Cheaper summer public transport deal to launch earlier in June than planned

State Secretary of Infrastructure Annet Bertram has told the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, that sales of discounted summer train subscriptions will be stopped if costs threaten to exceed the allocated budget. The scheme is capped at 118 million euros, she said in her letter. The discounted travel pass will go on sale from June 15, slightly earlier than initially stated by the government. Its official name has also been announced: Nederland Dal Vrij Trein.

The discount pass will allow unlimited off-peak travel for 49 euros per month. The government designed the scheme at the request of parties including GroenLinks-PvdA, citing increased energy costs linked to the war involving Iran.

“It is not yet possible to say how many people will make use of this product,” Bertram said. “After all, it is a unique measure, something that has not been offered in the Netherlands before.” Although it is possible that more people will travel by train in the summer, rail operators will stick to the timetable they had already planned.

The subscription will be available via the NS website and at ticket machines at stations, the railway company said. “The lower rate also applies to existing holders of the NS Off-Peak Free subscription.”

The discount subscription runs until August 31. Although the period lasts 2.5 months, travellers can subscribe for a maximum of two months. “Nederland Dal Vrij is a monthly subscription. Any extension also runs per full month,” NS explains.

According to Bertram, an extension is not possible. “September is the busiest month of the year for operators, and the government wants to prevent trains from becoming too crowded during that busy period.”

In addition, the Nederland Dal Vrij Trein pass will still be issued via the OV-chip card, even though transport operators are in the process of phasing out the system. Bertram said this transition schedule should not be disrupted.