Station Amersfoort Schothorst

Amersfoort Schothorst station is on the brink of a major transformation. What is currently primarily a functional interchange is set to evolve into a fully-fledged and distinctive station for a new part of the city. With the development of the Hoefkwartier – where thousands of homes, educational facilities and workplaces are being added – passenger numbers are set to rise sharply in the coming years. At the same time, there are current bottlenecks that require improvement. The cycle park is full, traffic flows intersect, and the station surroundings are stark and lack cohesion and comfort.

In collaboration with the municipality of Amersfoort, the Province of Utrecht, ProRail, NS Stations and Bureau Spoorbouwmeester, we have drawn up an integrated vision for the future together with the engineering firm Witteveen+Bos. From the outset, this vision has examined spatial design, station engineering and feasibility in an integrated manner. This has resulted in a realistic and achievable vision that is in line with the opportunities for this area.

The vision brings clarity and structure to the station. The connections between the neighbourhoods and the passenger area are each given their own distinct space. A new, wide and higher passageway provides more air, light and space. Passengers can see one another and have a view of the opposite side, which contributes to orientation, comfort and social safety. On both sides of the track, there will be distinctive entrances leading to green, terraced station squares. The cycle parking facility will be expanded to approximately 2,000 spaces and logically positioned on the side from which most cyclists arrive. The location of the bus station has also been examined, with comfort, capacity, spatial quality and technical feasibility carefully weighed up.

The vision for the future is built up from flexible building blocks that can be implemented step by step. This ensures that the development remains adaptable to new insights or changing circumstances. Implementation will follow a logical sequence: first, accessibility, social safety and cycle parking will be improved, followed by the pedestrian passageway and the redesign of the public space. In this way, the interventions reinforce one another and create a solid foundation for the further development of the Hoefkwartier. Schothorst Station will thus evolve into an accessible, green and recognisable gateway to a new part of Amersfoort.