‘Where does my train leave from?’ Some passengers needed a little help finding the new station entrance at Amsterdam Zuid station on Sunday, 1 November. But once they reached the spacious Brittenpassage, around 200 metres further along, their initial surprise often turned to enthusiasm. Amid the hustle and bustle of passengers, there was even room for an official opening ceremony in the middle of the day. Meanwhile, around 2,500 visitors said goodbye to the old station passageway with roller skating, painting and chess. It was a day to remember – and we’ve captured it for you in pictures.
Brittenpassage opens to passengers
From the departure of the first train at 05.38, thousands of train and metro passengers made use of the new station throughout the day. For the first time, they walked across the new station plazas, parked their bicycles in the impressive indoor bicycle parking facility, used the new stairs, escalators and lifts to reach the platforms, and browsed the newly opened shops. At times, it (almost) felt as though the station had always been this way.
Did you know...
...that the Brittenpassage is named after the composer Edward Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)? That probably won’t come as a surprise when you look at the names of the surrounding streets, such as Claude Debussylaan, Aaron Coplandstraat and Gustav Mahlerlaan – all named after composers.
Cutting the ribbon
At around 13.00, representatives of the City of Amsterdam, Zuidasdok, ProRail, NS, GVB, the Amsterdam Transport Region (VRA), Rijkswaterstaat and construction consortium Nieuw-Zuid walked from the Zuidas-Zuidasdok Information Centre to the Brittenpassage to officially open the station. With the help of eight pairs of scissors and a gospel choir, the ribbon was cut and the station officially opened.
Watch the official opening in the video below, followed by a selection of photos
Farewell party in the Minervapassage
Meanwhile, the old station passageway was filled with smiling faces and the sound of children’s laughter. After years of faithful service, we gave the Minervapassage the send-off it deserved with a huge farewell celebration. Visitors could go roller skating, play chess against a chess master or grandmaster, try freerunning, make macramé, have a go at boxing, play table tennis and much more. But this isn’t goodbye forever. The Minervapassage is now undergoing a major refurbishment that will take several years. In 2031, it will reopen as a much larger, completely renovated passenger tunnel.
Watch the farewell party in the Minervapassage in under a minute in the video below, followed by a selection of photos
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Finding your way around the new Amsterdam Zuid station
The entrance to Amsterdam Zuid station has moved. You now enter the station through the brand-new Brittenpassage, around a 200-metre walk from the old, familiar entrance. The new passageway is a major improvement, but it also brings some changes. Find out more about bicycle parking, public transport, platforms and station facilities.
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