Between 1997 and 2004 observations were carried out concerning the presence of land snails on the railway embankments along the section Purmerend-Zaandam, in the province of North-Holland, the Netherlands. This railway-track passes through a crisscross of ditches and canals, and forms the only always dry refuge for many plants and animals in the area. The observations revealed the presence of 31 species of land snails. As typical inhabitants of the dry railway embankments we noted Pupilla muscorum, Candidula intersecta and Cernuella cisalpina, and to a lesser degree Monacha cantiana.