First railway line opens in the Netherlands

On June 11, 1842, the Netherlands joined the European railway age with the opening of its first steam-operated line between Amsterdam and Haarlem. The 16-kilometer route used British-built locomotives and was engineered by W.A. Froger. This modest beginning sparked rapid network expansion, connecting major Dutch cities and boosting trade in the low countries. The line later became part of the Netherlands Railways system and demonstrated how rail could overcome the challenges of the flat but waterlogged Dutch terrain.