• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

OV-Chipkaart Refund

Status
Not open for further replies.

Gavioliuk

Member
Joined
30 Nov 2012
Messages
16
My Dutch Anonymous Chipkaart expired in April with about 20 Euros balance. The website says this can be refunded.

I claimed a refund on the downloaded form. This has been returned stating that a refund can only be made to a Dutch bank account. I obviously gave my GB IBAN number.

Anyone successfully got a refund in the UK?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Quakkerillo

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2015
Messages
553
https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/pdf/24795/pdf_alles_over_verlopen_kaart

On page 4, note 9, it says their services are only for those with a "Dutch postal address".

https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/pdf/22246/pdfalgemenevoorwaarden

In the ´terms of service´ https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/pdf/22246/pdfalgemenevoorwaarden this isn´t mentioned, not even when talking about restitution.

Maybe it's to prevent some sort of fraud, sending money abroad from stolen/found anonymous cards. Or maybe it's because of difference in IBAN lengths. So possibly you can get the money back in person at one of the 'service points'.

But I think you should be entitled to get it back. If nobody else here knows something, your can try and send a message to Rover (Dutch public transport users assosciation) asking them for aid.
Or if you know someone in the Netherlands, ask them. This might be the easiest solution.
 

MisterT

Member
Joined
12 Oct 2014
Messages
403
Location
The Netherlands
Unfortunately, in order to prevent fraud, Trans Link Systems (the ov-chipkaart company) will not refund the money to non-dutch bank accounts.
As far as I know, the only way to get your money back is, indeed, at one of the Service Points. They should be able to give you a refund.
 

chubs

Member
Joined
30 Oct 2012
Messages
656
Yep it is only to a Dutch bank account.

I had to get mine done to a family members account when it expires.

You can try going to one of the OV INFO kiosks and asking nicely when you are next in NL, there must be some sort of system in place for tourists?

I thought it was a bit cheeky you are then expected to buy a new one as well.
 

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
It is possible to run your card into a negative balance which can recoup some of the card fee. For the example, you could start with a 16.00 balance and then make a 21.00 train trip, giving you a -5.00 balance, and then you can throw the card away. As far as I know this is legal. The equivalent on Oyster isn't.
 

duesselmartin

Established Member
Joined
18 Jan 2014
Messages
1,902
Location
Duisburg, Germany
It is possible to run your card into a negative balance which can recoup some of the card fee. For the example, you could start with a 16.00 balance and then make a 21.00 train trip, giving you a -5.00 balance, and then you can throw the card away. As far as I know this is legal. The equivalent on Oyster isn't.

That sounds very odd indeed.
Can one still buy station to station tickets, if not how does a person not familiar to the dutch system buy a ticket? What if a different train operator is included in the journey? In my case it would be Veolia Herleen to Maastricht and then onwards.
 

Quakkerillo

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2015
Messages
553
That sounds very odd indeed.
Can one still buy station to station tickets, if not how does a person not familiar to the dutch system buy a ticket? What if a different train operator is included in the journey? In my case it would be Veolia Herleen to Maastricht and then onwards.

Station-to-station tickets are still sold online (paper tickets with QR code to open the gates), in TVM's at stations, and at the ticket offices at major stations.
Tickets from TVM's come on a one-time-only smart-card, which costs €1 extra. Tickets bought at a ticket office cost a further €0,50 extra as service surcharge.
All TVM's across the Netherlands are owned/maintained by the NS. If you bought a Heerlen-Maastricht single, it'll automatically route you via Veolia, which is the cheapest, and fastest service. If you wanted to use NS-only trains, you have to add a 'via' station (Sittard in this case). This could be useful if you had NS-only discount, or NS-only free travel for one of the passengers.

So if you made >5 journeys, you'd be cheaper with an actual OV-chipkaart. Just try to 'empty' the balance. For checking in with NS, you need at least €20. For buses, tram, metro, and other train companies, you need at least €4.
 

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
For checking in with NS, you need at least €20. For buses, tram, metro, and other train companies, you need at least €4.

The deposit is 20.00 for NS and 4.00 for bus/tram/metro, but the minimum check in balance is 4 euro less. So you need 16.00 for NS and 0.00 for bus/tram/metro.
 

Quakkerillo

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2015
Messages
553
The deposit is 20.00 for NS and 4.00 for bus/tram/metro, but the minimum check in balance is 4 euro less. So you need 16.00 for NS and 0.00 for bus/tram/metro.

Oops yes, forgot to mention that with the €4 for bus/tram/metro, so you can start with any positive balance. However, for trains, you actually do need €20 on your card.
 

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
Oops yes, forgot to mention that with the €4 for bus/tram/metro, so you can start with any positive balance. However, for trains, you actually do need €20 on your card.

https://forum.ns.nl/ov-chipkaart-5/ns-inchecken-20-start-tarief-niet-nodig-6100/index1.html#post3883

This says you only need a balance of 16 euro, or 6 if you have a railcard.

Je kunt 4 euro 'rood' staan op je OV-chipkaart. Dus als er een saldo is van minimaal 16 euro positief dan kun je inchecken. Wanneer er een abonnement op de kaart staat, kun je al met een saldo vanaf 6 euro inchecken

The poster dutchflyer said the same on this forum about a year ago.
 

Wolfie

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2010
Messages
6,050
Yep it is only to a Dutch bank account.

I had to get mine done to a family members account when it expires.

You can try going to one of the OV INFO kiosks and asking nicely when you are next in NL, there must be some sort of system in place for tourists?

I thought it was a bit cheeky you are then expected to buy a new one as well.

My bold

If there isn't they better expect to be having a conversation with the EU about (almost certainly unlawful) discrimination against other EU nationalities in the not too distant future....
 
Last edited:

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
Any EU citizen can have a Dutch bank account. Ergo, no discrimination.

But how easy is it to open one if you don't reside in the Netherlands?

Are there any Dutch bank accounts that don't charge monthly fees? If not, it isn't worth opening one to receive a refund from your OV-Chipkaart. But it would be useful so you could use Dutch sites that only take payment by iDEAL, which includes the NS site.
 

Wolfie

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2010
Messages
6,050
Any EU citizen can have a Dutch bank account. Ergo, no discrimination.

Are you sure about that? Certainly many of the ID checks made to open a bank account here would prevemt many if not all non-UK residents from openning a UK bank account.

Also...


Can all EU citizens have a Dutch postal address?
 

HilversumNS

Member
Joined
30 Apr 2015
Messages
232
Are you sure about that? Certainly many of the ID checks made to open a bank account here would prevemt many if not all non-UK residents from openning a UK bank account.

Also...

Can all EU citizens have a Dutch postal address?
As in the UK, you do need ID proof when opening a dutch bank account, as well as proof of address. Even I needed that as a dutch subject when I went to live there again in 1999. My tenancy agreement plus passport was sufficient for me and I was done within 10 minutes. Colleagues from outside the Netherlands needed to show some more paperwork, I can't remember exactly what, possibly proof of income (work contract.)

My mother hasn't lived in the Netherlands for 40 years, but still has several dutch bank accounts, the statements are sent to her Uk address.

To be officially resident in the Netherlands, you need to register at your local council office (called inschrijven) within 7 days of moving into the area. They also need ID, and if you are non a dutch national, you need to have registered with the 'Alien police' 1st.



As you can easily redeem any credit on an OV card from any OV agent, there is no discrimination against people from other countries. Same as if you want a refund from M&S, you simply walk into the store.

I have an expired OV card (January 2015) with about €30 on it which I was told last year I could get refunded or exchanged onto a new card on my next visit (I live in the UK) after the actual expiry.
 

Wolfie

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2010
Messages
6,050
As in the UK, you do need ID proof when opening a dutch bank account, as well as proof of address. Even I needed that as a dutch subject when I went to live there again in 1999. My tenancy agreement plus passport was sufficient for me and I was done within 10 minutes. Colleagues from outside the Netherlands needed to show some more paperwork, I can't remember exactly what, possibly proof of income (work contract.)

My mother hasn't lived in the Netherlands for 40 years, but still has several dutch bank accounts, the statements are sent to her Uk address.

To be officially resident in the Netherlands, you need to register at your local council office (called inschrijven) within 7 days of moving into the area. They also need ID, and if you are non a dutch national, you need to have registered with the 'Alien police' 1st.



As you can easily redeem any credit on an OV card from any OV agent, there is no discrimination against people from other countries. Same as if you want a refund from M&S, you simply walk into the store.I have an expired OV card (January 2015) with about €30 on it which I was told last year I could get refunded or exchanged onto a new card on my next visit (I live in the UK) after the actual expiry.

My bold

Thank you for this. It was the bit I emboldened which previously lacked clarity. I agree your statement given the perfectly viable and sensible alternative method made available.
 

Gavioliuk

Member
Joined
30 Nov 2012
Messages
16
As the original poster on this thread it has raised several interesting points.

I was told originally by email that I could get a refund in the UK. I was given the link to the form I submitted, but it transpired that I was given the wrong information in the first place

I did think that IBAN numbers meant that international payments and receipts had been simplified. It appears not so.
 

atillathehunn

Established Member
Joined
6 Jan 2010
Messages
1,433
Location
NL
It still definitely does not amount to discrimination. You can ask for a cash refund at the desk, it may be granted. Who knows, it's the NS.
 

Quakkerillo

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2015
Messages
553
It still definitely does not amount to discrimination. You can ask for a cash refund at the desk, it may be granted. Who knows, it's the NS.

It's Trans Link Systems, not NS, which is responsible for OV-chipkaart related things. So they'll get to decide what gets refunded when at what conditions.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top