Arcadis has been appointed by Amsterdam public transport operator GVB as one of three suppliers on a major framework agreement for consultancy and engineering services, strengthening its position in Europe’s urban rail and public transport market.
The framework will support GVB’s extensive programme of renewal and improvement across its public transport network, which carries more than 21 million passengers each month. For Arcadis, the appointment creates the opportunity to deliver a long-term pipeline of work across the Amsterdam metropolitan area, supporting both strategic planning and project delivery.
Under the agreement, Arcadis will provide services spanning rail and public transport infrastructure, traction and power supply systems, and asset management. The scope also covers project and contract management, systems engineering, and sustainability advisory, enabling GVB to translate high-level strategic objectives into deliverable projects with measurable outcomes.
A key element of the framework is close collaboration with GVB’s internal teams. Arcadis will provide both strategic and tactical advice, alongside hands-on delivery support for individual projects. This approach is intended to give GVB access to predictable capacity and specialist expertise while maintaining high technical standards and delivery reliability—critical in a dense urban environment where maintenance and construction activity must be carefully planned to minimise disruption for passengers and the city.
Arcadis achieved the highest overall score in the tender, based on GVB’s best value-for-money evaluation. This reflected the strength of Arcadis’ proposed delivery model, technical expertise and track record in complex urban transport environments. The framework has a maximum duration of eight years and an estimated total value of €50 million, shared across all appointed suppliers.
Amsterdam’s public transport network plays a vital role in supporting economic activity, managing congestion and improving air quality. As cities across Europe accelerate decarbonisation and address ageing infrastructure, operators are increasingly adopting integrated approaches that combine asset management, systems engineering and sustainability advisory to improve network resilience and passenger experience. Arcadis’ selection by GVB reflects this wider shift towards outcome-driven, integrated delivery models.
Heather Polinsky, CEO, Arcadis, said:
“GVB is managing a complex, long-term challenge: maintaining and renewing critical public transport assets while keeping the network reliable for passengers. We look forward to working as a strategic partner to help deliver a future-proof and more sustainable public transport system for Amsterdam Achieving the highest overall score in GVB’s tender reflects the quality of our team and our integrated approach—from systems engineering and asset management through to sustainability advisory and programme delivery.”
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