With the electrification of the Almelo - Mariënberg railway line, the province and the national government enable thousands of travelers to travel cleaner and quieter. After the signing, Deputy Dadema and Secretary of State Aartsen headed to Emmen for a meeting about the Nedersaksenlijn. The Almelo–Mariënberg route will be part of this line in the future.
Martijn Dadema, Deputy of Overijssel: “With this signing, we are making significant progress towards quieter, faster, and cleaner public transport. Travelers and local residents will benefit directly from this.”
Thierry Aartsen, Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Water Management: “The electrification of this route is a great step forward in making the entire railway network in the Netherlands electric. This electrification shows how the national government and the region work together towards a future-proof railway. It is an investment in accessibility and a clean future.”
Thierry Aartsen and Martijn Dadema sign the governance agreement
Electric trains are quieter and cleaner
The Netherlands has over 3,000 km of railway, of which approximately 75% is already electrified. A total of 551 kilometers is still not equipped with overhead lines. Passenger transport by diesel train emits over 53 million kilograms of CO₂ annually. Electric driving significantly reduces this emission. Electric trains are up to 10 decibels quieter when accelerating and braking – noticeably more pleasant for local residents and travelers. More than 3,000 travelers use the Almelo–Mariënberg route daily, especially for commuting and school traffic.
Expectation 2028
After the signing of the governance agreement, ProRail will be tasked with the actual realization of the project, for which a contractor will be selected. From late 2028, Arriva will continue the train transport in the region based on a new contract for fifteen years. From that moment on, electric trains are expected to run on the Almelo- Mariënberg route.
Expected work on the railway
ProRail will ensure that the railway is made suitable for electric trains by installing overhead lines and building two substations for power supply. The substations will be built in Vroomshoop and Vriezenveen. Local residents and stakeholders will be kept informed of the work.
