Travelling during public holidays

Travelling during public holidays and the common holiday periods

• Which holidays does NS recognise?

  Public holidays in 2023

  • New Year's Day: 1 January
  • Good Friday: 7 April
  • Easter Sunday: 9 April
  • Easter Monday: 10 April
  • King's Day: 27 April
  • Ascension Day: 18 May
  • Whit Sunday: 28 May
  • Whit Monday: 29 May
  • Christmas Day: 25 December
  • Boxing Day: 26 December

  Liberation Day is celebrated every five years (2020, 2025, 2030, etc.). That means Liberation Day is not an official holiday in 2023. It also means that you cannot travel with a discount all day on Liberation Day. 

• Travelling on a Weekend Vrij season ticket?

  Then you can also travel for free all day during national holidays, even when they are on weekdays.

• Do you travel with a Dal Vrij, Traject Vrij, Altijd Voordeel, Dal Voordeel, Weekend Voordeel, Weekend Vrij or Samenreiskorting?

  The normal peak and off-peak hours apply:

  • on Friday after Ascension Day (18 May 2023)
  • in the summer months of July and August
  • between Christmas and New Year

• Travelling on Keuzedagen during national holidays?

  Do you have a season ticket with Keuzedagen, and does the national holiday fall on a weekday? If so, your Keuzedagen [Optional days] will be valid for the whole day. 

• Are you travelling with a student travel product?

  Different rules apply to students with a student travel product on their OV-chipkaart than to other NS season ticket holders.

  Week season ticket

  During national holidays, students with a week season ticket travel on balance with a discount from 4.00 to 4.00 the next day. Students also travel for free on Good Friday.

  Weekend season ticket

  Students with a weekend season ticket travel for free on holidays from 04:00 to 04:00 the following morning and on the Thursday before Good Friday, the day before Liberation Day, the day before King's Day, and the Wednesday before Ascension Day, starting from 12:00.

  For more information, see the Student Travel Product calendar

Can't find your question? We would be happy to help you. Visit NS.nl/klantenservice or ask your question at the NS Community.