We just finished a pretty good trip to The Netherlands and Belgium. Some of it over Pentecost and Whit Monday. It is a major major major holiday in both countries. Rick's travel books for this holiday do mention it. But train travel was insane (crowded and frantic, trains packed to the gills even in first class) between Brussels and Amsterdam. Also because the main line in Holland was undergoing repairs and we had to change trains twice along with hundreds of other frantic passengers. Very unpleasant. No advanced warning on track conditions. Avoid traveling over this holiday at all costs!! It should be bolded and asterisked in Rick's travel guides. One other recommendation for senior travelers like me, if you can afford it, definitely book the private Thalys trains but do it when you make your plane reservations, months (!!) in advance. These trains are very popular. While the national trains give you flexibility for travel times and are reasonably comfortable in first class, you don't have a reserved seat, and they can be packed with people without warning as above.
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The Netherlands
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“Some of it over Pentecost and Whit Monday. It is a major major major holiday in both countries. Rick's travel books for this holiday do mention it.”
I can’t fully speak for Belgium, but in the Netherlands Pentecost and Whit Monday are minor holidays. Everything from shops to museums to restaurants to tourist attractions remains open and public transport keeps running
“But train travel was insane (crowded and frantic, trains packed to the gills even in first class) between Brussels and Amsterdam. Also because the main line in Holland was undergoing repairs and we had to change trains twice along with hundreds of other frantic passengers. Very unpleasant. No advanced warning on track conditions.”
Train travel between Amsterdam and Brussels was indeed impacted that weekend. Not because of the holiday, but because there were major track works carried out on the highspeed line between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. For passengers traveling from Amsterdam to Brussels this indeed meant several changes. I’m sorry you were caught unaware, but these track works were already announced months ago. The train journey planner on the website of the Dutch national railway company was showing these track works and their impact on train journeys since early this year.
The track works surely had impact on train journeys between Amsterdam and Belgium, but there is absolutely no reason to avoid public transport altogether during these 2 holidays.
I’m sorry your trip was impacted so badly. If only you had come to this forum before your trip, so we could have warned you about the track works.