The Dutch defense ministry is mulling plans to convert old trains into mobile emergency hospital vehicles capable of transporting wounded soldiers.
According to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, the ministry said large-scale military operations are not feasible without support from civilian society. The effort is reportedly part of a broader plan that could also see Dutch train drivers deployed to eastern Europe to assist military operations.
The push comes amid growing fears that Europe’s transport infrastructure isn’t ready for a potential conflict with Russia, prompting countries to explore how civilian assets could support military logistics.
Dutch railway spokesperson Erik Kroeze told POLITICO that the Ministry of Defense recently reached out to the national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorweg, and that exploratory talks have begun. “The process is still in an early stage,” he said.
Algemeen Dagblad reports that 24 Dutch trains — with the potential for more — are under consideration for conversion into mobile hospitals by 2026. The trains, which are being phased out in favor of newer models, were originally slated for sale abroad.
The idea isn’t unique to the Netherlands. At the EU level, a similar concept is being considered as part of the European Commission’s upcoming military mobility package, expected this fall.
As part of the planning process, the Directorate-General for Defense and Space (DG DEFIS) has circulated a survey to key players in the transport sector across the bloc.
The questionnaire, obtained by POLITICO, asks whether transport assets — including flatbed and medical rail wagons, dual-use ferries, heavy-duty trucks and strategic airlift capacity — could be scaled up during a crisis; it also asks whether these dual-use capabilities should be pooled among EU countries, either voluntarily or under mandatory arrangements.
On June 30, DG DEFIS presented a military mobility update to representatives from EU member countries, according to a presentation of slides obtained by POLITICO.
The Commission argued that military mobility “can also be further strengthened by increased availability of specialized and dual-use transport assets in all transport modes,” and said it was considering a “solidarity mechanism” to improve member countries’ access to these capabilities — including rail wagons and rolling stock.
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