Qbuzz

Qbuzz is best known as a bus operator, running services in Fryslân, Zuid-Holland Noord and Groningen-Drenthe. In one region, though, it also runs a train. The MerwedeLingelijn serves the Drechtsteden, Molenlanden and Gorinchem area of South Holland alongside Qbuzz's local buses.

A regional train run by a bus company

The MerwedeLingelijn has its own disruption page on Qbuzz's regional site, separate from the bus listings. In the evening, trains run twice an hour between Gorinchem and Geldermalsen, and on Sundays the twice-hourly service covers the whole line between 10:00 and 22:00. Sliedrecht Baanhoek is one of the stations along the line, and temporary speed restrictions imposed by ProRail there have slowed trains in the past, so one infrastructure issue can affect the whole day.

Do not expect intercity frequency here. Build in extra time if you are connecting to a bus or another train at either end, and look at Qbuzz's disruption page for the line before travelling if engineering works are active.

Tickets and OVpay

Qbuzz has moved onto the national OVpay system. Check in and out with a contactless bank card, a phone with contactless payment enabled, or the new OV-pas, the same way you would with the old OV-chipkaart. Without a discount or subscription, the standard fare is billed automatically, and the charge shows up on your bank statement the next day labelled NLOV, with a 14 character code you can look up on the OVpay website for a breakdown.

Transferring to a different operator partway through your journey? Check out with Qbuzz first and check in again with the new one.

Planning your journey

Qbuzz's own journey planner and 9292.nl both cover the MerwedeLingelijn alongside Qbuzz's buses and other Dutch operators in one search. This is a regional line run by a company whose main business is buses, so treat it as part of a wider door to door trip rather than a standalone intercity option.