How to pay for public transport in the Netherlands Check in and out using a bank card or OV chip card

In the Netherlands, you check in and out of public transport using your bank card, credit card, mobile phone or OV chip card. This applies to the train, bus, tram and metro. There’s also the option to buy individual tickets; the choice is yours.

NS ticket machine

Individual ticket or OVpay?

If you are going to travel by train, bus, tram or metro just once, you can buy a ticket at Schiphol or pay on public transport with your bank card, credit card or mobile.

Buy a ticket at Schiphol

At Schiphol, you can buy public transport tickets at the blue/grey Public Transport Tickets machines. These can be found near the baggage belts in Arrivals 1, 2 and 3, and at Schiphol Plaza. You can buy a ticket for a single journey or various 1, 2 or 3-day travel tickets.

OVpay: paying by card or mobile phone

You can also check in and out of public transport using your bank card, credit card or mobile phone. That way, you don’t need to buy individual tickets for your journey.

OV-chipkaart

A single, disposable paper ticket is probably the best option if you only plan to use the train, bus, tram or metro once. However, the OV-chipkaart can save you money if you plan to use the train, bus, tram or metro more frequently and over a longer period of time.

Amsterdam Travel Ticket

With the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, you are able to travel on virtually all of Amsterdam’s public transport. You can buy a one, two or three-day pass. Your ticket also includes the trip between Schiphol and Amsterdam, by Amsterdam Express (bus 397) or Niteliner (bus N97).

Always check in and out

It’s important to always check-in and check-out when you travel. It’s easy – if you travel by train or metro, you just need to swipe your card at the card readers at the stations/platform. For the bus and tram, you do this at the readers on board the bus or tram.