Train Service in Netherlands
Information about train service in Netherlands and traveling by rail – service classes, ticket supplements, taking a pet or bicycle onboard and what to do when you forget to check out with your OV-Chipcard.
TRAIN SERVICE IN NETHERLANDS
Train service in Netherlands is operated by the government-owned company NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen). There are two types of service: express (referred to as Intercity) and local (referred to as Sprinter).
There are nearly 400 train stations in the country with most smaller Dutch cities having just one location. Larger cities will often have multiple train stations. These include Amsterdam (11 stations), Rotterdam (7 stations), Utrecht (7 stations) and The Hague (6 stations). These are the 15 busiest train stations in Netherlands.
NS Intercity trains have first and second class cabins; doors on the outside of the train show a ‘1’ or ‘2’ to denote the class. Passengers must travel in the service class matching their ticket.
Conductors walk through the train carriages to check passenger tickets on their mobile card readers. Passengers are obligated to present their paper ticket or OV Chipcard upon request from train staff. A passenger traveling without a ticket or has not scanned in their OV-Chipcard can receive a fine in addition to the ticket cost which must be purchased from the conductor. A passenger unable to pay for a ticket will be asked to exit the train at the next station.
Although the OV-Chipcard is used across all forms of public transportation in the Netherlands, a passenger must scan their card in and out when switching between different modes of transportation. For example, a passenger whose journey includes a train segment and a tram segment must scan the card before boarding the train to start that segment of the journey (the card reader will beep once) and scan it again when departing the train to end the segment (the card reader will beep twice). The passenger then needs to scan the card again when they board the tram (the card reader will beep once) and scan it a final time when exiting the tram (card reader will beep twice).
A passenger who forgets to scan out when exiting has up to 6 hours to return to the station to scan their card. After that time, the passenger is charged for a full day of unlimited travel (referred to as a ‘boarding fee’). They can request a refund online for this charge once 24 hours have passed. If the passenger has set up a ‘Mijn NS’ account, the amount is refunded to the bank account attached to the profile. If they do not have a ‘Mijn NS’ account, the refund must be manually loaded onto the OV-Chipcard using a yellow/blue OV-Chipcard machine at the train station.
DUTCH TRAIN TICKETS
Expats living in Holland and travelers visiting the Netherlands will likely be interested in different types of train tickets. Residents will find the seasonal and annual subscription options more cost effective as they offer a 40% discount on regular fares.
Train tickets available:
- Single journey for one-way or round trip train travel (cost varies by distance traveled)
- Single day unlimited travel
- Amsterdam Travel Ticket: 1, 2 and 3-day options for unlimited travel within Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Region Travel Ticket: 1, 2 and 3-day options for unlimited travel in the Amsterdam region which includes Haarlem, Almere, Hilversum, Lelystad and surroundings
- Holland Travel Ticket: 1-day unlimited travel in Holland outside of rush hours (cannot be used Monday to Friday before 09:00 or between 16:00-18:30)
- NS Flex allows you to choose the type of subscription discount you want, which can be cancelled on a monthly basis.
- Dal Voordeel: gives the holder 40% discount on travel during non-peak hours Monday to Friday, plus all day on weekends and public holidays. Also get a 40% co-travel discount for up to 3 people traveling with you at non-peak hours.
- Weekend Vrij: unlimited travel on weekends and public holidays plus 40% co-travel discount for up to 3 people traveling with you during off-peak hours.
- Traject Vrij: unlimited travel on a fixed route and 40% discount on all other travel during off-peak hours, weekends and public holidays. Plus 40% co-travel discount for up to 3 people traveling with you during non-peak hours.
TAKING A BICYCLE ON THE TRAIN
Folding bikes are allowed on NS trains at no additional cost any time of the day. They must be in the folded position.
A regular, non-folding bike can be taken on the train* by purchasing a bike supplement ticket (dagkaart-fiets) from the yellow/blue OV-Chipcard machine available at most stations. The current cost for this supplement is €6.20 and allows the passenger to bring one bike on the train for the day it is purchased. The passenger can board and exit the train an unlimited number of times and travel an unlimited distance with the supplement. The traveler must remember to scan themselves in and out as a passenger for each journey taken that day. The passenger should board the train using doors marked with a bicycle symbol.
*Non-folding bikes are not allowed on trains during peak commuting rush hours (Monday to Friday before 09:00 and between 16:00-18:30) even with a bike supplement. The restricted hours do not apply during the months of July/August.
TAKING A PET ON THE TRAIN
A passenger can travel with a dog or cat on a train in the Netherlands. A day dog supplement ticket (dagkaart-hond) can be purchased from the yellow/blue OV-Chipcard machines in most stations. The dog must be on a leash and must sit/lay on the floor (not in a passenger seat).
Guide dogs are allowed to travel with their owner but must be wearing a harness or emblem which easily identifies it as a support animal.
A dog or cat small enough to sit in a basket or cage on the passenger’s lap is allowed to travel free and does not require a day dog supplement ticket.
DUTCH TRAINS LOST AND FOUND
Passengers often leave items on the train when traveling in the Netherlands. Items found are stored at the station where they were turned in for 5 days. After that time they are transferred to the NS central lost and found location in Utrecht.
A traveler who loses something on a train in Netherlands should fill in the online form (to create a case number) and then look at the found items pictured. If you see the item you lost, you can flag it. Once approved, you can request the item be sent to you (shipping costs must be paid).
The passenger can check with the NS service desk at the station to see if the item was turned in (or subsequent stations along the route where it could have been turned in). They can also call the Lost & Found department at +31 030-751 5155. If the item is still at the station where it was turned in, it can be picked up without charge by showing a valid proof of identification.
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