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Wider entrance for Amsterdam Zuid station

Anyone who regularly catches the train or metro from Amsterdam Zuid station knows how busy it gets at rush hour. The main entrance – called the Minervapassage – is narrow on the Mahlerplein side: around half the width of the entrance on the Zuidplein side.

A10 dug up

In the weekend of 25 and 26 May, when the A10 had already been closed for work on the new station underpass, construction consortium ZuidPlus hoisted tunnel sections into place for an extra exit: alongside the existing exit on Mahlerplein. This was no easy job since it involved completely digging up the A10. In recent weeks, the various sections have been connected to each other and the tunnel paved, painted, installations put in place and a roller barrier and signposting added. The small tunnel leading to Mahlerplein is 5 m wide. A 6 m wide entrance/exit has now been added to that.

The widened exit actually consists of two tunnels lying alongside each other

Divided by a wall

The widened exit actually consists of two tunnels lying alongside each other. If you walk from the station towards the exit, you can see the wall that divides them. Removing it, in order to create a large exit, will be quite a feat of engineering. On the tunnel roof, there is a large amount of earth and around 8,000 vehicles drive over it every hour. This is why the double tunnel will only be a temporary improvement. Part of the Zuidasdok project involves a much more extensive widening of the Minerva passage. Ultimately, it will be at least 40 m wide, roughly as wide as Zuidplein. But that will take some time.

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