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Mobility advicePrivate travel with the NS-Business Card
Private travel with NS-Business Card
As an organisation, you want to offer attractive employment benefits that align with your goals and suit your employees. One option is using the NS-Business Card for private travel. Many employers do not realise that the NS-Business Card is tax-efficient not only for business trips but also for private journeys.
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Private travel with the NS-Business Card
·20 Apr 2026
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Mark Sloothaak - Mobiliteitsadviseur NS Zakelijk
Mark Sloothaak, MobiliteitsadviseurNS Zakelijk
Can an employee use the NS-Business Card for private travel?
Yes, they can. Employees may travel privately without paying tax using the NS-Business Card, provided they also use the card for business purposes such as work-related travel or commuting.
Using the NS-Business Card for both business and private travel keeps private use tax-free. Your organisation does not have to pay income tax on private journeys, and it is exempt under the work-related costs scheme (WKR). This applies not only to travel and public transport season tickets in the Netherlands but also to those abroad.
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How do I handle private travel as an employer?
As an employer, you can allow private travel with the NS-Business Card and charge the costs to your employee through their salary. Alternatively, you may choose to permit private travel with the card without any charge. The Nationale Postcode Loterij operates this way, for example. Curious about why and what benefits it brings to your organisation? You can read all about it in our article.
Read the article
What benefits does allowing private travel with the NS-Business Card bring to your organisation?
Attractive employment benefit
You make your employment conditions more appealing. In today’s tight labour market, this helps attract and retain talent. Employees benefit immediately from lower travel costs and more convenience when travelling in their own time.
Less administrative work
Allowing private travel with the NS-Business Card reduces administrative hassle. Since private use is tax-free, you do not need to keep track of which journeys are business and which are private, as long as business use can be demonstrated.
Sustainability and compliance with laws and regulations
You also support your organisation’s sustainability policy. Encouraging both business and private travel by public transport helps reduce car mileage and CO2 emissions. This shows your organisation is committed to climate goals. It also makes it easier to comply with laws and regulations such as CO2 reporting requirements and the European CSRD directive.
Fewer lease cars
The NS-Business Card offers employees more travel options, so they are less likely to choose a lease car. This saves your organisation significant costs. If you allow private travel with the card, employees can travel easily and quickly by train on days off and weekends, making a (lease) car less necessary.
Discounts on travel with the NS-Business Card
You can add a business season ticket to an NS-Business Card. Choose the subscription that best suits your employee’s travel patterns. You pay a fixed monthly amount, even if your employee travels more. This keeps travel costs predictable and lets you benefit from discounts. At the same time, it is an attractive employment benefit because the subscription also applies during private travel. Read more about our subscriptions.
Experience of the Nationale Postcode Loterij with allowing private travel
The Nationale Postcode Loterij permits private travel with the NS-Business Card. Curious about why and what benefits this brings to the organisation? You can read about it in our article.
Read the article
In short: get more from the NS-Business Card
The NS-Business Card is more than just a business mobility card. Allowing private travel makes it an even more valuable employment benefit. It also helps reduce administration, provides tax advantages, and supports happy and sustainable travel for your employees. If you want to know the best way to make the most of it, we are here to help.
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