Utrecht city council and rail infrastructure manager ProRail will enlarge the bicycle parking facility on the Oosterkade at Vaartsche Rijn station by around 650 spaces, using room taken from the station’s car park. With more than nine thousand travellers a day, Vaartsche Rijn is now the city’s second-busiest station. Works are expected to start in the second half of 2028.
What changes
The extra space comes from removing 44 of the 224 parking places in the car park. According to the city, the car park currently has enough spare capacity. Places for season-ticket holders and reservations will remain available after the expansion, and there will still be parking for visitors.
The project also changes how people reach the facility:
- the cyclists’ entrance will be moved and adjusted;
- the area around the station will be made more accessible for pedestrians and people with a disability;
- the expansion is designed so that the facility can be enlarged further in the future.
Until the expansion is completed, the city will examine whether bicycle parking in the area around the station needs to be banned.
Why the city is doing it
Since opening in 2016, Vaartsche Rijn has developed into a busy interchange for train, tram, bus, car and bicycle. The city says the number of public transport passengers is growing. The station also plays an increasingly important role for new residential and work areas such as the Merwedekanaalzone. Mobility alderman Matthijs Sienot said Vaartsche Rijn is no longer a small neighbourhood station but an important hub and the gateway to the southern city centre.
Timeline
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| 2022–2024 | Study of options for the expansion |
| November 2024 | Municipal executive chooses the preferred location |
| 2025–2026 | Plan worked out |
| September 2026 | Final decision by the municipal executive |
| Second half of 2028 | Start of construction |
| First half of 2029 | Completion |
The bicycle facility will stay open during the works except for one long weekend. Before construction begins, the city will inform local residents and users of the bicycle facility and car park.