The Netherlands’ WEIRDLY-SHAPED Double-Decker Intercity Train, The NS VIRM!

Hello all, and welcome to the first video from The Netherlands on the channel!

The Dutch-state rail operator, NS (for my non-Dutch viewers, they owned bus/train operator Abellio at the time of recording/upload) use 178 of these 4 or 6 car “VIRM” double decker units as the backbone of their intercity services, so I’ll be checking one of them out in this video – so join me as we scratch the surface on what the Dutch rail network has to offer!

Journey Details:

Date of Travel – January 2023
Operator – Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train type – Verlengd InterRegio Materieel (VIRM)
Origin – Utrecht Centraal
Destination – Amsterdam Centraal
Class of travel – Second (standard) class
Price – €48 (£42.58 in GBP - Explore Holland Pass)

Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed the video!

Music from the YouTube audio library.

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#ns #nederlandsespoorwegen #virm #utrechtcentraal #amsterdamcentraal #utrecht #amsterdam #tripreport #vlog

[pjotrh]

Regarding the graffiti. It’s a lot worse atm than it used to be. Due to corona, they got a bit behind on maintenance, there’s some delays of the new icng stock, and a personnel shortage leading to problems with driving spare (and even non spare) trains around. This is causing some stock to be driving around that normally would have been rotated out for cleaning.
Additionally, when a soccer match is coming up, they might choose to run a more beat up train.

[DeeZedEx]

Intercity frequency between Utrecht and Amsterdam CS is 6 times an hour in rush hour, not 2. There is also 6 intercity trains an hour going to Amsterdam zuid. Total intercity frequency between the cities is more like 12 trains an hour per direction. Between the cities there are quad tracks so there are also services that stop at every station.

[Lunavii_Cellest]

the frequentie between is every 10 minutes as there are 3 lines (Venlo-Schiphol, Maastricht-Alkmaar and Heerlen-Enkhuizen) running on this corridor and it is planned so that between Eindhoven and Amsterdam there will be a train every 10 minutes.

[dennyroozeboom]

The train sculpture is in the art style of a Dutch character called Nimphy in English(Nijntje in Dutch). It is significant to Utrecht because that’s where the artist comes from. Thru out the city there’re little references to the character.

[fredr]

I'm not really sure what you mean with the chaotic boarding process? It's quite simple and efficient: those wanting to enter the train wait (on both sides) of the door letting passengers to disembark first. When everybody's out, people embark. And in rush hour there is a bit of squeezing to get in first in order to obtain one of the scarse seats. Do you think there is a faster way?

[bartrazin]

Great stuff! First off, i like the VIRM but we are Dutch so complain we will!
I took a ride on these trains when they were brand new(in between Dordrecht, my hometown now, and Roosendaal).
They soon got the nickname¨de Doedelzak¨for obvious reasons(Itś the sound the trains produces when it is departing, it was very audible in the first IRM units).
Living in Dordrecht i see the VIRM on a daily basis, almost all intercity services starting or stopping here are VIRM´s.

[AviatorMinion]

The VIRM is one of the second most icon train, VIRM is mostly meant for intercity services, the Toilets however always been an major problem due to the teenage gang.. In terms of serving stations suchs as Schiphol Airport it is normal that there aren't that many luggage because almost every train in NS fleet comes through or stops at Schiphol and when we do instal those things, they aren't used because we as Dutches like to keep over eyes pilled and just keep carring it around.. and the last thing crowded and chaos loading well that just the Dutches, this has always been like this and won't change anytime soon..

[trainsandmodelshungary]

Great video! Weird shape tho, totally agree!

[rusty]

2:02 do NOT do this anymore, since recently you're able to check in using your phone bank card too. If you have a train ticket use it seperately from your phone otherwise you might be charged twice

[random]

A bit late to the party, but you didnt mention the elevators. They are designed for the coffee cart (railtender) which aren't used anymore

[bowie]

i am dutch and i will say that the dubbel deker tou were on is a virm 4 we also have newer ones that are far more comfertble the how do you tell the older units have a blue stripe that goes high and the newer ones have a stripe down we also have a even newer one that you can instantly tell are different they are more pretty outside and inside and the 2nd class is really ggod but the 1st class is not worth it unlike on the one with stripe down

[MrYoTambor]

new trains also have sockets near the seats and wifi in the netherlands .

[DannyMNL]

The original livery with the grey cab was amazing, it followed every curve perfectly. The new livery is utter crap. It was probably designed by some overpaid "artist" who didn't even care about the shape of the train and just imported a 2D outline in illustrator and drew some lines on that, completely ignoring how it would look in 3D.

[BIGV]

try the benelux ticket valid in holland/belguim/luxembourg

[ozbolli]

We used to get this type from Schiphol I'm sure

[jgowner]

You did get the oldest virm that hasn't been refurbished yet. Most of them are loads better.

[TwanAardappelpan]

Nice video m8! The blue locomotive is a 3D-model of one drawn by Dick Bruna, who created Miffy and was born in Utrecht :)

[martijn_sch]

Between 2011 and 2016 the Utrecht central station and the shopping mall where renovated. After that both are seperated from each other. There is a station square now in the middle. The biggest bicycle storage of the world is below this square. But nice video anyway. Greetings form Utrecht!

[flower_power]

Boarding is always chaotic. Dutch don't queue.

[Ipuffyy]

I feel bad that you were on a old VIRM 2/3 set. The new one would have been a lot better, considering the cleanness and the comfort as well as that award winning leg space.