Dutch parliament majority wants year-round discounted public transport subscription

A majority of the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, wants the government to turn the popular summer Dal Vrij train subscription into a permanent offer. A proposal from PRO (Progressief Nederland), formerly GroenLinks-PvdA, asking the government to work out a permanent discounted off-peak public transport subscription has majority support, according to an inventory by RTL Nieuws's political desk.

The proposal was submitted by PRO MP Habtamu de Hoop, together with Pieter Grinwis of the ChristenUnie, Sandra Beckerman of the socialist party SP, and Ines Kostic of Partij voor de Dieren. Coalition parties D66 and CDA have also told RTL Nieuws they support the proposal.

The Nederland Dal Vrij subscription was introduced in response to sharply increased energy and fuel prices in spring 2026. The government wanted to help households cope with higher mobility costs while encouraging people to use public transport instead of their cars.

The original proposal came from PRO leader Jesse Klaver and other MPs. The Tweede Kamer adopted their motion on April 23, 2026. The temporary subscription became available on June 15 and allowed unlimited second-class domestic train travel for €49 per month. Some 365,000 NS passengers bought the summer discount pass.

The new motion asks the government to work with transport operators and regional authorities to prepare a permanent discounted off-peak ticket covering trains, buses, trams and metros. The motion does not prescribe a specific monthly price, nor does it require the government to introduce exactly the same €49 subscription.

PRO wants the government to work towards a permanent, affordable off-peak public transport subscription that people can use throughout the year. "Our intention is to introduce it for everyone, just as they have in Germany,” De Hoop said to RTL.

The subscription would be available to the general public rather than being restricted to specific groups such as students, pensioners or people on low incomes. "It is now up to State Secretary Annet Bertram of the CDA to work out the details. She can always deviate from the proposal,” De Hoop said.

PRO previously estimated that a year-round discounted train subscription would cost between €500 million and €600 million annually. The temporary summer scheme received €118 million in government funding.

The NS is planning on raising ticket prices by another 4.7 percent starting in January. It has also announced that it wants to discuss a possible return of the summer subscription with the government. On October 20, the railway operator said it would discuss the possibility of another edition of Nederland Dal Vrij during summer 2027.