A hassle-free way to get your disposable or your anonymous OV-Chipcard is by using the yellow ticket machines at the station. These are great for avoiding the queues at the ticket desk. There are two types of NS ticket machine.                         The yellow ticket machine is for loading credit/products onto your existing OV card. So use this if you already have the OV Chipcard). The blue ticket machine can also be used with the OV chip card but can also be used for purchasing single 'point to point' cards. The best thing about these is that you can use them in English. They are touch screen so you simply begin by touching the British flag for English.   If you don’t have an OV card you simply use the blue ticket machine. Start by clicking the ‘don’t have a chip card' icon. Follow the online instructions. Choose your departure and arrival destination, class (first or second) and make your payment. You can pay with cash, debit card Visa, Masterc

As a resident of The Netherlands you can apply for a personal OV - Chipcard . This is only applicable if you are living in the Netherlands and have a Dutch bank account and address. In order to get one of these cards you need to fill out an application form . If you are not computer savvy then I guess you will not be reading this - but in any case you can go to the station desk and ask for the application form. Once you have filled it in (and you have a photograph) they can help fill in the online details for you. For this pleasure they will charge you an extra €3 as well as the cost of the personal card €7.50.   Remember that the personal OV-Chipcard these cards can ONLY be used by the person listed on the card (name and picture and DOB are on the card). If you lose your card and report it within 24 hours you can apply for a refund for the credit on your card. You can sync your personal chip card it to your back account so you never have to worry about running low on funds w

If you are not a resident of the Netherlands and you are planning on travelling a lot by train then a good option is to purchase the anonymous OV-Chipcard. This card costs €7.50 and has no personal details on it (no name or photo for example) so it can be used by anyone! This card needs to be topped up before it can be used.  Where can I buy the anonymous Ov-Chipcard? At the train station ‘Tickets & Service’ counters or other public transport ticket desks At the NS ticket machines (with the blue sign and white NS logo across the top) Supermarkets (e.g. Albert Heijn) and tobacco shops or stationery shops such as the Bruna. You can check this website to find OV-Chipcard service points throughout the Netherlands. At these points you can purchase the OV-chipcard and also load credit onto a card. How Do I Use My Anonymous card- IS IT WORTH IT? The card may look like a great option but remember that this card costs €7.50 so it is only good value if you plan to trav

The Dutch National Railways (NS) website sell etickets.  1 - Click on the ‘Menu’ tab for a drop-down menu 2 - Click on ‘Tickets and Supplements'. 3 - Choose single ticket or other options for example day return) enter your details and purchase your ticket. Rules to Remember Before Buying Your eTicket 1. Remember when entering your details that they must be the same as the ID you will travel with. (as an aside - by law everyone in the Netherlands is obliged to have ID when asked by officials such as police). The eticket is sold under the condition that you can show your ID to prove your identity. The name and date of birth on the eticket and ID must match (I must say however mine has never actually been checked). 2. You must download (or print) your etickets.  3. You do not need to check in like with a OV-card however you may need to use the barcode on the eticket to get through the barrier Using your eTicket You can use these etickets

Many people rely on the train station for buying train tickets but with a little advance planning you can get excellent deals on train travel in Holland. You can avail of these deals online or at certain shops in Holland. Some shops sell 'day cards' and some sell special train tickets or ‘day out’ offers that are a huge saving on the full price tickets at the station. These tickets often include an activity (such as museum or restaurant voucher). Stores like the major supermarket chain Albert Heijn (similar to Tesco or Safeway in the US) as well as Blokker (a homeware store) and Kruidvatt (a low cost pharmacy) sell these from time to time. They have a limited amount of these and they are very popular so they do tend to sell out. Don’t be put off if these pages are in Dutch use Google translate or Google chrome and be sure to get these offers- they are great value. 1. The Spoordeelwinkel An excellent page to check out if you are planning a mini adventure. They

In previous posts I have listed all ways to buy tickets when traveling by train in the Netherlands but rail passes remain a popular choice for International travelers. Where can you buy these and who offers the best deal? The company that manages the Eurail ‘Product’ is called Eurail GIE . They have a network of sales agents who sell their passes. Be sure to purchase a pass only from these sources as these are the ‘authorized sales agents’. The unusual thing is that although each of these companies all sells the same product for the European railways they are still in competition with each other. So each company will have different offers from time to time. They have their own promotions and their prices can vary so it is good to shop around.   Traveling with a rail pass requires some planning so it is best to purchase from a company that has a good customer service and can help you plan your trip or explain the purchase process/coverage.    When looking for a rail Pass in

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