Zwolle–Amsterdam via Amersfoort

A November Intercity cab ride from Zwolle through the autumn woods of the Veluwe to Amersfoort and on to Amsterdam, with the driver talking along the way.

The route

The first part of this journey follows the old Centraalspoorweg, the line from Utrecht to Kampen built by the Nederlandsche Centraal-Spoorweg-Maatschappij. It opened from Utrecht to Hattemerbroek in August 1863 and reached Zwolle in June 1864, giving the towns along the western edge of the Veluwe their first rail link to the centre of the country. Between Zwolle and Amersfoort it runs past Wezep, Nunspeet, Harderwijk, Ermelo and Nijkerk, keeping to the strip of land between the wooded Veluwe hills and the former Zuiderzee shore.

Today the line is electrified at 1.5 kV DC like most of the Dutch network and carries a steady flow of Intercity and local trains. At Hattemerbroek, just south of Zwolle, the newer Hanzelijn to Lelystad branches off, and the two routes share the approach to Zwolle across the IJssel. At Amersfoort the train in this video turns west onto the line through the Gooi towards Amsterdam, so a single ride links the eastern Netherlands with the capital without a change.

That through route makes the journey a good cross-section of the country. The northern half is low, green and lightly built up, with forest and heath on one side and polder country on the other. The southern half runs through the commuter belt of Hilversum and Weesp before the dense approach to Amsterdam Centraal. The trains are ICM units, the Dutch Intercity sets with a cab door at the front so that coupled trains can be walked through.

What you will see

Leaving Zwolle, the train crosses the IJssel on the Hanzeboog bridge, then runs south past Hattemerbroek, where the Hanzelijn to Lelystad branches off. From Wezep onwards the woods close in. The video was filmed in November and its title promises autumn forest, so this is the stretch to watch around Nunspeet and 't Harde, where the line passes through pine and oak on the edge of the Veluwe. This edge of the Veluwe is a mix of woodland and open heath on sandy soil, so the view changes quickly from enclosed to wide.

Harderwijk is an old Zuiderzee town, and the Veluwemeer lies just beyond it to the west. Ermelo and Putten follow, small towns separated by fields and woodland, before Nijkerk and the outskirts of Amersfoort. The arrival at Amersfoort Centraal is one of the busier moments of the ride, with tracks fanning out from several directions into one of the main junctions of the Dutch network.

After Amersfoort the scenery shifts. The train heads west through the wooded, well-kept Gooi, past Hilversum, the home of Dutch broadcasting, and on to Weesp, where waterways and polders mark the edge of the Amsterdam region. The last section runs through the eastern districts of the city into Amsterdam Centraal. Throughout the ride the driver talks about what he is doing and what lies ahead, which makes the video feel less like a recording and more like sitting beside him in the cab.

Riding it for real

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) runs frequent Intercity trains between Zwolle and Amersfoort, and many continue towards Amsterdam or other cities in the west. Dutch trains do not take seat reservations, so you simply tap in and out with a contactless bank card or OV-chipkaart, or buy a ticket from NS. Eurail and Interrail passes are valid. For the Veluwe forest views, sit on either side; for the IJssel crossing, the departure from Zwolle is the moment to be ready.

If you want to see the woods up close, Nunspeet and Harderwijk both have stations and make easy starting points for walks or cycle rides on the Veluwe. Check NS for current timetables and fares before you travel.

The video is embedded from YouTube and remains on its owner’s channel. Views count toward the original video.