Trein extended

trein - Dutch Railways CLI

Install

npm i -g trein

Or download a standalone binary from GitHub Releases.

Setup

export NS_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Or create ~/.config/trein/trein.config.json:

{ "apiKey": "your-api-key" }

Commands

Departures

trein departures "Amsterdam Centraal"
trein d amsterdam
trein d amsterdam --json  # structured output

Trip Planning

trein trip "Utrecht" "Den Haag Centraal"
trein t utrecht denhaag --json
trein t amsterdam rotterdam --via utrecht  # route via specific station
trein t hoofddorp "den haag" --arrive-by 09:30 --json  # arrive by 09:30 TODAY
trein t hoofddorp "den haag" --depart-at 09:00 --json  # depart at 09:00 TODAY
trein t utrecht amsterdam --date 2026-02-05 --depart-at 14:30 --json  # specific FUTURE date and time

Disruptions

trein disruptions
trein disruptions --json

Station Search

trein stations rotterdam
trein s rotterdam --json

Aliases (shortcuts)

trein alias set home "Amsterdam Centraal"
trein alias set work "Rotterdam Centraal"
trein alias list
trein d home  # uses alias

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when users ask about TRAIN TRAVEL in the Netherlands:

Command Selection Guide

First: Confirm the user wants TRAIN travel. If they want car/bus/other transport, do NOT use this skill.

Then select the appropriate command:

JSON Output Examples

Trip Planning Response

{
  "trips": [{
    "departure": "08:05",
    "arrival": "08:35",
    "duration": "30 min",
    "transfers": 0,
    "status": "ON_TIME",
    "legs": [{
      "from": "Schiphol Airport",
      "to": "Den Haag Centraal",
      "trainType": "IC",
      "platform": "5"
    }]
  }]
}

Departures Response

{
  "departures": [{
    "time": "14:23",
    "delay": "0 min",
    "destination": "Amsterdam Centraal",
    "platform": "3",
    "trainType": "IC"
  }]
}

Disruptions Response

{
  "disruptions": [{
    "title": "Werkzaamheden Amsterdam-Utrecht",
    "type": "MAINTENANCE",
    "routes": ["Amsterdam Centraal", "Utrecht Centraal"],
    "active": true,
    "expectedEnd": "2026-02-05 23:59"
  }]
}

Best Practices for AI Agents

1. VERIFY train travel intent - Only use this skill if user explicitly wants train travel, not car/bus/other transport 2. Always use --json for machine-readable output 3. Validate station names first if user input is ambiguous using stations command 4. Use fuzzy matching - don't require exact station names from users 5. Quote station names containing spaces (e.g., "Den Haag Centraal") to prevent argument parsing errors 6. Check for errors in JSON response before presenting results to user 7. Interpret times in 24-hour format (HH:mm) 8. Default to current date - omit --date flag for today's travel; only add --date for future dates 9. Handle Dutch station names - many contain special characters or multiple words 10. Parse JSON carefully - some fields may be null or missing depending on circumstances

Common Workflows

Example 1: "I need to be in Amsterdam at 9:30"

Example 2: "When does the next train to Rotterdam leave?"

Example 3: "Plan my trip tomorrow at 2pm from Utrecht to Den Haag"

Example 4: "Are there delays on my usual route?"

Common Errors & Solutions

Tips

Get an API key from https://apiportal.ns.nl/ and set it:

export NS_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Or create ~/.config/trein/trein.config.json:

{ "apiKey": "your-api-key" }