Off-peak hours
You can receive a discount for travel during off-peak hours and on public holidays with some tickets and seasonal tickets. Find out how that works.
What are off-peak hours?
Off-peak hours are the times when it is less busy in the train, outside of the morning and afternoon peak hours. You can receive a discount for travel during these times with some tickets and seasonal tickets.
The off-peak hours are:
- weekdays between 9.00 am and 4.00 pm
- weekdays between 6.30 pm and 6.30 am
- all day on Saturday and Sunday
- all day on public holidays
How to travel at a discount
The way you can travel at a discount during off-peak hours depends on the type of ticket you have. There is a slight difference between how this works for seasonal tickets and individual tickets.
Travelling during off-peak times with a seasonal ticket
Almost all of our season tickets allow you to travel at a discount if you check in during off-peak hours (or five minutes before/after) and travel within 30 minutes.
Checking in and out during your journey
You may sometimes have to check out and check in again during your journey, for example if you are transferring to another carrier.
Whether you still travel at a discount depends upon the type of season ticket you have, and how much time there is between your check-out and check-in.
-
NS Flex-abonnement
If you have a Flex subscription, you can check out and check in during your trip. You'll still receive a discount because the time of your first check-in is the determining factor.
Please note that there may be a maximum of 35 minutes between your check-out and check-in. If there's more time between check-out and check-in, we'll consider this the start of a new trip, and you may no longer receive a discount.
-
Abonnement op saldo
Do you have a balance subscription? Then you'll still receive a discount if you check out with us and check back in with us within 35 minutes.
If you switch to another carrier, all check-ins must fall during off-peak hours. This is the only way to receive a discount for your entire trip.
Travelling with (promotional) ticket during off-peak hours
If you have a (promotional) ticket with a discount during off-peak hours, you may only use the train in off-peak hours.
The moment at which you check in therefore does not apply. So for example you can't start your trip at 3.55 pm and stay on the train during peak hour.
Frequently asked questions about off-peak hours
-
Which public holidays does NS recognise?
Public holidays in 2025
- Christmas Day: 25 December
- Boxing Day: 26 December
Public holidays in 2026
- New Year's Day: Thursday 1 January
- Good Friday: Friday 3 April
- Easter Sunday: Sunday 5 April
- Easter Monday: Monday 6 April
- King's Day: Monday 27 April
- Liberation Day*: Tuesday 5 May
- Ascension Day: Thursday 14 May
- Whit Sunday: Sunday 24 May
- Whit Monday: Monday 29 May
- Christmas Day: Friday 25 December
- Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December
* Liberation Day is celebrated every five years (2020, 2025, 2030, etc.). NS therefore does not consider Liberation Day 2026a publicholiday and travellers will notbe entitled discounted travel.
