So there are two different kinds of trains that one can use when travelling within the Netherlands: an “Intercity” train or a “Sprinter” train. I will explain the difference, but first let me ask you to consider which do you think would be faster in reaching your destination?
I guess most people would assume the Sprinter would be faster than the Intercity (I and many other exchange people thought this initially). I mean, sprinting is a fast sport, right? Makes sense right? Wrong.
Allow me to explain the logic.
Sprinting, as in the track sport, is indeed a fast-paced activity. No one here is denying that, we can indeed all agree on the fact. However, a sprinter athlete travels short distances in short spurts, as does the Sprinter train, stopping at regular intervals at small towns in between. The major difference between the athlete sprinter and the train Sprinter is that the athlete is fast during these spurts and the train chugs along like a lethargic old lumbering mule. Actually, a mule would be quicker.
An Intercity, however, bypasses all those small little towns in between, and as its name suggests, simply goes from city to city. So an Intercity always reaches the destination faster, and in most cases even if it leaves a while after the Sprinter to the same destination.
So there you have it. Basically, never take a Sprinter unless you want to spend half your day on a journey that on an Intercity would have taken 20 minutes (I exaggerate, but you get the idea).
Other cons of the Sprinter:
– No wifi, so you’ll be bored shitless during your day-long journey
– No toilets, and inevitably you’ll be busting for a wee by the time you finally reach your destination
– The conductors ALWAYS check tickets on a Sprinter, and because there are no toilets you can’t hide from the conductor in the toilet, and unlike Intercities there’s only one level so you can’t play the ol’ Dodge the Conductor Around the Levels of the Train game when you fare evade. Not that I’ve ever done that. Ahem
– Sprinters are usually ancient, which contributes to its slow crawling speed and the cloud of dust which is emitted when you sit down in the seats, and the general resultant musty odour
So I guess the moral of the story is: always wait the extra ten minutes for the intercity.
Adventure Ellen 