Green light for Leiden’s new central station

A big new step for Leiden Centraal: last week’s governance meeting confirmed the joint vision for the station area and granted a €674 million investment budget.

Team Op Leiden (Haskoning, Benthem Crouwel Architects, AT Osborne and West 8) has been working on a MIRT-exploration, delivering three promising design solutions contributing to a station area that better connects city and region. As the sixth-largest train and bus station in the Netherlands, Leiden Centraal is expected to serve 135,000 travelers daily in fifteen years- a 35% increase. The current station is not equipped to handle this growth, so a full renewal is essential.

The recently chosen preferred alternative, ‘Verhoogd Stadszijde’, presents a clear and comfortable station concept where train, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian flows come together logically. The new station will feature an elevated bus station at the same level as the train platforms. The addition of a new two-level underground bicycle facility will bring the total parking capacity to 25,000 spaces. The passenger tunnel will be widened, intuitively connecting all platforms, while clear sightlines and logical routes ensure easy wayfinding and seamless transfers between different modes of transport. Together, these elements form a coherent station building, centered around a vibrant central hall and green urban spaces that strengthen the connection between Leiden’s historic center and the Bio Science Park. In redesigning this major public transport hub, our vision of a future-proof city—one that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists while ensuring smooth, uninterrupted movement—has been fully integrated into every aspect of the design.

In the coming years, the design will be further developed and preparations for construction will continue, with works expected to start around 2030. By 2040, Leiden Centraal will have evolved into a modern, green and highly accessible urban hub, ready for the future.