When did you take the plunge and get your NS-Business Card?
After I graduated, I bought an NS Dal Voordeel season ticket, but when I started my business, I quickly switched to an NS-Business Card with a Dal season ticket.
I’d recommend every business owner or self-employed professional to get one! I use the card at least every week. I love not having to worry about topping up my card. As an entrepreneur in the culture sector, it’s very important for me to get from A to B quickly: from Groningen to Amsterdam and Utrecht to the Hague. With the NS-Business Card, all you have to do is check in and you’re on your way. With the card, you can check in on the train, bus, tram and metro, but also use all NS door-to-door services such as the OV-fiets and Greenwheels.
All your trips are added to the same NS invoice, giving you a clear summary of your travels. What’s more, the invoice specifies exactly how much VAT you paid, as well as your season ticket costs, train trips, door-to-door services like the OV-fiets and all your bus, tram and metro trips. Tip: If your customer is paying for travel expenses, you can view your entire trip history in Mijn NS Zakelijk, including costs, saving you a lot of work and helping you avoid mistakes.
Which NS-Business Card services do you use?
I mainly use the NS-Business Card to travel by train and OV-fiets. I love the flexibility of cycling to an appointment: you can leave whenever you want. What’s more, you also get to see the city you’re visiting, and it’s healthy. I have to admit, I’ll still take the tram, metro or bus in bad weather.
What have you enjoyed most about travelling with the NS-Business Card?
A while back, I found myself at Amsterdam Central station on my way back from an appointment. I had some time to spare and decided to check out the NS piano, where a young man was playing some familiar tunes. People stopped to listen and tourists even took pictures or filmed him with their phones. Suddenly I recognised the song he was playing as ‘Alles is Liefde’. I couldn’t help myself, as I walked over to him and started singing along. We made music together and then I quickly said goodbye to catch the train to Utrecht. It was just one of those small things that makes travelling by public transport fun. A chance encounter and a genuine connection.
Every now and again, I’ll get into a conversation with fellow travelers. We talk about everything and anything: work, a newspaper article, a remarkable exhibition, a book or our destination. What makes the conversations I have on the train so special is how fleeting they can be - after all, they end as soon as you get to your stop. I just love talking to complete strangers and hearing their thoughts or getting valuable tips. That's what makes traveling with the NS-Business Card fun.
