NS VIRM


VIRM trains, full name Verlengd InterRegio Materieel, are a series of electric multiple unit double-deck trains operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen or NS, the principal railway operator in the Netherlands. NS has 178 of these double-deckers – 98 four-carriage sets, and 80 six-carriage sets. The trains were built between 1994 and 2009 – for the most part by Talbot, part of Bombardier Inc., with some railcars built by De Dietrich.
The VIRM trains evolved out of the previously existing DD-IRM series. The first batch of 81 VIRM trains was created by lengthening all the existing DD-IRM combinations by one or two railcars. Three-unit trainsets were augmented by one carriage to transform them into a four-unit VIRM, and the four-unit sets received two more carriages, to create six-unit VIRM trains.

Names

The first generation of DD-IRM were delivered from 1994 to 1996 as three and four car units. The three car units were delivered in the 82xx class and the four car units delivered as 84xx. The first batch of 290 double deck coaches were delivered. The first 47 were built by De Dietrich and from then on by Talbot.
As the coaches were individual but would run as a unit, they are individually numbered. Collectively they have a set number e.g., 8201, having coach number 380 8001. However, there are no double numbers, for example there can not be an 8201 and 8401 at the same time.
In 2000 an order was placed for new coaches. The 3 car sets were to be upgraded to 4 car sets, and the four car sets upgraded to 6 car sets. This is why they are now called VIRM. These were renumbered into the 94xx series and the 86xx series. These sets were formed between 2001 and 2005.

Second generation

The second generation of VIRM were new sets built to the 4 and 6 coach formations, at the same time as the first generation were rebuilt. These were numbered 95xx and 87xx. These sets featured different seats, which were also in the new coaches placed inside the first generation sets.

Third generation

These sets were delivered from June 2008 and these are all 4 car units. They are numbered 9547–9597. These sets differ in that they do not feature the catering lift, meaning the stairs could be wider and the destination screens inside the coaches have disappeared, where instead information screens with travel information have been fitted.

Refurbishment

Starting in 2015, the VIRM-1 sets are currently being refurbished and fitted with new interiors similar to those seen in the DDZ trainsets, and with new-style liveries. These sets are officially referred to as VIRMm.

Numbering

The VIRM is now the main intercity train and can be seen across most of the NS network.
SeriesTrain typeRouteMaterialNotes
800IntercitySchagen – Heerhugowaard – Alkmaar Noord – Alkmaar – Castricum – Zaandam – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Amsterdam Centraal – Amsterdam Amstel – Utrecht Centraal – 's-Hertogenbosch – Eindhoven – Weert – Roermond – Sittard – MaastrichtVIRMThis train runs only towards Schagen during rush hours. This train runs only between Amsterdam Centraal and Maastricht at Sundays and after 8:00 pm.
1400NachtnetUtrecht Centraal – Amsterdam Centraal – Schiphol – Leiden Centraal – Den Haag HS – Delft – Rotterdam CentraalVIRM, ICM
1700IntercityDen Haag Centraal – Gouda – Utrecht Centraal – Amersfoort – Apeldoorn – Deventer – Almelo – Hengelo – EnschedeVIRM, ICM-
2100IntercityAmsterdam Centraal – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Haarlem – Heemstede-Aerdenhout – Leiden Centraal – Den Haag CentraalVIRMThis train only runs until 10:00 pm and Sundays after 11:30 am.
2200IntercityVlissingen - Vlissingen Souburg – Middelburg – Arnemuiden – Goes – Kapelle-Biezelinge – Kruiningen-Yerseke – Krabbendijke – Rilland-Bath – Bergen op Zoom – Roosendaal – Dordrecht – Rotterdam Blaak - Rotterdam Centraal – Schiedam Centrum – Delft - Den Haag HS - Den Haag Laan van NOI - Leiden Centraal - Heemstede-Aerdenhout - Haarlem – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Amsterdam CentraalVIRM
2400IntercityLelystad Centrum - Almere Buiten - Almere Centrum - Duivendrecht – Amsterdam Zuid - Schiphol Airport – Leiden Centraal - Den Haag Laan van NOI - Den Haag HS - Delft - Schiedam Centrum – Rotterdam Centraal – Rotterdam Blaak - DordrechtVIRMThis train only runs until 10:00 pm and Sundays after 11:30 am. This train will not drive between Lelystad Centrum and Duivendrecht at Sundays and after 8:00 pm.
2800IntercityRotterdam Centraal – Rotterdam Alexander – Gouda – Utrecht CentraalVIRM, DDZThis train only runs until 21:00 and Sundays after 11:30
3000IntercityDen Helder – Den Helder Zuid – Anna Paulowna – Schagen – Heerhugowaard – Alkmaar Noord – Alkmaar – Heiloo – Castricum – Zaandam – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Amsterdam Centraal – Amsterdam Amstel – Utrecht Centraal - Veenendaal-De Klomp – Ede-Wageningen – Arnhem Centraal – NijmegenVIRMThis trains stops only at Driebergen-Zeist after 9:00 pm and Sundays until 11:30 am.
3100IntercitySchiphol Airport – Amsterdam Zuid – Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA – Utrecht Centraal – Driebergen-Zeist – Ede-Wageningen – Arnhem Centraal – NijmegenVIRMThis train only runs until 9:00 pm and Sundays after 11:30 am
3500IntercitySchiphol Airport – Amsterdam Zuid – Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA – Utrecht Centraal - – 's-Hertogenbosch – Eindhoven – Weert – Roermond – Sittard – HeerlenVIRMThis train disconnects at Eindhoven with train 13500 towards Venlo. This train runs only between Schiphol and Utrecht Centraal after 9:30 pm.
3600IntercityZwolle – Deventer - Zutphen - Dieren - Arnhem Centraal - Nijmegen - Oss - 's-Hertogenbosch - Tilburg - Breda - Etten-Leur - RoosendaalVIRM, DDZ
3900IntercityAmsterdam Centraal – Amsterdam Amstel – Utrecht Centraal – 's-Hertogenbosch – EindhovenVIRMThis train only runs on Wednesdays. This train continues as 14500 towards Enkhuizen during rush hours.
4500IntercityEnkhuizen – Bovenkarspel Flora – Bovenkarspel-Grootebroek – Hoogkarspel – Hoorn Kersenboogerd – Hoorn – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Amsterdam CentraalVIRM, DDM-1
8800IntercityLeiden Centraal – Leiden Lammenschans - Alphen aan den Rijn - Bodegraven - Woerden - Utrecht CentraalVIRM, ICM
13500IntercityEindhoven - Helmond - Deurne - Horst-Sevenum - Blerick - VenloVIRMThis train connects at train 3500 towards Schiphol Airport at Eindhoven.
14500IntercityEnkhuizen – Bovenkarspel Flora – Bovenkarspel-Grootebroek – Hoogkarspel – Hoorn Kersenboogerd – Hoorn – Amsterdam Sloterdijk – Amsterdam CentraalVIRM, DDM-1This train only runs during rush hours and directions. This train continues as train 3900 towards Eindhoven, only at Wednesdays.
21400NachtnetRotterdam Centraal - Dordrecht - Breda - Tilburg - Eindhoven / Utrecht Centraal – 's-Hertogenbosch – EindhovenVIRMThis train only runs at Friday & Saturdaynight.

Green Train

In 2015, NS hopes to let 50% of their trains run on electricity powered by windmills. By 2018, all the trains should be running on "clean" electricity. To celebrate this and the fact that the first Dutch railway line was opened 175 years ago, NS and Eneco Energy held a competition. Designers had to design a green train.
The winners were two students from the Technical University in Delft. Their names are Michiel van Sinderen and Steffen de Jonge. Their design was to have the train be checkered with small black and blue squares. From even a small distance the train appears to be green. Michiel van Sinderen said it was the most beautiful thing he had ever made.
This design was brought on VIRM number 9556. It was named De Groene Trein which means The Green Train. The difference between this train and other VIRMs is the paler shade of yellow and white arrows on the doors, similar to those on DDZ trains and modernized ICRm railway cars.
The train debuted on September 20, 2014. Its maiden voyage was an extra trip from Amsterdam Centraal to Haarlem. Now it can be spotted and ridden anywhere in the Netherlands.

Accidents and incidents