Buying train and bus tickets

For the Netherlands, you don’t need to buy tickets anymore. You can just use a credit card to tap in and out.

Details can be found here:

https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/check-in-check-out/debit-card

You can check times on the app. Details here:

https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/ns-app

“ OV pay? But the website said we have to be age 64 or less. We’re both 67…. Is there a senior discount? Is it worth the hassle to get it?”

Can you please share the link to the website that says you have to be age 64 or less to use OV Pay? I ask because that doesn’t make sense. OV Pay is using your debit or credit card to pay for public transport and there is no age restriction on that.
The easiest to do would be to simply use your credit card to tap in and out in public transport.
For trains you tap in when you enter the train station where you’ll depart and out when you leave the train station after you’ve arrived at your destination. In busses you tap in and out when you enter and leave the vehicle.
You each need your own credit card.
More details here; https://www.ovpay.nl/en

Thank you for your replies, and the links. They helped!

This is the web address that mentioned being 64 or less to use OV pay. On further researching, it looks like OV pay is only for 2nd class, full fare travel -- no discounts. So -- for the sake of hassle-free travel, we won't try to get the discount and use our debit cards.

Sorry -- I don't know how to put a link in here. It was on the OV pay website, listed as "help" and "can you already use OV pay?" or words to that effect.

If I'm understanding it correctly -- I can go into any train station -- tapping in with my American credit card as I enter, sit in any seat, ride to any destination, and tap out again as I leave the station?

Buses are the same way -- tap in as I enter the bus, tap out as I leave?

Thanks -- you've been very helpful!

Ah okay, I get what you mean now. When you use OV Pay to pay for the train, you indeed pay the full fare for a 2nd class ticket. There are several discounts available for trains but you can only get most of them via a monthly subscription for which you need a European bank account. So in general these are not available for tourists.

There are however 2 train discounts that are available to tourists too; the early bird 10% off-peak discount https://www.ns.nl/en/featured/off-peak-early-booking and the group ticket https://www.ns.nl/producten/en/meest-gekocht/p/groepsticket-daluren
Both these types of tickets are only available as eticket bought online or in the NS app.

Bring a credit card in case the debit card doesn't work. I used a debit card in restaurants and museums where I could enter my PIN. But to get on the trains (and off...very important to use your card again on the way out) I used my credit card. I'm 65. Senior discount is on Belgium trains, not Netherlands.

In addition to earlier replies: the card to be used for payments must be Maestro or Mastercard!

“ In addition to earlier replies: the card to be used for payments must be Maestro or Mastercard!”

Unfortunately this is not correct. As you can read on the website of OV Pay, Visa and Vpay cards are accepted too;
See https://www.ovpay.nl/en/how-it-works