Safety in and around the station
Information about how we use your data to enhance security and improve our services at and around the station.
What personal data do we use?
For greater safety and security in and around the station and to improve our services, we use counter sensors that count how many people pass by them and analyse local traffic flows. The footage shot by these sensors is not saved on the sensor or in any other way whatsoever. In the past, NS also used WiFi tracking, but we stopped doing so as of 7 January 2021.
We also use camera surveillance in and around the station. These cameras are used to record and later view images. This enables us to respond quickly in the event of incidents, and detect and prosecute infringements and criminal offences.
What do we use your personal data for?
Every day, more than 1.2 million travellers use the train stations in the Netherlands. As hubs of pedestrian traffic and public transport, a station is a special location that lets you transfer between trains, urban and regional public transport, bikes, cars, and increasingly diverse services and facilities.
The basis for data processing is: legitimate interest.
NS is constantly working to enhance security and improve its services in and around the station. To that end, it is essential to gain insight into the flows, walking routes, waiting times, and waiting areas for travellers and other station users. In this context, we are currently mapping traveller flows at a number of large stations by means of sensors that detect WiFi signals emitted by mobile devices, which is also known as WiFi tracking. We use this method in combination with counter sensors in such a way that no data can be attributed to individuals, whether directly or indirectly. Your privacy is therefore guaranteed.
We use the resulting non-attributable data for social purposes, such as security and crowd control at and around the station, as well as for commercial purposes, such as choosing the locations for specific services and shops at the stations.
Stations where WiFi sensors are used can be recognised by a pictogram indicating their presence. NS uses counter sensors at the stations Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam Zuid, Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena, Utrecht Centraal, Schiphol Airport, and 's Hertogenbosch.
The camera surveillance also takes place in and around the station and in NS shops. Please note: not all shops and properties at the stations are run by NS. The party responsible for the camera surveillance in a shop is specified at the entrance to the shop itself.
In practice, camera surveillance appears to be an important aid in the prevention, detection and prosecution of criminal offences, as well as other types of offences. Another important purpose is to support the targeted deployment of emergency services in the event of emergencies or a request for assistance.
Camera surveillance can also be used to support and facilitate the handling of disputes and the possible recovery of damage to NS property. It is also an important tool for the timely detection of excessive crowding, enabling NS to take measures that promote safe, rapid passage through the access gates. If we do not use camera surveillance, we cannot sufficiently guarantee the safety of our passengers, employees and property.
Camera surveillance is out in the open and is indicated by images printed on stickers. Both NS and its passengers have an interest in the recording of images. We have also installed cameras at the front and back of some trains, to help us deal more rapidly with railroad incidents and prevent future incidents.
Security personnel and Service & Safety employees are authorised to use their bodycams in all stations and trains, which they wear to guarantee your safety as well as their own. They can activate the camera and record the images from the bodycams when they see an unsafe situation arise.
Without this footage, we would not be able to investigate incidents or to ensure the safety of our travellers and employees. We ensure that all footage is stored securely and that access to the footage is limited to authorised personnel only; the personnel equipped with bodycams cannot access the images.
With whom do we share this data?
We contract third parties to provide IT and marketing services. These third parties process our information solely for our own internal use, and for no other purpose. We have made agreements with these parties pertaining to the processing of personal information.
We may transfer your personal information to parties outside the European Economic Area under certain circumstances. In that event, we will take suitable measures with these parties, for example by agreeing to the standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission.
How long do we store your data?
The images from the counter sensors are not stored in the sensor or in any other way.
Only authorised personnel have access to camera footage. If no incident has been recorded, the footage is retained for 28 days, after which it is deleted. In the event of an incident, all footage is retained until the incident has been handled and processed in its entirety. We may also proactively or preventively store images of incidents, if necessary.