How to NL

This page has been superseded by Benelux by train. The information below is not up to date.

Domestic passenger rail services

Network maps of regular passenger rail services in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg can be found here.

All domestic trains run on the same ticketing system, including domestic journeys within the Netherlands on international trains. The exception is Thalys, and most probably also Eurostar when they start direct services to the Netherlands in April 2018, which have separate ticketing systems. OV-chipkaarts and tickets from Nederlands Spoorwegen are valid on the services of all domestic train operators in the Netherlands (unless-otherwise stated on the ticket). See also the page on Payment on domestic public transport for issues like rail-replacement buses, and payment in general.

The train services can be divided into three (or four) grades:

• Sprinter or stoptrein: genenrally stops at all stations along the way
• (Sneltrein: an intermediate category that is now only occasionally encountered)
• InterCity: usually stops only at major stations (they may stop at all stops along certain sections)
• high-speed rail services: only stops at the most important stations, sometimes running on dedicated tracks

Non-high-speed rail services

As for the non-high-speed services, the following is a list of operators of regular passenger train services in the Netherlands in 2018. See also my Benelux railway network maps, and/or this map of distance pricing units which shows all the various operators in one map. The following list is divided acording to the check-in portals used for NFC-tickets (i.e. contactless tickets). Within the same portal system you only need to check-in once at the origin and check-out once at the destination. If changing between systems, you need to check-out of the first system and check-in at the portals of the second system (there should be portals of different systems standing next to each other at platforms for transiting passengers). Flagfall is not paid again when transferring.

• Use NS check-in portals:
  • Nederlands Spoorwegen (NS; nationwide network, dominant player)
  • R-net Alphen aan den Rijn – Gouda, run by NS
  • DB Regio NRW Heerlen – Eygelshoven Markt (German train RE 18)
  • NMBS/SNCB Maastricht – Eijsden (Belgian train)
• Use Blauwnet check-in portals (not a company, but a brand by the Province of Overijssel):
  • Blauwnet Zwolle – Emmen, run by Arriva
  • Blauwnet Almelo – Hardenberg, run by Arriva
  • Blauwnet Zwolle – Kampen, run by Keolis
  • Blauwnet Zwolle – Enschede, run by Keolis
  • Blauwnet Zutphen – Oldenzaal, run by Keolis
  • WestfalenBahn Hengelo – Oldenzaal (German train RB 61)
  • DB Regio NRW Enschede – Glanerbrug (German train RB 51/ RB 62)
• Use Arriva check-in protals:
  • Arriva Groningen – Roodeschool
  • Arriva Groningen – Delfzijl
  • Arriva Groningen – Weener (DE) (– Leer (DE): see what happened/s)
  • Arriva Groningen – Veendam
  • Arriva Groningen – Leeuwarden
  • Arriva Leeuwarden – Harlingen Haven
  • Arriva Leeuwarden – Stavoren
  • Arriva Apeldoorn – Zutphen
  • Arriva Zutphen – Winterswijk
  • Arriva Arnhem Centraal – Winterswijk
  • Arriva Arnhem Centraal – Tiel
  • Arriva Geldermalsen – Dordrecht
  • Arriva Nijmegen – Roermond
  • Arriva Roermond – Maastrich Randwyck [only the stoptrein/sneltrein!]
  • Arriva Sittard – Kerkrade Centrum [only the stoptrein!]
  • Arriva Maastricht Randwyck – Heerlen
  • Breng Arnhem Centraal – Doetinchem
  • Abellio Arnhem Centraal – Zevenaar (German train RE 19)
• Use Valleilijn check-in portals:
  • Connexxion Valleilijn Amersfoort – Ede-Wageningen

High-speed rail services

• Intercity direct Amsterdam Centraal – Schiphol Airport – Rotterdam Centraal – Breda: the cost is the same as the conventional rail services between these destinations, except that the Schiphol Airport – Rotterdam Centraal section has a prepaid surcharge of €2.40. The surcharge can be purchased through the same means as tickets, and also through the red surcharge protals (for NFC tickets) at or near the platforms at these stations. Also check when the surcharge might be waived; the machine/website/app should tell you which Intercity direct services can be joined without the surcharge (toeslagvrij). This Intercity direct surcharge is also waived when travelling on this section to get to/from/through Belgium (according to the ticket machines; check what they say).
• ICE Amsterdam Centraal – Utrecht Centraal – Arnhem Centraal: the cost is the same as the conventional rail services between these destinations, except that there is a prepaid surcharge of €2.40. The surcharge is waived for people with rail subscriptions that are valid on this trajectory. The website/app might sometimes tell you that certain ICE services can be joined without a surcharge (toeslagvrij).
• Thalys Amsterdam Centraal – Schiphol Airport – Rotterdam Centraal: Thalys has a different fare structure, and the usual domestic rail tickets do not work on Thalys. While not aimed at domestic travellers, it is possible to book a ticket for Amsterdam – Rotterdam or Schiphol – Rotterdam. A 2nd class Thalys ticket for Amsterdam – Rotterdam is not a lot more expensive than a full-fare InterCity direct ticket (but then you are restricted to a particular Thalys service).
• Eurostar starts running to the Netherlands in April 2018. I suppose the status of using Eurostar within Netherlands/Belgium is similar to Thalys.

Domestic bicycle carriage rules

Within the Netherlands, folded-up folding bicycles are treated as normal luggage, and can be taken for free in all hours in domestic trains. For normal bicycles, all smaller operators seem to have the same rules as Nederlands Spoorwegen, except for most lines on Arriva, which have more generous rules. NS bicycle day-tickets are valid on all domestic services listed below. ('Bicycle' below refers to normal non-folding bicycles.)

• Nederlands Spoorwegen: With a dagkaart fiets 'bicycle day-ticket', bicycles are allowed onboard outside rush hours (06.30–09.00, 16.00–18.30), whole day during weekends and holidays, and the entirety of July and August. Bicycles are allowed on ICE travelling domestically, and on Intercity direct.
• Breng: Same as NS.
• Keolis: Same as NS.
• Connexxion (Valleilijn): Seems to be the same as NS.
• Arriva:
  • Groningen and Friesland (train lines to/from Groningen or Leeuwarden): Other than the normal NS bicycle day-ticket, there is a cheaper Arriva-only bicycle day-ticket, valid only on Arriva trains in this region. The time of validity is also different: the Arriva bicycle day-ticket is valid from 09:00. The Arriva bicycle day-ticket can be purchased from the Arriva ticket machines or online.
  • Vechtdallijnen (Zwolle – Emmen, Almelo – Hardenberg): Same as NS.
  • Gelderland (train lines to/from Zutphen or Arnhem Centraal): Same as NS, except that on the Winterswijk – Arnhem Centraal line and the Winterswijk – Zutphen line, bicycles can be taken for free during the weekend and the whole of July and August (public holidays that fall on weekdays do not count).
  • MerwedeLingelijn (Geldermalsen – Dordrecht): free/gratis! Trains on this line can take maximally 12 normal bicycles. Bicycles allowed outside rush hours.
  • Limburg: there is a Dal Dagkaart Fiets Trein en Bus, a day ticket valid for both Arriva trains and buses in Limburg. On trains: weekdays outside peak hours (06.30–09.00, 16.00–18.30), weekend and public holidays the whole day; on buses: weekdays after 09.00, weekend and public holiday the whole day.