My wife and I will be in the Netherlands from 30 June to 8 July.We will stay in Haarlem for 3 nights and in Rotterdam for 5 nights.We will do some extensive traveling by train,bus and tram with day trips to Amsterdam,Delft,The Hague,Utrecht etc.Is there a travel card which will save us some money and can be used on all forms of public transport in all cities and towns or must we just buy a ticket for each trip?
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
You should buy each an anonymous OV Chip kaart (€7.50) and load it with money. This is a pay as you go card. It is valid on almost all forms of public Transportation in the Netherlands and will serve you on all your trips. You can get a refund of remaining balance (up to€ 30). Use 9292.nl to plan all your trips with public transportation.
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
1924 posts
You could certainly do as Andre suggests; however, most visitors find it simpler just to pay as you go. It may cost you a bit more (because there's a one-Euro surcharge for each purchase of a ticket), so you start saving by buying an OV-chipkaart after 8 trips. But you have to have a minimum 20-Euro balance on the card in order to use it for a train trip, and I believe there is also a fee for getting the refund of the unused portion (maybe 2.50?), meaning it's more like 10 trips til you break even. And since the refund of the unused amount is limited to 30 Euros, you have to calculate carefully to make sure you don't overload the card, and if you end up having to top it off to get above the 20-Euro minimum, it won't really save you any hassle over just buying tickets as you go.
Do a bit of calculation and see if it really makes sense.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
1005 posts
The Dutch use a smartcard for public transportation call the OV-chipkaart. Because of the non-refundable deposit and the difficulties to top it up, it usually doesn't work for tourists. Since you are going to be in the Netherlands for more than a week, it could work for you. You can buy it at the train station in Schiphol when you arrive. With the card it is cheaper to ride the tram and buses, and it's more convenient than buying a train ticket for each journey. Here are a few points to remember:
* You must pay 7.50 euros for the card and there is no refund for this purchase.
* There has to be a minimum amount on the card at all times, since it is not linked to a Dutch bank account. If you are just riding the buses and trams, the minimum is low. If you use the card to ride the trains, you need to have 20 euros on the card IN ADDITION to the price of your journey. Most foreigners who use the card for train travel put a lot of money into it--such as 50 euros, to be safe.
* Getting a refund at the end of your trip can be cumbersome (you will have to wait in line at the last train station and fill out some paperwork in Dutch). The Dutch have a refund limit of 30 euros--if you have more than that on your card, you lose the rest.
*Adding credit to your card is a huge hassle. Basically, you have to do this in cash and it can only be done at train stations and some public transportation ticket offices. According to the website, "It is not possible to pay with a credit card anywhere." That means if you want to top up your card at a machine at the train station--you need to have lots and lots of coins, since the machines don't take bills.
Study the website carefully (everything is in English!). If this makes sense for you, do it. Good luck.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
The disadvantages of the Anonymous OV Chipkaart are posted above. Here are some of the advantages I found:
It was easy to refill in cash at train stations, and you don't lose any value (there's no surcharge, so if you give them a €10 note, they put €10 of value on your card).
The price for individual rides in each city on a tram or bus are calculated to the euro-cent based on distance, and can be almost half single ticket prices. If you're taking a lot of transit in a city, this adds up, and helps offset the cost of the card.
It's a great convenience not to have to figure out or buy tickets for each new city's trams/buses. Just remember to tap in and tap out on every vehicle, and you're set.
In addition to the resources you've been given, here's a TripAdvisor page about the card: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g188590-c119198/Amsterdam:The-Netherlands:The.Ov.Public.Transportation.Chipkaart.html
Posted by
St. Louis , MO
228 posts
The anonymous card is good for 2 years . If you go back to the Netherlands before 2 years the card and money on the card are still good .