Published on: 19 February 2026, 10:20 AM
In the second week of the sixteen-day closure of the Bridge over the Noord, 23 - 27 February 2026, schools are open again. Students who normally cycle over the Bridge over the Noord may travel free of charge with the Waterbus this week.
The Walburg College in Zwijndrecht is one of the schools involved. More than forty of our students come from Alblasserdam, Papendrecht, and surrounding villages, says Ingrid van der Kuijl, executive secretary of the school. They all have to cross the Noord. For them, it is nice that they can travel free of charge with the Waterbus.
Direct connection
The special action, an initiative in cooperation with Zuid-Holland Bereikbaar, applies to line 22, between the stops Alblasserdam, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, and Papendrecht. The action also applies to line 20, between Papendrecht, Dordrecht, and Zwijndrecht. We are especially happy with the last line. Because of this, students from Papendrecht do not have to cycle far or transfer in Dordrecht. They now have a direct connection with Zwijndrecht, which saves about fifteen minutes of travel time.
No questions
After the Christmas holidays, Van der Kuijl sent out a general announcement. At the beginning of February, a specific email followed to the parents of the students concerned. It briefly explained how the free tickets can be obtained. So far, I have not received any questions, which is a good sign. Everyone living in this region is also familiar with the Waterbus, so that helps. Laughing: In that respect, there are no excuses for those who are late.
Alternative route
The free tickets also apply to teachers and support staff of the school. It concerns only a handful of colleagues. For example, I live in Papendrecht, so I could take the Waterbus. But this week, if the weather is dry, I just take the alternative route via the Papendrechtsebrug, the center of Dordrecht, and the city bridge to Zwijndrecht. Its a bit of a detour, but I like cycling, so it doesnt matter to me.
More information about the closure of the Bridge over the Noord?
More information about the works can be found on the project page N915: renovation Bridge over the Noord.