End of cash payment on Dutch buses and trams

[chubs]

In the Netherlands they have always been most reluctant to accept non-NL cards (or possibly it is only UK issued cards ?) and that is the main reason why I have rarely visited in recent years, having been a very frequent visitor before the obsession with wanting people to use cards (which they then won't accept !) took off.

I spend a lot of time in the NL and pay with UK cards everywhere and have done for many years. About 15 years or so ago they often asked for ID just for security purposes on foreign cards, but always accepted them. Not an issue any more, just pay and go.

Contactless with UK bank cards works flawlessly in NL and Spain too.

 

[AnkleBoots]

Some UK debit cards charge £1.50 per transaction! So using them for a bus fare doesn't make sense, and many of the UK visitors to Amsterdam will not be aware of the charges.

What do teenage tourists do in London or Amsterdam if they don't have any kind of contactless card?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What do teenage tourists do in London or Amsterdam if they don't have any kind of contactless card?

Get an Oyster or an OV-Chipkaart, or one of the many prepaid cards. (Monzo is a good bet at the minute as it's basically being subsidised to help set a bank up, so the rates are good and there are no fees of any kind).

 

[TheSeeker]

Good to hear that foreign cards are becoming widely accepted in the Netherlands. When I worked at KPN in Den Haag their canteen would only accept ChipKnip, no cash or other cards. You could only get a ChipKnip card from an NL bank and to open an account you needed a local address. I managed to find 50 euro pre-paid ChipKnip cards for sale in Rotterdam station. All a lot of hassle to buy a glass of milk and a piece of bread with chocolate sprinkles for my lunch.

 

[Bletchleyite]

All a lot of hassle to buy a glass of milk and a piece of bread with chocolate sprinkles for my lunch.

Away from the standard stereotypes, I can barely think of anything more Dutch than paying by Chipknip for the above

 

[radamfi]

Amsterdam stopped accepting cash on all its buses, trams and metros on 26 March:

https://en.gvb.nl/reizen/cashloos-ov/geen-contant-geld-meer-de-tram

Most Connexxion and Arriva buses have also stopped accepting cash. However, cash is still accepted on many buses in the rest of the country, and the summary of cash acceptance for each operator is shown here (in Dutch):

https://9292.nl/nieuws/nieuwsoverzicht/overzicht-cashloos-reizen-in-het-ov

You can still get a ticket from the driver in most cases by paying by card (Chip & PIN or contactless) and there are even new tickets available from the driver, for example a new 90 minute ticket for transport in Amsterdam and surrounding area:

https://www.connexxion.nl/reizen/1190/btm-1-5-uur-90-minuten-onbeperkt-reizen-en-overstappen/5052

 

[Groningen]

There was a survey in a newspaper in Groningen that cash should still be possible. But! It is always cheaper to use the OV-chipcard (some major busstations have a servicepoint) than buy a single ticket at the busdriver. Often (it could be) twice as expensive than the card.

 

[Howardh]

Next month I have to catch the 300 Schipol- Haarlem and I think I can still pay cash - however if not I assume the driver will accept Visa debit or Mastercard?

 

[Struner]

Debit or credit card will do
https://www.connexxion.nl/en/tickets/individual-tickets/paper-ticket

 

[Bletchleyite]

Debit or credit card will do
https://www.connexxion.nl/en/tickets/individual-tickets/paper-ticket

Are they actually single-use Chipkaarten as it refers to checking out with them?

 

[rf_ioliver]

Buses in Stockholm and southern Sweden have been cashless for years. The difference there is that 'foreign' bankcards are accepted as a matter of course.

Same here in Helsinki - either you use a travel card or the HSL app your phone - I think some busses in the Greater Helsinki region accept cash, but I don't think I've seen anyone do that for years.

 

[Struner]

Are they actually single-use Chipkaarten as it refers to checking out with them?

You can. But what’s the point I wonder. Unless the barrier (door in this case) won’t open otherwise.

 

[Spoorslag '70]

Are they actually single-use Chipkaarten as it refers to checking out with them?

Nope, basicly a "bog roll" (or normal reciept) like structrue with an Aztec-code on it, which (formally) should be held under the Chipkaart reader

 

[sprunt]

Since this has been bumped, in two weeks I'll need to catch the bus from Groningen city to the airport - will I be able to pay with my UK contactless Mastercard (it's a debit card, not credit card)? Or cash, either is good but I expect not.

 

[Struner]

basically the same, debit or credit card. No cash.

 

[sprunt]

Thanks.

 

[duesselmartin]

However, I don't like this change either. Luckily, cash is king in Germany and no operator would do this here, if they don't want to lose all their passengers.

But they do now. No cash machines are getting more common. Verbund areas encouraging going mobile only. Germany may be slow in following a trend but they do follow.

 

[Howardh]

My situation is gonna be this;
From Schipol I need a OV anon card to Haarlem (bus), then the following day I want to do the train from Haarlem > Zandvoort > Amsterdam Centraal > Haarlem including using the trams around Amsterdam and the following day return by bus from Haarlem to Schipol.

I want to buy a card at Schipol which is good for all of the above (especially the train) - how/where do I do that, how do you "load" the card and how do you know how much remains (and what happens if your journey ends up being more than the balance on the card?

 

[Struner]

You can start from here I suppose:
https://reisproducten.gvb.nl/en/toeristen

 

[Howardh]

You can start from here I suppose:
https://reisproducten.gvb.nl/en/toeristen

Thanks - Amsterdam day ticket @ 17e? No thanks!! Decided to pay the bus driver with card for my two bus trips, will take the extra euro for a train ticket and ditch the idea of using the trams, where I want to go is within walking distance of Centraal anyway, and NO, it's not THAT district...it's the other side!!

 

[Spoorslag '70]

Thanks - Amsterdam day ticket @ 17e? No thanks!! Decided to pay the bus driver with card for my two bus trips, will take the extra euro for a train ticket and ditch the idea of using the trams, where I want to go is within walking distance of Centraal anyway, and NO, it's not THAT district...it's the other side!!

A day ticket for just Amsterdam is 8€ (GVB only), that 17€ ticket covers quite a huge area (including Haarlem, Zandvoort, Alkmaar, Almere etc.).
You can save the extra euro if you buy your train tickets using the NS app or website (which should support creditcards).

 

[Howardh]

A day ticket for just Amsterdam is 8€ (GVB only), that 17€ ticket covers quite a huge area (including Haarlem, Zandvoort, Alkmaar, Almere etc.).
You can save the extra euro if you buy your train tickets using the NS app or website (which should support creditcards).

I've looked at that app and I didn't know you could buy tickets - that's very useful, thanks! https://www.public-transport-holland.com/product/amsterdam-day-ticket/ has the info I require.

 

[Struner]

You said you wanted to go Haarlem-Zandvoort-Amsterdam-Haarlem, which is three journeys.
That makes €12,80 + 3x€1 = €15,80. You’ll get trams & metro for an extra €1,20. (The ferry across the IJ is free).

 

[Howardh]

You said you wanted to go Haarlem-Zandvoort-Amsterdam-Haarlem, which is three journeys.
That makes €12,80 + 3x€1 = €15,80. You’ll get trams & metro for an extra €1,20. (The ferry across the IJ is free).

Yes, it makes sense; ties me to doing Haarlem - Zandvoort though and if it's bad weather I don't fancy that leg!

 

[Struner]

The main thing (to me) would be: Way Less Hassle.
The difference in costs is peanuts. Certainly compared to those of the rest of the trip?

 

[Howardh]

The main thing (to me) would be: Way Less Hassle.
The difference in costs is peanuts. Certainly compared to those of the rest of the trip?

Not really, I'm on a bit of a bargain, 2nts room + flight less than £160. Trying to avoid the little extras like "pay to select your seat"! Although wonder why Avanti West Coast haven't tried that....

 

[Struner]

i’m more like pound wise, penny foolish

 

[Howardh]

i’m more like pound wise, penny foolish

Seeing as there's a vvv which sells this day ticket in Haarlem I will buy it there, can use the metro if I have to shelter from the wind, rain and whatever else March throws at me!

 

[dutchflyer]

Buy at S´hol, its the ARTT, for about 36 eur gives you 3 days in a far larger area and includes both trains and also BTM=bustrammetro. Also for 2 or 1 day. With it comes a packet with map and details. Touristy forum on TripAdvisor has all detials.
Using above quotes: 2 busrides x 6,50, the trains 16 eur and GVB is NOT additional 1,20-how one comes to that is a mystery or a typo, its now 3,20 for a 60 mins. ticket. Total cost not that much different, but it saves buying tix all the time and also gives you what those from Uk seem to like so much: travel at will when the day is done in the area allowed. LOngest ride is Ams-Lelystad, change at Almere if coming from CS, ride through the newly won land on former SouthernSea and across a national park with loads of conflicts about to feed the Scottish Highlander big cattle there during winter-or not (as nature itself would have it). Come back with direct IC to S´hol again-or rather alight just before @ AMS South and then take the doubledeck coach to H´lem from there.
The BUS at S´hol has a mobile van at the main 397 stop to help all those confused tourists, it also accepts cash if wanted.
Above was mentioned the checkOUT of the now 6,50 90 mins BUStramticket for the Ams region-the checkout allows you then to make the transfer, it may block if you do not do this. And anyway, whats the hassle in fact for doing it. This ticket thus also allows the bus S´hol-H´lem, or the direct 80 beachside bus Z´voort-Ams, with a transfer to GVB tram in AMS.

 

[HowardGWR]

Yes, note it’s Schiphol not Schipol.