ns travel discount

NS changing rules for joint travel discount to prevent abuse

NS is using new rules for its joint travel discount to prevent abuse. From today, anyone traveling with such a discount will need an online code, which the season ticket holder must create and share with the person traveling with them at a discounted rate. They also have to sit together during the trip, NOS reports.

A transition period applies until the end of April. During those weeks, travelers can still buy a joint travel ticket from the machine. After April 22, these tickets will only be available online. Those who struggle with online purchases can go to the service counters that are still available at some stations, NS said.

“We increasingly see that the discount is misused,” an NS spokesperson told NOS. “The joint travel discount was created with the idea that our season ticket holders could give a 40 percent discount as a gift to a family member, friend, or colleague traveling with them. But in practice, it is often different. For example, travelers who have a train ticket with a joint travel discount, but upon closer inspection cannot indicate who they are traveling with.”

Nearly 500,000 travelers travel with a joint travel discount every month. For comparison, NS transports about a million passengers per day. According to NS, misuse of the discount costs it several million euros in income every year.

Years ago, NS had similar issues with travelers abusing group ticket discounts . Instead of families or friends traveling together at a discount, individuals would look each other up on social media or through intermediaries to buy a group ticket together.

According to NS, misuse of the travel-together discount leads to unpleasant situations on the train. It is in the top three points of discussion between conductors and passengers, and such discussions are increasingly turning aggressive or even violent .

“People who have the discount without traveling with someone have to buy a new ticket and receive a fine of 50 euros,” chief conductor Willem Bax told the broadcaster. “If we approach those people, it could cause problems. I have heard all the excuses at least once. ‘The person has just gotten off,’ or ‘just went to the toilet,’ or simply ‘I didn’t know.’ Sometimes it can escalate to verbal or even physical aggression.”

It sometimes also happens that travelers buy a joint travel discount ticket and then go looking for a season ticket holder on the train. “They feel pressured and do not dare say no. We want to prevent that,” Bax said.

The traveler association Rover is critical. “The question is how many travelers are actually traveling with strangers. Moreover, we do not see this as abuse,” director Freek Bos said. “After all, it is not stated anywhere in the conditions who your joint-traveler should be. As far as we are concerned, an unnecessary barrier is being created for using the train.”

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How to get a cheap Dutch train ticket: 7 handy tips

Choo choo — all aboard for some fabulous deals! 🚆

We can hear you asking this question from all the way over there: do cheap Dutch train tickets exist? Well , yes! There are plenty of options, you just need to know where to look.

The NS might have a bad reputation for hiking train prices, but there are surefire ways to find great train ticket deals. And the cherry on top? You’ll often know the price of our journey well in advance.

If you’re keen as a been to start saving some serious cash on your rail journeys, this cheap Dutch train ticket guide will have you snatching up those handy deals right away! 🤑

1. Opt for day tickets ( dagkaarten )

Something that I have always done is buy NS day tickets from supermarkets and other high street shops. A few times a year, shops such as Kruidvat, Xenos, Blokker, Hema, and Albert Heijn sell discounted train tickets.

The best thing to do is to check their websites every once in a while, or in the shop window if you happen to be walking past. Found one you like? Hoera , it’s time to buy these tickets in bulk!

However, do remember to read the terms and conditions, as I’ve found that discounted day tickets are often restricted to off-peak hours or on the weekends.

Do you need a bit of extra help sourcing some great deals? This useful website offers an overview of all running discounted train tickets offered by different shops and stores! 🙌

Unfortunately, the information is only offered in Dutch, but if you scroll down you can see the discounted prices per person on the right-hand side.

2. Check out an advantage card (AKA Dal Voordeel)

This is available to people who have an OV chipkaart , which you can get online or at any NS info counter for €7.50.

Tip: Owning an OV chipkaart is cheaper if you use public transport regularly in the Netherlands because you don’t need to pay a euro every time for the print-out tickets.

To get this ‘advantage card’ deal, you can pay €67.20 per year or €5.60 per month for a subscription . In return, you get a generous 40% off train prices to any destination in the Netherlands.

Of course, it’s important to read the fine print, as this deal is only valid at off-peak times, so you cannot travel with the discount between 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM, and 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

If you want a peak-times discount card (20% off during rush hour), you’ll have to pay a little more per month: €26.70. However, it’s still much cheaper than without a discount!

Another great thing with the advantage card is that you can take up to three friends with you. You just load the discount onto their OV chipkaarten and they all get the same discount! How kind of you, NS.

3. Grab a group ticket ( Groepsticket )

For only €7.15 per person, up to seven passengers travelling together to the same destination off-peak can get a ticket to anywhere in the Netherlands.

Basically, the more people that you gather to travel with you (or the more friends you have! 😉), the cheaper it becomes.

Here’s a breakdown of the prices as an example, so you can easily see how cheap it really is:

• Four people = € 9.50 per person
• Five people = €8.40 per person
• Six people = €7.67 per person
• Seven people = €7.15 per person

You can easily order the Groepsticket online , and each person will receive their own personalised ticket. Easy, right?

4. Scour discount websites for cheap Dutch train ticket deals

Another way to get cheap ticket deals is to check the Spoordeelwinkel section of the NS website, which contains new deals every month. These Dutch train ticket deals are linked to specific destinations, such as cities, hotels, or amusement parks.

They also have great tickets for you tourists out there. 🧳

Occasionally, you can get deals for tourist attractions where you can get transport bundled with a hotel, entry fee, or meal fee paid for in one — so remember to keep checking the site!

5. Buy tickets for your kids, pets — and even your bike

Forget about leaving little Fluffy, your 3 screaming children, or your beloved Dutch bike at home. The NS offers special tickets for all three! 👇

Doggy day ticket

You can buy a day dog ticket for just €3.30 but small dogs and other small animals get to travel for free ( wat mooi! ). So it’s probably best not to overfeed your pet if you want a free ride. 😂

You can load this onto your OV chipkaart or with a disposable single-use card.

Children’s ticket

If your kids are tagging along with you, the fab news is that they can travel for free — provided they have their own OV chip cards (€7.50).

Oh, and what if their friends are joining in on the fun? Well, the price stays the same: free!

Of course, some requirements do apply, such as the children involved being between the ages of 4 to 11 and accompanied by someone over the age of 12.

If that sounds like something beneficial for you and your nearest and dearest, don’t forget to purchase the Kids Vrij discount! (You “purchase” it for €0.)

Bike ticket

Ja hoor , you can even take your beloved fiets on the train for €7.50 per day.

This ticket is only valid during off-peak hours, but it doesn’t matter how long your journey is, it’s still the same price. That way you will never have to part with your bike ever again.

READ MORE | Don’t pay full price! Buy train tickets the Dutch way.

Just load this onto your OV chipkaart or buy a disposable single-use card.

6. Snap up some international discount cards

So, maybe you want a change of scenery from the Netherlands and are looking to explore something new for the day. The good news is, if you have an OV chipkaart, you can travel to Germany, Belgium, and beyond with a handy discount. 🗺️

With an Interrail ticket , for example, you can get a discount of up to 25% on European rail travel.

If you’re determined to do a round trip of Europe during the summer, opting for a €185 Global Pass will give you access to a whopping 33 European countries for a flexible time period that you can set.

Meanwhile, the €51 One Country Pass will give you unlimited access to the rail network to a European country of your choice. Prima !

7. Browse the NS site

Admittedly, the NS deals aren’t always as good as some of the other deals out there. However, from time to time, the NS does advertise some pretty cool deals on their site .

These are mainly city trip deals to other countries, but who wouldn’t like a little day trip to Brussels or Paris this summer? ⛲️

In addition to this, buying a ticket at least four days before your trip will score you a generous 20% discount for rail journeys between Monday and Thursday — and a 10% discount on weekends. It really does ‘pay’ to be an early bird! 😉

What’s the best deal you’ve got on Dutch transport? Let us know in the comments!

Liked it? Try these on for size:

How to get from amsterdam to london in 2024, 16 superb things to do in amersfoort in 2024, 17 unforgettable things to do in leiden in 2024, what do you think, 12 comments.

[…] Hop on board Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) train service, for direct links all over the country! What’s that? Tickets are far too expensive? Don’t jump the barrier! Find out the tips and tricks to the cheapest train tickets available! […]

[…] deals in the supermarket as a tourist (unlikely for most), you’re faced with paying full price for train tickets. On top of that, for not having an OV Chipcard, you’re paying an extra euro. Have an OV […]

It was very interesting on the wall of the staircase. :))

[…] (If you’re here to look for cheaper train tickets, this is the perfect time to check our train ticket guide […]

The author forgets to mention that most if not all ns train tickets are etickets and can only be paid for using the iDEAL payment option. This is only available for people with a Dutch bank account. The ns is very unfriendly for foreigners without a dutch bank account, and I always feel robbed.

This is indeed true. More than once I paid with my bank card at the ticketmachine on the station for someone’s ticket in exchange for cash as he/she didn’t have a bank card to pay with. Dutch Railroads (NS) is now experimenting with (check-in – check-out) direct payment with bank card at the gates. But you can pay for online ticket orders by credit card (Visa, Amex, Master Card) according to https://www.ns.nl/klantenservice/betalen/problemen-met-online-betalen.html .

You’d need a Dutch bank account for most (if not all) deals indeed. And a Dutch postal code (well, you can solve that one, of course). And if a local buys the ticket for you, they cannot send it to you (for example, by e-mail – you cannot put it in an attachment or forward via WhatsApp). So it only works if you have a local friend travelling with you (unless I missed something important). The local transportation system is really unkind to foreigners, but it’s a lovely country nevertheless 🙂

In #6 you say “The good news is, if you have an advantage card (the card I mentioned at 1.)” The advantage card is in #2, not #1

Thanks for that – all changed! I didn’t notice and you’re the first person to bring it up, so cheers. 😀

hi thank you

this content its great

The bike ticket is only valid off-peak-hours and not as you claim all day. Hence during peak hours (07.30-09.00 and 16.30-18.30 weekdays) you are NOT allowed to take a non-foldable bike (folded completely) with you in the train with this ticket and you risk a fine.

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How To Buy Dutch Train Tickets

If you want to get a handle on using the Dutch rail system, then here we discuss in detail the different types of rail tickets available in the Netherlands and how to buy them.

Dutch trains are mainly run by the national rail company NS ( Nederlandse Spoorwegen ) and the network covers the country extensively. Travelling by train is convenient, reliable and reasonable value for money. All prices below are for 2024.

How To Book Dutch Train Tickets

You can check timetables, prices and make online bookings for Dutch domestic train services at the official NS (Dutch Railways) site here . Prices are in euros (EUR) only and payment is accepted by iDeal or credit cards (Visa/Mastercard/American Express). There are no booking fees, however tickets are non-refundable.

Rail Ticket Formats in the Netherlands

There are 3 different ticket formats available for sale for travel on Dutch Railways – these are single-use disposable tickets, OV-chip cards/OVpay and online tickets. Further below we will overview the specific rail fares and special train tickets available in the Netherlands.

1 – Single-use train tickets in the Netherlands

This is a disposable OV-chip cards (eenmalige chipkaart) and can be bought at any Dutch NS train station. Back in 2014 it replaced the old style paper tickets.

• There is a €1 surcharge in addition to the standard fare.
• It is made from card (with the chip inside), it is printed with the date/route and can be purchased on-the-day or up to a week ahead of travel.
• To validate the ticket passengers must check-in and check-out of their journey using the card readers near the platforms or at the gate barriers.
• The card is disposed of after use – it cannot be used again.

2 – OV-chip card / OVpay for Dutch trains

The OV-chip card (OV-chipkaart) is the Dutch public transport smart card . The personal or anonymous OV-chip cards can store travel credit which can be used for rail travel at standard fares by simply checking-in and checking-out between 2 stations.

Similarly, payment by contactless debit/credit card/mobile ( OVpay ) was introduced in 2023 for public transport in the Netherlands (see further below).

You can buy an ’empty’ anonymous OV-chip card for €7.50 (non-refundable, made from plastic and lasts 4-5 years) and then load it with ‘e-purse’ credit up to a maximum of €150. We no longer recommend the OV-chip card for short-term visitors – either use OVpay or buy standard tickets online or at the station.

Cards purchased at NS stations are automatically activated for train travel. Cards bought elsewhere (eg other transport providers, newsagents, supermarkets) may need to be activated for ‘pre-paid travel without NS subscription’ (reizen op saldo zonder NS-abonnement) at a train station ticket machine or service desk.

For rail travel with NS the card must be loaded with at least €20 credit . To check-in hold the card once against the NS card reader. On successful check-in a green light flashes accompanied by a single beeping sound – €20 is taken off the card balance as an initial boarding deposit.

A check-in error (such as a bad contact with the reader or insufficient credit) will make a sound of 3 loud beeps.

After check-in you can board a train departing within the next 30 minutes. You only need to check-out again when you arrive at your final domestic destination station. On successful check-out the reader beeps twice and shows the fare and remaining e-purse balance. The €20 deposit is refunded back onto the card with the correct fare deducted.

Here are some features about using the OV-chip card for rail travel in the Netherlands:

• If you fail to check-out you will lose the €20 deposit!
• The default travel class for OV-chip cards is 2nd class rail travel, though you can change this setting to 1st class using a station ticket machine.
• OV-chip cards can only be used by 1 person on a particular journey – so if you are travelling in a group, everyone will need their own card or ticket.
• Using an OV-chip card avoids the €1 surcharge for single-use tickets.
• If you check-in and check-out at the same train station within 1 hour (say you change your mind about travelling) you will not be charged any fare.
• You must complete check-out on the rail network within a maximum of 6 hours after check-in.

Officially you are not permitted to backtrack unless travelling via an allowable connection . In general you must always be travelling away from the station where you checked-in.

Checking-out and re-checking-in is required if connecting onto another domestic rail operator such as Arriva, Blauwnet, Breng, Connexxion (Valleilijn), Keolis and R-NET . Note that OV-chip cards are not used for international trips.

The OV-chip card credit is valid on all forms of public transport in the Netherlands and means you do not have to buy a separate ticket for each trip – as long as you have sufficient credit. A minimum of €4 credit is required for other forms of transport.

With the possibilities of e-tickets/mobile tickets and contactless debit/credit card payments, we no longer recommend visitors invest €7.50 to buy an anonymous OV-chip card.

Personal OV-chip cards are only available to residents of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. It includes the holder’s name and photo.

It works the same way as the anonymous card but includes other features such as guaranteed card replacement if lost and automatic payment or top-ups using direct debit. NS discount cards and season ticket cards can also be used as personal OV-chip cards.

Note, the OV-chip card in its current form is being phased out by 2025. A new OV-pas with digital features will be rolled out from 2024.

OVpay on the Dutch rail network

As with the OV-chip card the standard distance fare is charged. One downside is you can’t see exactly what you are charged until you check your payment card statement.

• OVpay only works with Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard or Visa branded cards.
• On check-in, you should get a message ‘IN Debit Card’ on the card reader screen.
• On successful check-out, the card reader should show ‘OUT Debit Card’ – you will be charged the standard fare to your card account the following day.
• The payment reference will be ‘NLOV’ followed by 14 digits. If you make multiple trips on a single day you will only have one transaction charged as the sum of all trips.
• Note, if you fail to check-out correctly you will likely be charged the €20 deposit. You can check travel history and request a refund here
• OVpay is only valid for 2nd class travel, you cannot use it for 1st class.
• If a conductor does a ticket check, they will scan the card and can only see where/when you checked-in.
• If you check-out at the same station within 60 minutes of checking in you will not be charged.

3 – E-Tickets / Mobile Tickets

You can purchase e-tickets/mobile tickets at the NS site online at standard fares. You can also get a 10% discount if you purchase singles or day returns online at least 4 days in advance. Payment is in euros only, tickets are non-refundable.

Tickets can be bought online up to 1 month in advance of travel.

• By buying online tickets you avoid the €1 surcharge for single-use tickets.
• NS e-tickets and mobile tickets are personal and require name and accompanying identification.
• E-tickets can be printed out in A4 format; mobile tickets are downloaded to a smartphone or added to the NS app.

E-tickets/mobile tickets come with a square QR-code. At stations with closed gate barriers look for the gate with the “scan ticket” symbol and scan the QR-code on the reader on the right-hand side. The gate should open to let you through – if you have any problems there are staff on hand to help.

At stations without gate barriers you don’t need to scan the ticket.

If you need refundable tickets then purchase Dutch rail e-tickets at the Trainline site

Train Fares in the Netherlands

Domestic rail fares in the Netherlands are fixed and depend on distance travelled. You can always just turn up at the station and purchase a ticket at the standard fare.

The standard fare covers travel in 2nd class carriages. A 1st class ticket costs about 67% more than the equivalent 2nd class fare. All Dutch rail tickets include a VAT (BTW) charge of 9%.

Dutch domestic fares are increased at the beginning of each calendar year.

With a valid train ticket (disposable ticket, checked-in OV-chip card, e-ticket/mobile ticket) you can jump onboard any standard service to your destination and just find a free seat in your class. There are no seating reservations required on standard trains.

Don’t board a train without a valid ticket as if you get caught you may have to pay a penalty of €50.

For more info/photos on Dutch trains see train types in the Netherlands

The following fare types are available for train travel in the Netherlands:

One-way ticket (Enkele reis)

The one-way ticket covers travel between 2 specified Dutch stations (eg – Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central , €4.90).

• There is a €1 surcharge for buying a disposable (one-time use) single fare ticket.
• The single one-way fare will be deducted from an OV-chip card after check-in and check-out or will be charged to a contactless bank card if using OVpay.
• E-ticket singles can also be purchased at the standard fare or with 10% discount if booking more than 4 days ahead.
• The single is valid 28 hours – between 0000 on the travel date to 0400 the following day.

Note, the minimum possible NS one-way fare on the Dutch rail network in 2nd class is €2.60. Likewise, the maximum possible one-way fare in 2nd class is capped at €29.40 (2024).

TIP: Take advantage of allowable stopovers with e-tickets . If you have a mobile or e-ticket (one-way or day return) then you are allowed to make unlimited stopovers at any stations along your specified route.

Day Return (Dagretour)

If you are planning to return on the same day to your starting station then you should purchase a day return ticket. The fare is simply the sum of 2 singles.

• There is a €1 surcharge for disposable (one-time use) day return ticket – note, if you buy 2 separate singles you would pay €1×2 = €2 surcharge.
• The day return is valid 28 hours – between 0000 on the travel date to 0400 the following day.

For UK travellers, please note that NS does not sell ‘open return’ tickets where you can return on a day of your choice – for that case you should just buy separate singles each way on the particular day.

Children’s Ticket (Railrunner)

Children aged between 4 and 11 can travel unaccompanied in 2nd class using a Railrunner ticket which costs just €2.50 and is valid for the whole day. It can be bought as disposable OV-chip card (with €1 surcharge). The child must check-in and -out of each journey if using a disposable ticket.

Railrunner tickets can also be bought without surcharge as an e-ticket/mobile ticket or added as a product onto an anonymous or personal OV-chip card. Kids aged 3 and under travel for free.

For 1st class travel, up to 3 children can use a Railrunner ticket as long as they are accompanied by an adult (over 18) with a valid 1st class ticket. Additional children (4 or more) travelling with a single adult in 1st class need to travel with a personal or anonymous OV-chip card and can load the 40% ‘Joint Journey Discount’ product (see below).

Other NS Rail Ticket Types

Amsterdam travel ticket.

This ticket is a possible option for visitors arriving at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. It combines the airport train journey with unlimited GVB public transport (trams, buses, metro and night buses) around Amsterdam.

It offers unlimited travel for NS train journeys between Schiphol Airport and any station in Amsterdam (Central, Amstel, Bijlmer-ArenA, Duivendrecht, Holendrecht, Lelylaan, Muiderpoort, RAI, Sciencepark, Sloterdijk or Zuid). This also includes any train journeys between the mentioned Amsterdam stations.

Ticket costs are €18 (1 day), €24 (2 days) and €30 (3 days). Note that validity of the card is on a ‘day’ basis, not ’24 hours’ and cards expire at 0400 the following morning of the last valid day.

You can buy the Amsterdam Travel Ticket online here

Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket

This ticket is valid on all public transport in the greater Amsterdam region . This includes NS trains , all regional buses (Connexxion, EBS and Arriva Keukenhof services) and all GVB Amsterdam buses, metro and trams.

In terms of rail this card is valid to the following selected stations: all Amsterdam stations, Haarlem, Schiphol Airport, Hoofddorp, Zandvoort-aan-Zee, Zaandam, Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, Hilversum, Naarden-Bussum, Almere and Lelystad.

Ticket costs are €21.00 (1 day), €31.50 (2 days) and €40.50 (3 days). Note the validity of the card is also on a ‘day’ basis, not ’24 hours’ and cards expire at 0400 the following morning of the last valid day.

Tip: If you have this ticket and need to travel by rail outside the ticket area then first use this ticket to travel to the ‘edge’ of the zone. For example, if going from Amsterdam to Den Haag, buy a ticket from Schiphol Airport or Hoofddorp instead of from Amsterdam Central – this will be cheaper.

You can buy the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket online here

Holland Travel Ticket

This product makes it easier for visitors to navigate the Netherlands on one single ticket. It is valid for 1 day on all public transport in the country including trains (2nd class), buses, trams and metro. It can be bought at the desk or ticket machines at stations and is a disposable OV-chip card. You must check-in and check-out for each journey leg.

The standard Holland Travel Ticket costs €70 (2024) and can be used anytime during the day.

The off-peak Holland Travel Ticket costs €48 and is valid for travel only after 0900 (Mon-Fri). However it is valid all day at weekends.

If you plan to do a lot of travelling on a single day (either in terms of distance or using different forms of transport) then this ticket could offer good value and not having to buy separate tickets.

For example, an Amsterdam-Maastricht day return costs just over €50 – so using an off-peak Holland Travel Ticket could save some money – and you always have the option of using other forms of transport.

NS Off-Peak Group Ticket (Groepsticket)

If you plan to make a longer rail journey in the Netherlands with a group then this special online ticket could potentially offer big savings.

The NS Group Ticket is an online deal which allows 2-7 people to make a single journey between any 2 stations on the Dutch rail network. Passengers must always travel with the main ticket holder.

You can only buy the NS Group Ticket online here . It cannot be bought at the station.

The ticket costs €34 (2-3 passengers), €38 (4 pax), €42 (5 pax), €46 (6 pax) and €50 (7 pax). This means the ticket ranges between €7.14 and €17 per person, depending on number of passengers. If a return leg is required a second Group Ticket can be purchased.

You can only travel on the group ticket during the weekday off-peak hours 0900-1630 and 1830-0630. You can travel anytime at weekends.

Off-peak bicycle ticket (fietskaart dal)

If you want to carry a bicycle on board then you need a bicycle ticket (€7.50) which is valid for 1 day. The ticket can be in any of the 3 standard formats – disposable, added to an OV-chip card or as an e-ticket/mobile ticket.

You cannot travel with a bike during weekday rush hours, although this is allowed on a public holiday and during July/August. Off-peak hours are 0900-1600 and 1830-0630 on weekdays.

You must store your bike in the special carriages labelled with the bike sign. If there is no space available then you must wait for the next train. Folded bikes can be carried for free.

Don’t forget, you also need a valid train ticket for travel as well!

Dog day ticket (dagkaart hond)

Those travelling with a dog or other leashed animal will require a dog day ticket which costs €3.30. Dog tickets are available to purchase in the 3 formats.

NS Day Ticket (NS dagkaart)

This product costs €58.80 (2nd class) or €99.96 (1st class) and allows unlimited travel on the Dutch rail network for a single day. It can be purchased online in advance or added to an OV-chip card.

Note that the off-peak Holland Travel Ticket mentioned above is probably better value and more convenient for visitors.

For more on the rail network in the Netherlands see our Dutch Railways Guide

Train Fare Supplements

Some special train services require that you pay a compulsory supplement on top of your standard fare. Note, children with Railrunner tickets do not need to pay any supplements for these trains.

(1) A €2.90 supplement is required for domestic travel on the ICE International train going to Germany on the Amsterdam-Utrecht-Arnhem route. The supplement can be bought as an e-ticket, disposable ticket or loaded onto an OV-chip card using a NS ticket machine or service desk.

(2) The Intercity Direct train runs Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport-Rotterdam-Breda and requires a supplement only for the Schiphol Airport-Rotterdam sector . This also costs €2.90 .

The supplement can be bought as an e-ticket, disposable ticket at a ticket machine or service desk.

Alternatively hold a checked-in anonymous or personal OV-chip card against the special red supplement card readers found at platforms of all Intercity Direct stations – this will pay the supplement from the e-purse balance. There is a reduced €1.74 price for travel during the off-peak hours (Mon-Fri 0900-1600 and 1830-0630, anytime at weekends) using the special reader.

You can cancel the supplement (if you decide not to take the Intercity Direct train) by scanning the card again within 30 minutes at the same station.

At the end of your trip you just need to check-out as usual using the standard card readers – you don’t need to check-out using the supplement readers.

NS Discount (Korting) Cards

Generally, discounted train fares are NOT available to any adult visitors including those over 60. Visitors to the Netherlands pay the standard fare unless they hold a discount card or are travelling with someone who does.

If you live in Netherlands (or have a Dutch address) NS has a number of discount card options which can be bought on a subscription basis. For more info see: NS Dutch Railways Discount Cards

The standard card is the “ Dal Voordeel abonnement ” or “ korting ” card for short. This card entitles you and up to 3 travel companions to 40% off the standard fare.

However the discount is not valid if checking-in during the weekday rush-hours of 0630-0900 and 1600-1830 . You will still get the 40% discount if checking-in during off-peak hours and then checking-out during the peak period.

The card costs €67.20 per year for travel on balance or €5.60 per month for NS Flex – where you are invoiced monthly fo ryour travel costs.

You need to upload a photo which will be scanned onto the card – which is then used as a personal OV-chip card. Order the NS Dal Voordeel discount card here – select ‘On balance’ for the annual card

When using this card for off-peak rail travel, the discounted fare is automatically applied.

The minimum e-purse balance required for discounted travel is €10, rather than €20. After checking-in and -out the discounted fare will be deducted.

Any travel companion who wishes to travel at the discounted fare now needs to first receive your personal co-travel discount code . Only then can they buy an e-ticket online or via the NS app.

InterRail & Eurail Tickets

Both InterRail and Eurail passes are generally valid for travel on Dutch domestic trains. Only the Intercity Direct trains between Schiphol Airport and Rotterdam requires the €2.90 supplement to be paid.

The InterRail Global Pass is a rail pass (15 days to 3 months) valid for travel in 33 countries around Europe and this includes the Netherlands. It is only available for European citizens and residents including Turkey. You can purchase an InterRail Pass here

Similarly, the Eurail pass (15 days to 3 months) is available for non-European residents and is also valid in the 33 countries.

How To Buy Rail Tickets at Stations in the Netherlands

At NS train stations you can purchase a range of disposable rail tickets as well as buying anonymous OV-chip cards and loading travel credit.

This can be done at either (1) the Tickets & Service counters or using (2) the NS train ticket machines.

1. The Tickets & Service counters can be found at most main stations – some are branded ‘OV Service & Tickets’ . For example, Amsterdam Central has a main ticket service counter at the city-side exit and also a smaller OV Service & Tickets in the IJ-hal passageway near the waterside.

Service desks accept payment by cash (euro banknotes or coins) and debit/credit cards (V-Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa and American Express) using pin and/or contactless.

2. The yellow and blue NS ticket machines are available at all stations. They accepts debit/credit cards (with pin) and also euro coins (change given) via the coin slot. Unfortunately, they do NOT accept euro banknotes . Some smaller stations in the Netherlands are unmanned and will only have 1 or 2 ticket machines available.

The NS ticket machine has a touch screen interface with an English language option (click the British flag in the bottom left-hand corner). It looks like this:

To buy disposable tickets, simply select “One-way” or “Day return” on the front page and go from there. Select your destination, class, date (on-the-day or up to 1 week ahead), the number of tickets and choose your payment type.

The machine covers all domestic routes – you just need to choose your destination from an alphabetical list. If required, you can also change the “from” station by clicking on its box.

Press “Other Products” on the homepage screen if requiring children’s Rail Runner tickets, anonymous OV-chip cards, supplements and other ticket types.

Note that the €1 single-use ticket surcharge applies when buying either from the service desk or ticket machine.

If you have an OV-chip card you can place it on the white and pink card reader to check the balance, add credit or travel products onto the card.

Train tickets in the Netherlands can also be booked at the Omio site (official partner of NS).

International Train Tickets

Tickets & Service counters at major city stations also sell international train tickets, although a service fee is charged. Alternatively, purchase online (no service fee) at NS International

International routes available are covered in our guide to International trains to / from Amsterdam

NS ticket machines also sell a limited range of international tickets (without seat reservation) to Belgium, Luxembourg plus selected destinations in Western Germany.

This article was originally published in 2010 and has continuously been updated. Last update 19 March 2024 .

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

Related Articles

American Express Cards in the Netherlands (Complete Guide)

Amsterdam Rail Map

International Trains to/from Amsterdam

Taxation in the Netherlands (2024)

• Enter the name of your departure station in the ‘from’ box and the name of your destination station in the ‘to’ box.
• Select the age category. The default selection is adult.
• Click on the ‘Select discount card’ box.
• Click on the plus sign next to one or more of the options shown: NS, NMBS or Eurostar.
• Tick the required discount and confirm it with ‘Save’.
• Now click on ‘Search’.
• Click on the required date in the calendar.
• Select one of the schedules and fares shown.
• Click on ‘Continue with one way’ or Choose a return trip’.
• Check your journey and click on ‘Book now’.
• Enter your contact details and click on ‘Proceed to payment details’.
• Select a payment method, click on ‘Pay’ and you will be taken to the payment page of your bank or credit card provider.
• Your journey will be booked as soon as the payment is completed and you will receive a booking confirmation by email.
• If you plan to travel to or through Germany with multiple passengers and with different discount passes, then please contact Customer Service on +31 30 2300023.

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