I am planning my first trip to Amsterdam and Rotterdam and need to purchase train tickets. I checked the site Rio to Rome and found one way tickets for $29 via Omio and tickets for $42 through Rail Europe. Has anyone purchased tickets via Omio? Is this a legit site? Google says yes, but I'm cautious. Thanks for your recommendations and insight.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
3931 posts
We are traveling to the Netherlands this Wednesday and will be staying in Rotterdam. We will be taking day trips to Utrecht, Gouda, and The Hague. We plan on purchasing our tickets the same day we travel. We did this on our last trip to the Netherlands, going from Amsterdam to Delft and Haarlem and didn’t have a problem.
Have you been advised as to the need to prepurchase or you just like to get everything done beforehand?
Posted by
The Netherlands
1385 posts
Trains in the Netherlands are mass transit. Contrary to what these 3rd party train ticket resellers would like you to believe, trains can’t sell out and have free seating. You can’t nor need to book a train. You just show up at the train station, tap your credit card at the gate to enter the station, board the next train to Rotterdam and tap out when you leave the station. On the way back you do the same.
The system that allows you to pay for all public transport in the entire country by simply tapping your credit or debit card is called OV Pay. See their website for details http://ovpay.nl/en
To look up fares, up to date train schedules etc please only use the website of the national railway company of The Netherlands https://www.ns.nl/en
Posted by
Wengen
1950 posts
The Netherlands is a small country. About the size of a US metropolis. The Dutch Railways essentially function like the subway in NY (but with better trains and more reliable service). If you go to www.ns.nl you will see that you have trains from Amsterdam to Rotterdam every 10 minute or so,
One thing to watch out for though: The fastest trains, so called "IC Direct" from Amsterdam to Rotterdam require you to pay a surcharge. If you use your CC to just tap in and out you will need to tap extra at the Red "IC Direct" pole.
The other thing with using your CC is that everyone traveling will need their own card.
So in your case it may still be easier to just buy a ticket. Just buy a return ticket on line for your party, on www.ns.nl (the official website) and use that for travel. Tickets are flexible so you can pick any train you like on the route you bought on the day you picked.
Posted by
OP
arizona, usa
134 posts
Thanks for the guidance. I have not been advised to purchase tickets in advance and want to be certain I am prepared. Thanks for everything.