Guide to public transport in the Netherlands
19/07/2008 00:00
The Netherlands has a reasonably good public transport system, but they are in the process of changing the way you pay. Here is a basic guide to tickets, trains, buses, trams, airports and taxis, including information for those with special needs.
For national travel, www.9292ov.nl provides a door-to-door itinerary. By 2009, all services are (in theory) going to be using a smart-card system, the ov-chipkaart, (www.ov-chipkaart.nl) but there have been delays due to security issues. Cards are issued anonymously or for a particular individual. You buy a pass (or ’load‘ it from a bank account) and swipe the ticket upon entering and leaving the bus, metro, or tram. You pay for the exact amount of travel, unlike the current zonal system, the paper strippenkart.
The costs for one zone (two strips) are currently EUR 1.60 and there are discounts for kids and pensioners or for multiple strips (15-45). You can stamp more than one person on a strippenkart and it is valid for an hour. Night buses have a separate strippenkaart. You can also enquire about season tickets.
Strippenkaarten work by stamping the card, either yourself (in the small yellow machines) or more often by a conductor or driver, at the beginning of the journey. You stamp the card one more strip than the number of zones through which you are travelling. You may also stamp for more than one person on a single card, which will no longer be possible with the new chipkaart.
Cards are valid for one hour (or more depending on how many strips are stamped) from the time stamped, regardless of the number of journeys made. To find out how many zones you will be crossing, consult the route map posted in tram or bus shelters, or ask conductors. There are also season cards, which can be bought to cover the desired number of zones for a week, a month, or a year and are particularly useful for daily journeys.
In many of the smaller towns, and the town-to-town bus services are also now offering off-peak (dal) tickets that are cheaper, ask the bus driver. Also, often tickets for large cultural events now include free transport; ask the ticket office for details. There are also Night Bus services in many of the larger urban area that have their own tickets and routes, check the public transport site for these.
Trains
The Nederlandse Spoorwegen (www.ns.nl) is the national train company running between all main cities. They offer season tickets and discounts for off-peak travel including the korting card which offers 40 percent off the price of tickets, not just for you but for up to three other people travelling with you. This is a bargain at EUR 55 a year. Many trains are double-deckers. Tickets are checked regularly and fines are heavy. For smaller cities, you can organise a treintaxi when you buy your train ticket: this is a shared door-to-door taxi service at a fixed price (EUR 4.30).
As well as treintaxis and buses for local onward travel (see below), more than 80 stations also now offer 'OV-fiets', or public transport bicycles. You must apply in advance for a pass, the OV-fietspass, which can also be bonded to your train discount card, or can be a separate pass. It will cost EUR 9.50 per year for membership and EUR 2.85 for each 20 hour period (or part thereof) which is automatically taken from the bank account number you provided when you joined, retrospectively.
Special needs on the train
You should, if required, call and pre-book assistance (number below), at least three hours in advance of your journey from the Bureau Assistentieverlening Gehandicapten (Help for the Disabled). Most wheelchairs can travel on the trains, although width and weight restrictions apply, and those that use a fuel-based motor are not allowed on the train. If you travel regularly with a carer, you can apply for a special travel pass, or OV-Begeleiderskaart from Dutch Rail NS (see below) that allows free travel for your carer. Seeing-eye or hearing dogs also travel free on all forms of public transport. No transaction costs will be applied for those with a disability purchasing tickets from the ticket office instead of ticket machines.
Other special services in most stations include: guidelines for the visually impaired and removable bridges for wheelchairs. For the hearing impaired there are special sockets for hearing aids at most ticket counters – although you will have to purchase the cable.
Other Special Needs Transport
In many towns Collectief Vraagafhankelijk Vervoer, or collective transport on demand, can be arranged. Call the general transport number (below) to inquire if your town offers this service. Also, if you are crossing more than 5 transport zones, there is a special transport service called Valys (see below).
For assistance at Schiphol there is a free service from the International Help to the Disabled: 020 316 1417.
Treintaxis/taxis
Taxis are expensive and not allowed to pick up people on the street except by reservation or at a taxi stand, look for the 'standplaats taxis' sign. In the larger cities, at bar closing times, you can sometimes flag one down. Look for one with the taxi sign lit.
As in other major service industries in the Netherlands, the taxi market has been decentralised, although there are still main taxi bureaux (Taxi Centraale). 'Official' taxis have a blue number plate. For independent companies, check your local yellow pages under 'Taxibedrijf'. There is also a special service to and from Schiphol airport that offers fixed rates and must be booked in advance (see below).
From some train stations (except the large, main stations: Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam) Treintaxis operate. These are shared taxis that shuttle people back and forth to the station for a fixed fee per ride (EUR 4.30 each or six for the cost of five in the automatic ticket machines). Tickets can be purchased from the ticket counter or machine in any NS station. You will pay more if you buy tickets from the driver.
Information lines
National transport (local and city to city information)
0900 9292 (EUR 0.70p/m)
0900 555 9292 (EUR 0.70 pm) Text telephone
www.9292ov.nl (includes a travel planner, Dutch)
OV-chipkaart
0900 0980 (EUR 0.10 p/m)
www.ov-chipkaart.nl (Dutch)
OV-fietspass
www.ov-fiets.nl (Dutch)
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (trains)
0900 9296 (EUR 0.35 p/m).
www.ns.nl (English section)
030 235 7822 (to book assistance 07.00 – 23.00)
030 235 3033 (fax for the hearing impaired)
OV-Begeleiderskaart (Carers Travel pass, you will be asked to enter your phone number after the beep, including area code)
0900 1462 (EUR 0.10 p/m)
Schiphol Airport
0900 72 44 7465 (EUR 0.40 p/m, general information)
0900 0141 for arrivals and departures (EUR 0.40 per minute)
www.schiphol.nl (English section)
020 316 1417 International Help to the Disabled
Schiphol Travel Taxi
020 653 1000
National Treintaxi
0900 8734682 (0.35 euro p.m.).
Valys (Regional Assisted transport)
0900 9630 (local rates)
(if you do not make a menu choice, you will be automatically connected to an operator)
www.valys.nl (Dutch)
Main taxi numbers:
Amsterdam: 020 677 7777
The Hague: 070 383 0830
Rotterdam: 010 462 6333
Utrecht: 030 230 0400
Het Gooi: 035 691 8888
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