The daily train service connecting Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Arnhem to Switzerland will come to an end this summer, as German operator Deutsche Bahn has decided to discontinue

the ICE International route to Basel.

The service, which has been operational for 96 years and takes approximately 6.5 hours from Amsterdam to Basel, will cease operation on July 15, as reported by the Volkskrant on Friday.

According to information on the NS website, the discontinuation is due to maintenance work scheduled until mid-December. However, it remains uncertain what alternative services will be offered after the maintenance is completed. One potential option suggested by the Volkskrant is a fast train route to Munich.

International train services have been promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative to short-haul flights, and various international train companies are vying for the opportunity to operate services from the Netherlands.

While many of these companies are foreign-owned, the NS submitted requests to the Dutch competition authority last year to offer open-access services to major European cities including London, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Vienna, and Innsbruck.

Additionally, the Austrian train company Nightjet currently offers night train services to Switzerland. Photo by Oxyman, Wikimedia commons.