First class or second class?
First class tickets are about 70% more expensive than second class tickets. That's why you'll often see crowded second class compartments (especially during rush hour) and almost-empty first class compartments. If you value your peace highly, you could go first class. If you travel outside rush hours (roughly 7.30 - 9.30 AM, 4.30 - 6 PM) you'll probably be fine buying a second class ticket.
No "early birds" or "last minute" discounts
The price of your journey is fixed. For travels within the Netherlands, there are no cheaper tickets if you buy early or late. Also it doesn't matter whether you make a one-way journey or buy a return ticket. The return ticket is exactly twice as expensive as the one-way ticket.
Discounts tickets on Dutch trains
Discounts are sometimes available, but only for certain people and with strict conditions:
- Kids under the age of 4 travel for free, kids that are 4-11 years old travel with a Railrunner ticket for 2.50 euro, no matter how short or long the trip is, and provided at least one adult (over age 18) travels with a maximum of three kids. More information can be found here.
- Day travel cards can be useful when you are traveling a lot of kilometers on one day. A second class day travel card costs 47 euro and is cheaper than normal tickets when you are travelling more than 250 kilometers on one day. It will allow you to hop on and hop off all trains in the Netherlands during one (natural) day (so one day from early morning to very late at night).
- If you are going to live in the Netherlands, or you're going to be there for at least a few months, consider looking at discount cards - you pay a fixed price per month or year for the privilege of being able to buy your train tickets at a discount of sometimes 20%, sometimes 40%. If you travel often enough, this can be cheaper, but do make your own calculations. Visit a service point to get enough information on this.
- If you are living in the Netherlands and traveling the same journey by train for at least four days a week, buying a monthly or yearly subscription for that particular journey may be worthwhile. Again, make your calculations first!
- If you are traveling to and from work by train, sometimes your employer will be able to give you a discount on your tickets. Nothing much, but something like a 5%-10% discount. Ask your employer.
Buying tickets using ticket machines, service points, internet or the smart card system
If you do not buy a ticket and a ticket inspector finds out, you are going to pay a hefty fine. So buy your ticket before entering the train, using one of the following ways:
- Self-service ticket machines are the most accessible way of buying tickets, although during rush hour there can be a line. An English menu is always available. However, most ticket machines do not accept credit cards. When buying for the first time, you'll probably need a while to figure everything out, but the system is quite simple and logical.
- Tickets can also be bought at NS Service Desks and Kiosk shops, but these are only present at the bigger stations and often not open at night. The NS employees there can also help you to plan your trip, which can be helpful. Buying tickets here will cost you an additional fifty cents on top of your normal ticket price.
- E-tickets can be bought online and must then be printed before your journey starts. This is the website where you can buy them, and here are instructions on how to buy and use them.
- If you travel a lot in the Netherlands and are there for a month or longer, buying and using an OV-chipkaart can be useful because it is easier and quicker to board the train - virtual money can be stored on the card, and then checking in and out by holding the card next to a card-reader is enough to pay for your trip. Putting money on the card and printing your ten most recent trips and their price can be done at ticket machines, and if you have paid for a discount card and that information is connected to the OV-chipkaart, it will automatically give you the discount. The same card can be used to pay for all public transport in the Netherlands, which can be an added bonus if you also like or need to travel by bus, tram or metro. The OV-chipkaart can be a bit complicated to start using, so please first get enough information and advice.
I wrote another article on how to plan your journey by train in the Netherlands. These days, there are lots of helpful tools to help you get around. Have a good trip!
Petra Huijts - Born and raised in the south of the Netherlands, I went to the University of Leiden (the Netherlands) at age 18 and studied both Medicine ...
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