This year, as every year, thousands of items were left behind at train stations or on trains in the Netherlands. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) has now launched an appeal to try to reunite some cute cuddly toys with their owners. 

What was left behind on NS trains in 2023?

All in all, more than 62.000 items were logged into the NS lost property system in 2023. As NS reported in a press statement, “This means that the number is almost the same as in 2019, while we are now transporting 15 percent fewer passengers.” They appealed to passengers to pay attention to their stuff. 

Of the lost items, those most commonly found on board trains were keys, bags and suitcases, jackets, headphones and wallets. Some unusual items that made their way to lost and found this year included a shuffleboard table, a garden set, a luxury coffee machine, and a large crate for a pet! 

But the international company is particularly concerned to find the owners of more than 100 cuddly toys. Last week, the company launched its Week of the Lost Cuddly Toy, releasing images of the misplaced cuddly friends and appealing to people to share to help them find their owners again in time for the holidays. Among the toys seeking to be reunited are Eddie the Duck, Kibby the Rabbit and - very appropriately - a Paddington bear. 

Lost something on the train in the Netherlands? Here’s what you need to do

According to NS, if you lose something at a station or on a train in the Netherlands, it’s important to act quickly and report it online. Customer service agents then work to match the reports of lost items with objects that are logged into their system. The company said that the greatest chance of finding a match is within the first 48 hours. 

If your item is located, you then have five days to collect it from an OV Service & Ticket shop at the station. Afterwards, it is sent to the Central Lost and Found Office. You can have it sent to you from there in the post, but NS will charge you a fee. NS is not permitted to keep important documents like OV-chipkaarts or driving licences and, if found, these items are immediately sent on to the responsible authorities.