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Which is better - OV Chipkaart or newer Tripkey?

Posted by (Burnaby, BC, Canada) on

I am staying in an apartment near the Rijksmuseuim in Amsterdam for 10 days in May (arrive May 5, leave May 15 for Paris) - Thalys train already booked to Paris.

I plan on several day trips to Harlaam, Delft, Leiden and Edam, Volendam and Marken (these 3 are one day by bus).
The Keukenhof Gardens - thought I would buy a combo ticket from their website from Amsterdam/return. Plus buses and trams while in Amsterdam.

According to the RS guidebook, there is a non-refundable deposit plus charges for getting a refund. Also I have to figure out how much to place on the card for train travel. Maybe someone could give me an estimate ?? if not, where can I get the cost of train tickets online?

RE Tripkey -

Someone suggested this on a recent forum topic. Has anyone used the tripkey? My only concern with this is the pick-up locations. They seem rather limited however I like the idea of being charged as I go on various transports on my credit card.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Posted by
1005 posts

I've used both and Tripkey is by far the better option. It links to your credit card, so you never have to worry about topping it up or cashing out at the end of your trip. You get the Dutch commuter rate on trams and buses and avoid any extra fees tacked on to train tickets. I picked mine up right next to the Amsterdam central train station at the Doubletree Hotel--no hassle at all.

Posted by
19 posts

A belated thank you for the information regarding tripkey locations.
That location sounds perfect.
Carol

Posted by
5457 posts

It isn't as forgiving if you have an incomplete journey by the checkout not working properly - you have to pay the maximum fare without any way of getting this corrected. So be careful.

Posted by
2487 posts

Pay special attention when checking in at a station without working gates (such as at Amsterdam Centraal) or on busses or trams (which don't have gates). If you forget to check in or haven't done it properly, your card will be charged the maximum tariff (EUR 20 on the train or EUR 4 on bus or tram). You get a audio signal when properly checked in, and the display will change the text. The same is with checking out. Again an audio signal, and the display will show the price of your journey.

Posted by
985 posts

Carol - if you decide to use an ov-chipkaart you can check train prices to locations using ns.nl

I made a list of cities we wanted to visit and threw in a couple of tram rides just in case of bad weather and totaled up the cost. We ended up loading it to the max and only had 18E left on the cards when we cashed them in. I also used the website to look at train platforms/times before walking to the station. Saved time and confusion as my destinations weren't always listed on the board as they weren't end point.

I still have my anon cards to reload for our next trip over there.

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