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Questions on Purchasing Train Tickets in the Netherlands

Posted by Darrel (Fredericksburg, VA) on 01/21/25 02:59 AM

Greetings! I have several related questions regarding purchasing train tickets in the Netherlands. We will be home-basing out of Delft and traveling short-distance day-trips to various locations (Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, etc) by train. Is there any benefit to purchasing the tickets early, or may we just purchase them on the day of travel? Also, we will be taking the train from Delft to Paris; and, in this case, the tickets are cheaper if purchased in advance. Is this correct?

Finally, it has been quite some time since we travelled around Europe by train. Are there any recommendations you have?

~Darrel

Posted by KD

01/21/25 03:15 AM

1090 posts

We did purchase tickets from France to Belgium in advance this past spring. (I have no idea if they were cheaper, but it just seemed more reassuring to have tickets. But for everything else within the Netherlands we just purchased upon arrival to the train station. Very user friendly to purchase at kiosks, (or tap in/out with your credit card, which is even easier) but if you were to have any questions, there is always someone available to ask at a ticket booth.

Posted by Pat

San Diego, California

01/21/25 03:36 AM

5966 posts

We were in the NL spring, 2024. Train travel within the country is all tap pay. At the turnstiles entering the train station, tap using your credit card directly, or use your phone or watch via Apple Wallet. When leaving the train station, again at the turnstiles, tap again. It's all very convenient and easy. Buses and trams work the same way.
Have a great trip in this wonderful country!

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

01/21/25 02:23 PM

34480 posts

Domestic tickets from a human being attract a surcharge. The simplest way is to tap a card on the turnstile and tap again to leave the system. The computers behind the scenes calculate the distance you have travelled and charge you accordingly. Simple. Same procedure on trams and buses.

Yes, your trip from Rotterdam to Paris (Gare du Nord) is considerably cheaper in advance particularly if you are using Eurostar (formerly until very recently, Thalys), all the way or via Brussels to Paris, or you can take the International Train or new and very flash but cheap EuroCity Direct and change to TGV in Brussels and you should get your TGV tickets well ahead. Restrictions apply on advance purchase tickets.

Posted by Darrel OP

Fredericksburg, VA

01/21/25 04:22 PM

245 posts

Wonderful to hear. We will certainly do the credit card tap-and-go option. And, as a result of your input, we have already purchased our tickets for Delft-Paris. Thanks for the help. I suspect I will have some more questions over the coming weeks for train travel in England. I have found that the Man in Seat 61 is a wonderful resource but may have to reach out anyway.