Buying tickets in NL

[nw1]

There is no difference in price between Intercity and Sprinter trains. The only trains which need a supplement are the Intercity Direct trains between Schiphol and Rotterdam, and the ICE trains between Amsterdam and Arnhem. Intercity Direct no longer has a supplement between Amsterdam and Schiphol, and between Breda and Rotterdam. Of course, Thalys is compulsory reservation and needs a train specific ticket.

Sorry, I got confused: what I referred to as "IC" actually was IC Direct: the loco hauled single-deck stock coloured (IIRC) pink and grey as opposed to the double deck EMU stock in the case of Schiphol to Amsterdam. Travelling to Germany in the meantime which has a slightly different concept of "IC" doubtless to blame!

That would explain things, Intercity Direct "no longer" having a supplement. Ticket says so but isn't actually the case, on this journey anyway.
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Me and my partner travelled from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and return on an Interrail pass. On the way there on the ICD, we were advised that no extra fee was needed, however on the way back we were told a fee was needed from the station staff. Can I just check that you're saying that the first staff was right and not the second? Seems to be a very grey area!

Not sure, but I do know that in July 2009 I used the old "traditional" Brussels to Amsterdam loco-hauled fast non-Thalys service (similar to the current ICD which presumably originates somewhere between Schiphol and Brussels) with an interrail pass and nobody queried it. Also the interrail conditions only mentioned Thalys and TGV as having restrictions.

 

[radamfi]

Me and my partner travelled from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and return on an Interrail pass. On the way there on the ICD, we were advised that no extra fee was needed, however on the way back we were told a fee was needed from the station staff. Can I just check that you're saying that the first staff was right and not the second? Seems to be a very grey area!

http://www.interrail.eu/trains-europe/trains-country/trains-netherlands#reservations

says a supplement is required.

The supplement between Schiphol and Amsterdam didn't make that much sense as there is no high speed line on that section. Presumably a lot of tourists got it by mistake anyway. Breda to Rotterdam without supplement is slightly generous as that uses a bit of the high speed line and is 8 minutes quicker than the standard Intercity.

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Travelling to Germany in the meantime which has a slightly different concept of "IC" doubtless to blame!

The Intercity brand in the Netherlands has been devalued by the renaming of the intermediate Sneltrein category also as Intercity. So now there are a lot of Intercity trains that stop quite frequently, just not at all stations. Arriva and Veolia still use the term Sneltrein.

 

[HA25322]

From what I can remember I think the reservation fee is only payable between Amsterdam Airport and Rotterdam. ie the part on the HSL. The journey from AMS to Amsterdam does not require a supplement to be paid.

 

[reb0118]

I didn't have any bother with tickets & gates in the Netherlands the other day. I just walked through the barriers which were open at both Amsterdam & Rotterdam (changing trains but left the station for a short while) there were of course no barriers at Brussel Zuid either, and no ticket check on either train.

 

[HA25322]

I was recently on FIP boxes and I was slightly worried that I would not be able to get off stations as well but because all ticket barriers were open whilst The Netherlands was going through the change to Chipcards it was no problems. However this will not last forever. I am aware that ATOC are looking into this. (Sorry if this is not allowed to be talked about here)

 

[radamfi]

Woerden (near Utrecht) was the first station to have its barriers closed at all times yesterday. They are currently testing closing the barriers at four other stations in peak hours only: Almere Centrum, Rotterdam Alexander, Enschede and Houten. At some other stations you will find closed barriers, but there will be other barriers that will be open at the same time.

http://www.ns.nl/reizigers/ovchipkaart/reizen/in--en-uitchecken-alle-poortjes.html
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The website http://www.treinreiziger.nl now says that NS don't allow the cheap e-tickets to be resold by the site http://www.treinkaartkorting.nl/

They previously said it was OK.

 

[BurtonM]

I was recently in Amsterdam, based at Schiphol. I also think it's true that the supplement is only paid on HSL-Zuid and not between Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal, but the announcements in Amsterdam Centraal said there was a supplement on Intercity direct services, but nothing about where it applied.
At the airport (where I was surprised to find some of the announcements were Dutch only), a lot of tourists just get on the first train to Amsterdam regardless of what it is - some of the departure boards don't tell you what kind of service it is. Cue a lot of confused faces around the pink trains - can you get on or not?
The system isn't very helpful - the pink supplement card readers don't have bi-lingual notices so it's hard to tell what they do. I think the assumption is that a tourist at Schiphol wouldn't want to take HSL-Zuid to Breda, and/or wouldn't have an OV-chipkaart.

 

[317666]

When I was in the Netherlands in March, you only had to pay a supplement if your journey included Schiphol - Rotterdam. So Amsterdam Centraal - Schiphol and Rotterdam Centraal - Breda were supplement-free.

 

[radamfi]

http://www.ns.nl/reizigers/producte...g-ice-intercity-direct-en-euregio-ticket.html explains the supplement situation.

Extra snel reizen tussen Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol, Rotterdam Centraal en Breda? Dat kan met de Intercity direct. Alleen wanneer het traject tussen Schiphol en Rotterdam of vice versa deel uitmaakt van uw reis, heeft u een Intercity direct Toeslag nodig naast uw NS-vervoerbewijs. In alle overige gevallen kunt u gewoon met uw NS-vervoerbewijs reizen.

Want to travel quickly between Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol, Rotterdam Centraal and Breda? You can do that with Intercity Direct. Only if Schiphol to Rotterdam is part of your journey do you need a supplement to your NS ticket. In all other cases, you can just travel with your NS ticket.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I was recently on FIP boxes and I was slightly worried that I would not be able to get off stations as well but because all ticket barriers were open whilst The Netherlands was going through the change to Chipcards it was no problems. However this will not last forever. I am aware that ATOC are looking into this. (Sorry if this is not allowed to be talked about here)

Being "retired" as far as ATOC is concerned - AMS Centraal would not sell me a FIP priv ticket to Utrecht as you need a Chipkaart. Absolute rubbish retail service - ATOC say they are looking into it. A free pass would , I suppose get a Chipkaart gratis - but buying on the day seems no longer possible.

 

[radamfi]

http://www.ns.nl/reizigers/producten/waar-te-koop/ns-kaartautomaat.html

says that all NS stations have accepted Visa/Mastercard since 30 September.

 

[eastwestdivide]

English version of that page at:
http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/arra...g-tickets/ns-self-service-ticket-machine.html

also says there's a 50 cent surcharge for using those cards.

 

[ag51ruk]

Being "retired" as far as ATOC is concerned - AMS Centraal would not sell me a FIP priv ticket to Utrecht as you need a Chipkaart. Absolute rubbish retail service - ATOC say they are looking into it. A free pass would , I suppose get a Chipkaart gratis - but buying on the day seems no longer possible.

Update from ATOC this month on FIP coupons:

NS are introducing nationally a SmartCard system called "OV-chipkaart" but this has not yet been made available for overseas visitors, including people travelling using FIP facilities. A special barcoded coupon will be issued with each NS coupon - it will include full details on how to use it. Tickets purchased at service desks in The Netherlands backed up by an FIP card will be barcoded to permit gate entry. We are seeking further clarification on how to obtain tickets at non-manned stations.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Update from ATOC this month on FIP coupons:

NS are introducing nationally a SmartCard system called "OV-chipkaart" but this has not yet been made available for overseas visitors, including people travelling using FIP facilities. A special barcoded coupon will be issued with each NS coupon - it will include full details on how to use it. Tickets purchased at service desks in The Netherlands backed up by an FIP card will be barcoded to permit gate entry. We are seeking further clarification on how to obtain tickets at non-manned stations.

Excellent - thank you - I did raise it with ATOC , and glad they have acted. Had nothing but good service from on train staff on NS. One trip - the conductor had some trainees with him - so we gave them a "teach in" on FIPS and a good guide to nice journeys in the UK !

 

[radamfi]

If you happen to be in the Netherlands at the moment, there's a new offer for 17.50 day tickets. Visit a HEMA store from today until 23 November and pick up a voucher. You then go onto the NS website, enter the code and print off the e-ticket. Valid until 1 February, weekdays after 0900.

http://www.treinreiziger.nl/reizen/kortingsacties/hema_treinkaartjes:_ns_dagkaart_najaar_2014-146636
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They are still selling the 25 euro day tickets at Eindhoven airport, valid until July 2016. It also gives free travel on the bus between Eindhoven airport and the central station. It is probably valid on all regional train companies as well as NS as I tested it on the card reader at Arnhem, and also touched in and out on the Connexxion train service between Ede and Amersfoort.

 

[33056]

Regarding FIP, I have just received some coupons and an "Access Pass" has been included for use with the NS ones. This is in four languages (French, German, English and Italian) and has a "QR" type code to be scanned at the gates to permit entry / exit.

It is, of course, only valid with an accompanying FIP coupon and says it is valid until 31/12/2016!

 

[45107]

Being "retired" as far as ATOC is concerned - AMS Centraal would not sell me a FIP priv ticket to Utrecht as you need a Chipkaart. Absolute rubbish retail service - ATOC say they are looking into it. A free pass would , I suppose get a Chipkaart gratis - but buying on the day seems no longer possible.

Since the OV Chipkaart has been introduced nationally, I have not had problems buying FIP tickets from any ticket office. Tickets issued at normal 50% dicount without the €1.50 (or whatever it is) surcharge for using ticket office.
Have not sussed out how to get a discounted ticket from the machines at Hoek van Holland as Stena no longer offer full range of tickets on the boat (as they used to prior to the change).
Also no longer possible to do advance purchase if attempting to plan ahead.

Supplement only required for journies on HSL between Rotterdam & Schiphol.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Since the OV Chipkaart has been introduced nationally, I have not had problems buying FIP tickets from any ticket office. Tickets issued at normal 50% dicount without the €1.50 (or whatever it is) surcharge for using ticket office.
Have not sussed out how to get a discounted ticket from the machines at Hoek van Holland as Stena no longer offer full range of tickets on the boat (as they used to prior to the change).
Also no longer possible to do advance purchase if attempting to plan ahead.

Supplement only required for journies on HSL between Rotterdam & Schiphol.

Glad to hear that a FIP purchase can be done - the folk at Amsterdam CS ticket office were unable - back in July !

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Based on my experience in the past six months or so in NL:

• NS has been seriously limiting the amount of time you ever need a staffed ticket office. Ticketing is now all but practically automated in NL, consistent with it really being the world's largest metro system.:roll:
• FIP fares can only be obtained from staffed ticket offices, but cost an extra EUR1.00. They are issued as 'single trip' smart cards, which need to be touched in and out to be valid. Unfortunately, it looks like Chief Planner hit a (rare) unhelpful ticket seller.
• Further be warned that if you want to buy a FIP ticket for international travel, NS ticket offices will charge you EUR3.50 supplement for doing so. You may find it cheaper to buy such tickets from SNCB/NMBS or DB instead before you enter NL! With these tickets, you touch in the NL station you are leaving from but can't touch out in the other country (since there is no gadget). And, like all international tickets, you can break your journey in NL en route within the date validity.
• Although much of the Randstad area now has gates fitted, I have never yet seen them in use.
• The ticket offices often close in early evenings or don't open on Sundays: I did find a conductor that was happy to sell me a hand written excess fare using a FIP one day after the office had shut, but this was very much an exception.
• There is no ticket office at Hoek van Holland, so really the best thing is to get a Rail-Sea-Rail/Dutchflyer ticket from the UK although this normally means booking in advance. You can then use this for a single journey anywhere in NL.
• Now that NS has switched over to a swipe in/swipe out system, they are doing many more on train ticket checks than before. In the past couple of years, I could happily go round all day without any ticket checks at all particularly at weekends!
• OV Chipkaarts can be topped up via NS ticket machines, but NS charges at EUR 0.50 for using a non Dutch debit card for doing so. You can top them up using coins at machines that accept cash, but never notes. So the best advice is to sack full of EUR2 coins with you. Practically all Dutch people have an Ideal Debit Card, which is now quickly replacing cash everywhere in the country. I did look at trying to get one myself, but you do have to have a Dutch bank account to get one.
• I did have a great argument with a conductor a couple of years back when I tried to use a ticket with a 40% reduction (the normal 'railcard' fare in NL) using a FIP. I foolishly thought that they might be grateful that I had paid an 'extra' 10% but the conductor didn't know what the FIP was and gave me a big lecture about the Voordeelurenkaart (the off peak railcard) and how to use it. But that was not, of course, my issue! Most NS staff are quite helpful, however.

Bottom line, it's certainly not easy for foreigners to use NS these days but persist because it's actually a very interesting country to visit and, since practically everyone speaks English, to find out what makes the locals tick.

 

[radamfi]

In my experience in travelling around NL for about 15 years, tickets have always been checked on the train very regularly, as of course there were no ticket gates or regular human checks at stations.

http://www.ns.nl/reizigers/ovchipkaart/reizen/in--en-uitchecken-alle-poortjes.html

explains the ticket gate situation (use Google Translate or similar). 82 out of the 410 have gates but most of them are not in operation yet, and not at any of the major stations where foreign tourists are likely to be. There is a list of stations where gates are closed 24 hours a day on that page. Other stations may have some gates closed at certain times of day. Sometimes some gates are open while some are closed.

You can top up OV-Chipkaarts with Visa/Mastercard at all NS ticket machines for a 0.50 euro fee. The machines call all Visa/Mastercards 'credit cards', including UK Visa Debit and UK Mastercard Debit, and so these are charged the 0.50 fee too. However, you can top up with Visa/Mastercard credit/debit cards at Amsterdam metro and Rotterdam metro stations for no fee. Ticket offices also accept euro notes for top-ups for no fee.

Using most UK bank cards in the Netherlands will attract a fee from your bank, in the form of giving you a slightly worse than optimal exchange rate as well as possibly an additional charge for using the card abroad.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges

So, for example, you should really avoid using a Halifax debit card abroad as they charge a £1.50 fee, in addition to the 2.75% charge within the exchange rate.

Cheapest and most convenient first, the best methods of topping up for UK residents are as follows:

1. Use one of the 'no fee' credit/debit cards to top up you card at a Amsterdam/Rotterdam metro station.

2. Top up with euro coins at a ticket machine.

3. Withdraw cash using a Metrobank card or one of the few other cards that don't charge for withdrawing cash and top up at a train or bus company ticket office for free.

4. Use one of the 'no fee' credit/debit cards at a NS machine and pay 0.50 to NS in fees. Therefore it is best to top up as much as possible to make the percentage fee as low as possible.

I have a Quidity Maestro prepaid card and that can be used for no fee from NS, but there are numerous fees which means it is really only for convenience. The card costs £5 and there is a £4.95 fee per year. However, these cards can be used at the yellow OV-Chipkaart top up machines that are located in shops and supermarkets all over the country and you can use it in shops that don't accept Visa/Mastercard, which are many.

http://www.quiditycard.com/termsconditions.html

In theory, a good card to get is the Post Office Maestro card, as it only carries a 2.95% fee for purchases, but sadly I've never got it to work at shops or ticket machines in the Netherlands.

 

[radamfi]

On Christmas Day, I visited two of the stations that have gone fully gated, Almere Centrum and Almere Poort. I was using a HEMA day ticket which you print at home so I got to see if the barcode worked. At Almere Centrum, an important station, most if not all gates have barcode readers. At Almere Poort, a suburban, unstaffed station, only a couple did. I had no problems using the barcode to get in and out at both stations.
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For people just visiting Amsterdam, you can now get a combined ticket for train travel between Schiphol airport and Amsterdam and GVB bus/tram/metro services within the city, for one, two (and soon) for three days:

http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/arrange-and-buy/tickets-and-passes/amsterdam-travel-ticket.html

 

[zuriblue]

Hmm. This is not a user friendly system. In December I travelled from Venlo to Amsterdam over Nijmegen. I punched in to Veolia at Venlo and then punched out of Veolia and into NS at Nijmegen. Looking at the OV Chipkaart site it looks like the punch out at Nijmegen didn't take.

So I'm trying to get the money back from Veolia. The other operators will let you download a form but at Veolia you have to use the My Veolia account. I don't have one of those so I tried to open one. As I'm a UK citizen living in Switzerland it won't let me open an account. I call the Customer Service number (only in Dutch as is the website) and when I go to apply for refund it tells me to go to My Veolia or a customer service desk in Venlo or Nijmegen. Not really an option from Zürich.

When I tried again there seems to be no way of getting through to a human, just an automated phone system which dumps you into hold muzak hell.

They just don't seem to be set up for visitors.

By the way, if you want to top up a chipcard the ticket machines on the Amsterdam Metro will take notes. Nowhere else does.

 

[MisterT]

When travelling only a few times a year in the Netherlands, it's easier to buy a normal ticket from the ticket machine (credit cards are accepted as of August last year). That's a whole lot easier than using the ov-chipkaart for these kind of journeys (using two operators).

But you're right. It's not easy to use our transportation system as a tourist.

(I apologise for any grammar/spelling mistakes in this post, as I'm Dutch )

 

[gordonthemoron]

The OV Chipkart issued to SailRail passengers is a one day travel card NOT a single ticket so you can use it as much as you like

 

[atillathehunn]

Hmm. This is not a user friendly system. In December I travelled from Venlo to Amsterdam over Nijmegen. I punched in to Veolia at Venlo and then punched out of Veolia and into NS at Nijmegen. Looking at the OV Chipkaart site it looks like the punch out at Nijmegen didn't take.

So I'm trying to get the money back from Veolia. The other operators will let you download a form but at Veolia you have to use the My Veolia account. I don't have one of those so I tried to open one. As I'm a UK citizen living in Switzerland it won't let me open an account. I call the Customer Service number (only in Dutch as is the website) and when I go to apply for refund it tells me to go to My Veolia or a customer service desk in Venlo or Nijmegen. Not really an option from Zürich.

When I tried again there seems to be no way of getting through to a human, just an automated phone system which dumps you into hold muzak hell.

They just don't seem to be set up for visitors.

By the way, if you want to top up a chipcard the ticket machines on the Amsterdam Metro will take notes. Nowhere else does.

As an experiment, I got through to a Human Being just now using the number: 088 - 076 11 11. You need to follow the instructions, press 2, 1, 2. This will get you to a human being with questions about the OV card and a human answered on the second ring. You could also try calling 09009292.