Bicycle ticket off-peak

What bikes do you need a Bicycle ticket off-peak for?

• Normal bicycles
• Tandems
• Recumbent bicycles and (disassembled) racing cycles
• E-bike

When can you take a bicycle?

On weekdays outside peak hours:
Between 09:00 and 16:00 and between 18:30 and 06:30.

Notice: when you check in before peak hours with your bicycle, but travel during peak hours, you are also not allowed to take your bicycle. 

At weekends:
All day.

On public holidays and in July and August:
All day.

The journey may start during off-peak hours, but may not be continued during rush hour.

Trains in July and August can be very crowded. It is therefore possible that there may be no space for bicycles in the bicycle compartment. The chief guard decides whether there is enough space. Furthermore, a maximum of 1 bicycle may be taken along per passenger.

What bikes can be taken free of charge, also at off-peak hours?

• Folding bicycles (collapsed)
• A modified bicycle provided under the Social Support Act (WMO) may be taken free of charge without a Special Permit. The bicycle may not be more than 150 cm long and 75 cm wide.

How does it work?

You can load the bicycle ticket onto an OV-chipkaart (public transport smartcard) or you can buy a single-use smartcard.

Loading a bicycle ticket onto an OV-chipkaart

You can simply load a bicycle ticket onto your OV-chipkaart at an NS ticket machine and pay for your train journey by checking in and out. If you have a season ticket on your OV-chipkaart, then € 10 is sufficient as the boarding fare. Without a season ticket, you need € 20.

If you do not have an OV-chipkaart or if the card will run out in less than 8 weeks, you can order a personalised or anonymous OV-chipkaart for €7.50. You will receive the OV-chipkaart at your home address within 7 working days. An anonymous OV-chipkaart can also be purchased from an NS ticket machine or NS service desk.

Loading a bicycle ticket onto an NS-Business Card

You pay the cost of the ticket yourself directly at an NS ticket machine or NS service desk; the cost is not invoiced to your employer. Your bicycle ticket is in this case only valid with NS.

Single-use smartcard

A bicycle ticket can be bought as a single-use smartcard without a supplement at:

• NS ticket machines
• NS service desks
• All other NS sales outlets
• Most ticket machines at other carriers' stations

Printing or downloading as a mobile ticket

This e-ticket is available as a mobile ticket. After completing your order, you can choose to download your e-ticket and print it, or to load the e-ticket into the Journey Planner Xtra app. This app is available for smartphones with Android 4.0 or Apple iOS 8 or later.

> All about travelling with mobile tickets

The rules in brief

• A mobile ticket is only valid if it has been loaded into the NS Journey Planner Xtra app.
• You are responsible for being able to produce a valid transport ticket. You must therefore ensure that the smartphone is sufficiently charged and working properly.
• The mobile ticket is non-transferable. Just like a printed e-ticket, a mobile ticket is therefore only valid when combined with a valid proof of identity.
• The Terms and conditions for travelling with an e-ticket apply to journeys with a mobile ticket.

Proof of identity

An NS e-ticket is non-transferable. It is therefore only valid when combined with a valid proof of identity. So don't forget to take your passport or ID card with you on the journey.

Travelling with an e-ticket

The access gates are normally closed at more and more NS stations now. If you are travelling on an e-ticket, you can use the square barcode on the e-ticket to open the gates.

How can you tell which gates have a barcode reader?

Not all gates can be opened with an e-ticket. You have to use an access gate with a barcode reader. You can tell which they are by the ‘scan ticket’ symbol on the right-hand door of the gate, and by the illuminated surface to the right of the gate.

Step by step: this is how to open an access gate with your e-ticket

Step 1: Go to a gate with the ‘scan ticket’ symbol.
Step 2: Hold the barcode up against the illuminated surface on your right.
Step 3: The gate opens and you can then enter or exit the station.

Do I have to pay more for a bicycle ticket if I am on a long train journey?

No, there is a single fare for this ticket. It does not matter whether you are on a long train journey or a short one.

When can I take my bicycle on the train?

You can take your bicycle with you from 09:00 and 16:00 and between 18:30 and 06:30. Notice: when you check in before peak hours with your bicycle, but travel during peak hours, you are also not allowed to take your bicycle.