Travelling by train & bike
Want to take a bike on your outing? Try an OV-fiets, or bring your own bike along. A number of rules apply. Following these will help to ensure a pleasant and responsible journey for everyone. Please note that since 1 July the conditions have been made stricter. Therefore, read the current rules carefully.
Allowed during off-peak hours only
Do you have a normal bicycle, electric bicycle, racing bicycle, mountain bike or disassembled bicycle*? Or do you want to take along a folded bicycle larger than 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high or an unfolded folding bicycle? Then you can only take it with you on the train during off-peak hours with a Bicycle ticket Off-peak, and only if there is sufficient bicycle space available. Please also take the following details into consideration:
- You may take a maximum of one bicycle per person on the train.
- Buy a Bicycle ticket Off-peak. This is the ticket for your bicycle. Make sure you have a ticket for yourself too.
- You can only take your bicycle on the train during off-peak hours (Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm and from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am, and all day on the weekend)
- Your bicycle is not allowed during rush hour, even if the journey started before rush hour. During the months of July and August, you may take your bicycle with you on the train all day.
- Place your bicycle in the designated area on the train. This is marked with a bicycle symbol on the outside of the doors and the inside of the train.
- The greatest capacity for bicycles is in these designated areas. If there is room, you may put your bicycle only in the specially designated space on the train, and you must remove any baggage on your bicycle. This ensures everyone stays safe. If there is no room, then you may not bring your bicycle onto the train. In that case, you should take the next train and follow the instructions given by NS staff.
- Cargo bikes, children's bicycle trailers and handcarts are not permitted on the train and you may not take them with you. Tandems and recumbents are now only allowed when used as a mobility aid for travellers with a disablity.
*Did you buy an international bicycle ticket before 1 June for a tandem or recumbent bicycle with a travel date from 1 July and you be able to prove it? Then it is allowed on the NS train to or from the relevant international train, even if it is not used as an mobility aid.
All day, free of charge
These bicycles can travel on the train for free and all day long.
- Folded folding bicycles smaller than or equal to 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high. During the journey and when boarding and alighting, the folding bike must be completely folded. Do not park a folding bike in a bike spot.
- Tandems, tricycles or recumbents as an aid for travellers with disabilities. However, these must comply with the conditions.
Tip: rent an OV-fiets
You can rent OV-fiets shared bikes at many stations, for just €4.55 per bike per 24 hours. What's more, you can rent two bikes with just one (free) season ticket. With the NS app, you can check beforehand how many bikes are still available at your station of choice. Experience true freedom and take an OV-fiets shared bike for the last leg of your journey.
Don't have the NS app yet? Download it for free.
FAQ about bringing your bike on the train
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Which bicycles are allowed on the train?
The following bicycles are allowed on the train during off-peak hours, with Fietskaart Dal and when there is enough room for bicycles in the designated area marked with a bicycle symbol on the outside of the doors and the inside of the train:
- Normal bicycles, electric bicycles, road bikes, mountain bikes and dismounted bicycles.
- Folded folding bicycles larger than 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high and unfolded folding bicycles.
The bicycles below are allowed free of charge and all day:
- Tandems, tricycles or recumbent bicycles are permitted only if used as an aid by travellers with disabilities and meets the conditions NS Travel Assistance.
- Folded folding bicycles smaller than or equal to 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high. During the journey and when boarding and alighting, the folding bike must be completely folded. Do not park a folding bike in a bicycle spot.
- Cargo bikes, children's bicycle trailers and handcarts cannot be taken on trains. From 1 July, tandem and recumbent bicycles are no longer allowed unless used as an aid due to a disability.
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Do I need to buy a ticket for my bicycle?
To take your bicycle with you, you need Bicycle ticket Off-peak. It costs € 7.50 and is valid all day during off-peak hours. This is the ticket for your bicycle on the train. Make sure you also have your own ticket.
Bicycle ticket Off-peak is valid for a normal bicycle, electric bicycle, racing bicycle, mountain bike and dismounted bicycle. And for folded bicycles larger than 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high and unfolded folding bicycles.
For the following bikes you do not need to buy a ticket:
- Collapsed folding bicycles smaller than 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high.
- Tandems, tricycles or recumbent bicycles as an aid due to a disability and which meet the conditions NS Travel Assistance.
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Can I take my folding bicycle on the train?
You can take your folded folding bike for free during peak and off-peak hours, as long as it is within the dimensions of 45 cm wide x 86 cm long x 80 cm high when folded. Please also note the following:
- Your folding bike must be folded before boarding and unfolded after disembarking.
- Under no circumstances should your folding bike block exterior doors, interior doors or aisles. This is for safety reasons: all doors are emergency exits.
- Larger and unfolded folding bicycles are only allowed if there is enough space with a Fietskaart Dal and during off-peak hours.
- An e-step is not a (folding) bike. An e-step is considered hand luggage and you may take it with you if it meets the hand luggage conditions in the AVR-NS.
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Can I bring my e-step?
An e-step is considered hand luggage and you may take it with you if it meets the hand luggage conditions in the AVR-NS.
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How do I take my bicycle past the barriers?
Present your travel product to the card reader to check in and open the barriers. For more information, check out our page on Checking in and out.
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Where do I board with my bicycle on the train?
Place your bicycle in the designated area on the train. This is marked with a bicycle symbol on the outside of the doors and the inside the train.
You can find the maximum capacity for bicycles on the designated area. Is there room? Park your bicycle in a bicycle space and remove your luggage. That way, together, we keep it safe for everyone. No space? Then the bicycle is not allowed. Then take the next train and follow the instructions of the NS staff.
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Can I bring my bicycle when buses are being used?
No, you may not bring your bicycle with you on an NS bus. Regrettably, there is no space for bicycles.
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Can I take my bicycle abroad?
- During rush hour and in the summer months of July and August, bicycle transport on the Intercity Berlin, Eurocity Direct and Eurocity is reserved for passengers with an international bicycle ticket and mandatory bicycle booking.
- Outside of this period, you can also take your bicycle on the domestic routes of the Intercity Berlin and Intercity Brussels. It is not possible to book travel on a domestic route.
In all cases, there must be sufficient space on the train. The train is very busy in summer, in particular, and it may not be possible for all bicycles to be transported.
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What are the Terms & Conditions?
Click here for the Terms en conditions for bringing your bike on the train.
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