The train accident at Voorschoten (2023): 5 lessons for the railways

What happened

At around half past three in the night, on the Leiden to The Hague line, just south of Voorschoten station, a freight train loaded with lime collided with a rail maintenance vehicle that was being used for engineering works. The collision pushed the vehicle onto the adjacent track, where it was struck shortly afterwards by an NS intercity train. The passenger train partly derailed.

Of the roughly fifty people on board, dozens were injured, some of whom were admitted to hospital. The driver of the maintenance vehicle did not survive. Several parties, including ProRail, the rail contractor, the freight carrier, NS and the Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid, investigated the circumstances.

Lesson 1: The first concern is people, quickly and in a coordinated way

In a train accident, the initial care of the injured and of shaken passengers is what counts. That calls for a swift, coordinated deployment of the emergency services and for alignment between the carrier, ProRail and the safety region.

Make sure it is clear in advance who does what: who arranges the care and transport of passengers, who handles communication, who coordinates with the emergency services. On a dark railway yard, with a disrupted timetable, every uncertainty is one too many.

Lesson 2: Passengers want to know where they stand

Besides those directly involved, there are passengers on the train, on platforms and en route who are affected by the disruption. Give them concrete information.

• What has happened and which section of the line is blocked?
• How long is it expected to last, and what is the alternative (bus, diversion)?
• Where can passengers go for care and assistance?
• Where can people find the latest travel information?

Lesson 3: Communicate from a shared picture, including to next of kin

When there are casualties, there is an immediate need for information for relatives: where are my loved ones, how are they? That calls for careful, coordinated communication between the carrier, the emergency services and the municipality.

So work from a shared crisis picture, in which facts and decisions are visible to all the parties involved. This prevents contradictory or unconfirmed information from getting out, at exactly the moment when care and accuracy count.

Lesson 4: Think about the timetable and the aftermath

A serious accident does not only bring the site itself to a standstill; it sometimes disrupts train services for days. Repairing the track, the investigation and getting the timetable running again all overlap.

Keep travel communication up to standard for as long as the disruption lasts, and be honest about what is and is not possible. Manage expectations: a line that has to be investigated and repaired is not clear again within a few hours.

Lesson 5: Know your reporting obligations (ILT and the Onderzoeksraad)

You report a railway accident to the Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT). The Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid investigates serious accidents. If dangerous goods are involved, additional rules (RID) and notifications apply.

The railways are, moreover, an essential entity under the Cybersecurity Act (NIS2). During the crisis, record what happened and which reports were made; that factual timeline is indispensable for the investigation into the circumstances.

How CrisisRadar helps

CrisisRadar brings the carrier, ProRail, the safety region and the municipality together in a shared crisis picture. You record facts with their source, coordinate care and travel information, communicate carefully with passengers and relatives, and publish the current status. Reporting-obligation timers keep track of the reports towards the ILT and the parties involved.

Would you like to see how a rail incident unfolds step by step in the platform? Then take a look at the accompanying practical scenario.

Stappenplan

Veelgestelde vragen

What happened in the train accident at Voorschoten?

During the night of 4 April 2023 a freight train collided with a rail maintenance vehicle, which was then struck on the adjacent track by an intercity train. The passenger train partly derailed. The driver of the maintenance vehicle died and dozens of passengers were injured.

How do you communicate carefully about casualties?

Work from a shared crisis picture, in which facts and decisions are visible to all the parties involved, and coordinate the information for relatives between the carrier, the emergency services and the municipality. This prevents contradictory or unconfirmed information.

What reporting obligation applies to a railway accident?

You report a railway accident to the Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT); the Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid investigates serious accidents. If dangerous goods are involved, additional rules (RID) apply. The railways also fall under the Cybersecurity Act (NIS2).