Trains in the Netherlands were brought to a standstill on 15 September 2026, with chaos also felt on the nation’s roads, after farmers appeared to have committed acts of civil disobedience to protest against government budget plans on the day of the re-opening of parliament.
Much of the Dutch rail network was paralysed for at least part of the day due to pipes found attached to the rail tracks, according to a statement by the national infrastructure operator, ProRail. “Materials were found in several places along tracks that were deliberately placed there. This is causing section failures. It seems to be sabotage,” ProRail confirmed.
A spokesperson said pipes or unauthorised objects had been discovered in at least 20 different locations from as early as 5:30 am, causing network holdups. One train struck an obstacle but remained safely on the tracks, with no derailment or injuries reported. Level crossings were also reported to be malfunctioning in some places.
The central cities of Amersfoort, Deventer, and Zwolle were among the places affected, with the “Prinsjesdag” disruption coinciding with the peak morning rush. The incident is being investigated by police with items recovered for forensic analysis.
Later in the day, sections of motorway had to be closed too, after fires lit alongside the routes caused severe road delays. The arson involved hay bales and car tires, according to the Farmers Defence Force, an activist group that denied responsibility but said its members may have acted individually. “We feel like the country is on fire. Farmers feel as though their businesses are on fire because of the government’s plans”, spokesperson Sieta van Keimpema said.
Political protests have been known to spill out into wider Dutch society before. In 2025, a NATO summit in The Hague was targeted by sabotage that saw train fires around Schiphol airport.
Mirjam van Velthuizen, interim CEO of ProRail, said in a statement that this year’s issue had “affected many travelers” and was a demonstration of “just how dependent the Netherlands is on a well-functioning railway network. For anyone who was stranded, delayed, or forced to change their plans, this has a major impact.”
The ceremonial Prinsjesdag opening of parliament went ahead later in the afternoon, including the annual budget being laid out by King Willem-Alexander. The Netherlands’ national finances have been under scrutiny in recent months, with farmers particularly concerned by environmental policies on nature reserves and nitrogen pollution.
