Using public transport in the Netherlands
Are you planning to visit the Netherlands? You will probably need to use public transport. Public transit differs distinctly among Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. Even between countries within Europe public transit is very different. This makes it hard to use public transport. In most cases your free time is scarce. You do not want to waste any time figuring out how the transportation system is working. That is why this article will focus on using public transport in the Netherlands.
OV Chipkaart
People in the Netherlands use a public transport card named: “OV-chipkaart” to travel with any public transportation vehicle. You can acquire one at any train station. The OV Chipkaart can also be bought at some other locations. Most Albert Heijn stores also have machines which sell the OV Chipkaart. The card itself costs 10 euros. In order to travel with it you need to put some money on it too. You need to have at least 20 euros stored on your card to use the train. This amount will be lower when you use the bus or tram. Then you need to have a positive balance on your card.
Train
A train can be used to bring you to almost all places in the Netherlands. You find train times on a variety of sites. For starters use NS.nl to find the most accurate train times. In case you using the OV Chipkaart to travel, you can find season tickets for extra discount here. The season tickets will vary depending on the time of the year. In case you find a season ticket you like, you can order it on the site. After the order is confirmed, you can load the season ticket on your OV Chipkaart.
Note: season tickets can only be loaded on a personalized OV Chipkaart. You need to have at least 10 euros on this card in order to take the train. This amount is 20 euros on an anonymous OV Chipkaart.
Dagkaart
In case you are going to travel a lot on one specific day, it would be better to buy a Dagkaart. The dagkaart cannot be bought everywhere. Buy the dagkaart at Hema, Kruidvat or Albert Heijn. The stores have some sort of deal which allows them to sell these cards exclusively during a specific duration. Make sure you check every store in order to find the dagkaart. It will save you a lot of money!
Bus, Tram & Subway
When using bus, tram or subway it can be useful to use 9292. This site is designed to help you find the fastest travel option using any public transport option. The bus, tram and subway all require you to check in using an OV Chipkaart. You need to check in at the front of the bus. In the subway and in the tram you can check in at several places all over the verhicle.
Bike
The Dutch people love their bikes! When visiting the Netherlands, you cannot exclude a bike trip on your list of activities. In most major cities, there is an option to rent bikes. This can also be done at some touristic attractions. Though, the best way to rent a bike is using your OV Chipkaart! An OV fiets can be rented at almost every train station in the Netherlands. Its costs are €3,85 a day. This price is relative cheap compared to other rental bikes. To rent a bike, please make sure you activate the option on your OV Chipkaart. If you complete This survey you will be able to grant this option on your OV Chipkaart. Now go to a train station to get your bike. You are able to rent your bike directly and in most cases there is no waiting time.
