbished for services to Belgium and France. German and Dutch ICE3 sets on the Amsterdam-Köln line are now promoted as part of NS Hispeed operations.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Signalling standards on the Netherlands high-speed line will conform to the standard European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It incorporates a high-speed communication link between trackside and train, enabling continuous transmission of information from interlocking and traffic management systems directly into train cabs.

Lineside and in-cab signalling will control movements, and a form of automatic train protection (ATP) is fitted to trains. Evacuation paths are in place along the entire route, with emergency exits in track screens, on bridges and in tunnels to assist rapid evacuation. To further enhance safety there are no level crossings, with bridges built to take existing roads over the new rail line.

THE FUTURE

The addition of high-speed services would cause capacity problems at Schiphol Airport station, so it is anticipated that some NS Amsterdam services will be restored to the the original routing via Haarlem.

Conversely, the new line should free paths on the classic route that could increase north-south freight capacity. At the project outset, the expected annual number of high-speed train passengers was assumed to be 14 million, but NS Hispeed now expects up to 17 million domestic and 7 million international passengers annually from 2010.

A ministerial announcement in December 2007 indicated that HSL Zuid could not be handed over for passenger service operations until at least October 2008. This will be subject to resolution of problems by a group including Infraspeed, Bombardier, ProRail, the Department of Public Works and the Inspectorate for Transport and Water Affairs.

By late 2007 it had become clear that the V250 delays would continue as the first set was only then approaching completion. Given the required testing of this new design, mid-2009 now looks a more likely time for their introduction to fleet service.

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