Paying for public transport
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You always need to be able to show a valid ticket when traveling on public transport in the Netherlands. You can read more about it on this page.
You can travel with a public transport chip card
Almost everywhere in the Netherlands you can travel with a public transport chip card. This is a special card on which you put money. The money you put on the card is called balance.
You pay for your trip by checking in and out at the type of public transport you use. You can top up your balance at the transport companies' payment terminals. And in some supermarkets.
There are 2 types of public transport chip cards: personal and anonymous. Below you can read what it means for each card.
A personal public transport chip card
A personal public transport chip card contains the following personal data:
Your name
Your date of birth
A passport photo
You need a personal public transport chip card to rent a public transport bike. Or to add a subscription or discount. You have to buy a personal public transport chip card from your own bank account.
Buying a personal public transport chip card
An anonymous public transport chip card
There is no name and photo on an anonymous public transport chip card. You can buy an anonymous public transport chip card from a ticket machine at the train station or at a supermarket.
The advantage of an anonymous public transport chip card is that different people can use the public transport chip card. However, you cannot do so at the same time. If you are travelling with several people, everyone must check in by themselves with their own ticket.
Other payment options
You can also pay with:
Your debit or credit card
In many places in the Netherlands you can check in with your debit or credit card. Or with your mobile which you use to pay contactless. This is called 'OV-pay' (public transport pay). The amount is then automatically debited from your bank account.
If you travel with public transport pay, you travel 2nd class as standard. If you sit in 1st class anyway, you may be fined.
A paper ticket
You can also often buy a paper ticket for public transport. For the train and metro, you do this at a ticket machine at stations. For the bus and tram, you can often buy the ticket in the mode of transport itself.
With a single train ticket you have to choose whether you want a one-way or a return. You enter at which station you will be getting off the train. You may not travel further than that station. For a single train ticket you pay a surcharge. You can use the ticket once on the day itself. You also have to check in and check out with a single train ticket. Just like with a public transport chip card.
Day tickets
Day passes for unlimited train travel for 1 day
The NS has cards that allow unlimited travel throughout the Netherlands for 1 day for a fixed fee. These are called 'NS Dagkaart' and 'Railrunner'.
The 'NS Dagkaart' is for people 12 years and older and offers unlimited train travel for 1 day, until 04:00 the next morning. The official name on the card is '1 dag trein vrij' (1 day train free). Are you travelling with more than one person? Then everyone must have their own card.
The 'Railrunner' is especially for children aged 4 to 11 and also applies to 1 day of unlimited train travel. Are you travelling with more than one person? Then everyone must have their own card.
The 'NS Dagkaart' and 'Railrunner' are only valid on trains. They are not valid on the bus, tram or metro.
Checking in and out
When you travel by bus, train, tram or metro, you always have to do something before you are allowed inside. You must check in with your valid card at a device at the entrance. Usually you do this at a pole or at a gate. You hear a sound when you check in and then you can read on the device whether you have succeeded.
When your journey is over, you have to check out the same way. You hold your card in front of the device again. You hear a sound when you check out and then you can read on the device whether you succeeded.
Switching to another transport company
Often while travelling you need to transfer to another train, bus, tram or metro. If you transfer to another transport company, you need to check out first.
After that, do not forget to check in with the transport company you will be using. You can be fined if you do not check in. This is because you are travelling without a valid ticket and that is prohibited.