Are you also completely fed up with those sky-high NS prices? You’re not alone. Since the NS launched the new “Nederland Dal Vrij” pass for just €49 on Monday, June 15, the website has been flooded with thousands of travelers who want to travel for free this summer.
But be careful: although this is the perfect opportunity to travel on the cheap, there’s a nasty catch. If you’re not careful, you’ll still end up paying top dollar after the summer. How can you avoid this NS trap and get the most out of it? Read on to find out.
What is the “Nederland Dal Vrij” pass?
With this temporary summer pass, you can travel unlimited on all domestic trains in second class for €49 per month. The regular fare is €127.95, so you’ll get a huge discount right away. The pass is valid during off-peak hours and all weekend. This means you can ride as much as you want at no extra cost on weekdays outside of rush hour (before 6:30 a.m., between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and after 6:30 p.m.) and on weekends.
Read the fine print: It’s arolling monthly subscription for up to two months (through August 31 at the latest). As soon as summer is over, it automatically converts to a regular Flex Dal Vrij subscription for €127.95. So don’t forget to cancel in time!
The benefits: More than just cheap travel
In addition to the low subscription price, the NS has lined up a few attractive extras this summer to encourage you to leave your car at home:
- Children travel for free: Children up to and including age 11 travel for free with a “Kids Vrij” pass.
- Affordable parking: Through August 31, you can park at most P&R garages near train stations for a special daily rate of just €2.
This makes it the ultimate opportunity to get out and explore this summer. Whether you want to travel from Groningen to Maastricht or are in the mood for a fun day trip within the country, the whole of the Netherlands is at your feet.
How can you purchase the NS pass?
You’ve been able to easily purchase the pass since June 15 via the official NSwebsite or at the ticket machine at the station. Existing NS Flex customers can temporarily switch their current pass to this discounted version in their NS account.
Be sure to act fast: the government has set a strict budget cap of 118 million euros (enough for about 700,000 passes). Over 27,000 have already been sold in the first two days, so don’t wait too long before the fund runs out!
