Restored rail service reconnects Veendam with Groningen

VEENDAM – The municipality and town of Veendam is again being served with a rail commuter service with Groningen City, the place where many of Veendam’s 28,000 residents find their employment and also go for shopping and other services. The rail service was restored after a hiatus of 57 years and offers people a departure every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday with an hourly schedule on Sundays. Since 1888, Veendam’s name has been popularized through the Holland America Dam naming convention of passenger liners and cruise ships. Veendam I registered just over 4,000 tons, the current Veendam IV (completed in 1996) over 57,000 tons, has a crew of 580 and a passenger capacity of 1,350. Veendam’s North American sister city is B.C.’s Kelowna. The regional rail system was upgraded from funds set aside after an ambitious new interregional railway concept was cancelled a few years ago.