The issue is passenger rail in the Netherlands is heavily optimized for Randstad commuters. People in turn (if they can afford it) optimize their lives around t

The issue is passenger rail in the Netherlands is heavily optimized for Randstad commuters. People in turn (if they can afford it) optimize their lives around the (major) train stations. Having lived there and in a major French city, I'd choose the French city everyday. France has much faster (and cheaper!) long distance services, and the agglomerations generally more metro/lightrail (which the Netherlands has very little). The Dutch per capita also outspend the rest of the world on roads, because that's what the other half of the country uses. I live for instance 35km from my work in Amsterdam: public transport is just under two hours and by car 25minutes, up to an hour in heavy traffic.