Almost all Dutch trains halted by rail strike around Utrecht

Deserted railway platforms at Utrecht Central station as train services came to a near standstill in the latest in a series of strikes by railway workers hit the Netherlands (Peter Dejong/AP)

Almost the entire Dutch railway network was shut down on Tuesday as workers affected by soaring inflation and staff shortages went on strike to demand better pay and working conditions.

Staff at the railway company NS stopped work for the day in the central Netherlands region that acts as a hub for almost all train lines, halting services across the country.