Dutch Rail (NS) will operate reduced intercity services in much of the country on Sunday and Monday as efforts to reduce the effect of the cold weather on rail services continue

The wintry weather continued to cause problems on the railways on Saturday and transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen was urged by rail users organisations to fine Dutch Rail (NS) for failing to provide a proper service.

At least two Dutch skaters are so far reported killed after falling through the ice, despite warnings to skating fanatics to avoid open stretches and keep to shallow lakes and canals.

A temperature of as low as -22.9 Celsius was recorded in the village of Markenesse in Flevoland, east of Amsterdam on Friday night, the Telegraaf reports on Saturday. That is the coldest it has been in the Netherlands since the turn of the century, the paper says.

The heavy snow in the Netherlands on Friday led to chaos on the roads and serious disruption to train services, with no rush hour trains to and from Utrecht and Amsterdam. Elsewhere there were far fewer trains than normal.