Can I buy bus & train tickets in the Netherlands using cash?

[SouthEastBuses]

On my planned NL trips, I will be riding the following bus routes:

- Arriva Bravo 132 (Breda - Tilburg via Baarle-Heertog)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 20 (Hulst - Goes via Teurneuzen)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 133 (Middelburg - Oude-Tonge via Renesse and Zierikzee)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 104 (Remesse - Spijkenisse via Ouddorp)

Can I buy day tickets from the driver using cash? I would like to avoid using my card abroad if possible.

When I buy the day tickets, will they cover all of these routes mentioned above I plan on riding?

As for the trains, I will be travelling from Antwerp to Breda, from Rotterdam to Antwerp, on Rotterdam Metro line D from Spijkenisse to Centrum station and from Antwerp to Middelburg. Again, can I pay with cash?

 

[Watershed]

On my planned NL trips, I will be riding the following bus routes:

- Arriva Bravo 132 (Breda - Tilburg via Baarle-Heertog)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 20 (Hulst - Goes via Teurneuzen)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 133 (Middelburg - Oude-Tonge via Renesse and Zierikzee)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 104 (Remesse - Spijkenisse via Ouddorp)

Can I buy day tickets from the driver using cash? I would like to avoid using my card abroad if possible.

When I buy the day tickets, will they cover all of these routes mentioned above I plan on riding?

As for the trains, I will be travelling from Antwerp to Breda, from Rotterdam to Antwerp, on Rotterdam Metro line D from Spijkenisse to Centrum station and from Antwerp to Middelburg. Again, can I pay with cash?

If the reason you're looking to avoid using your card abroad is due to foreign transaction fees, you should get a card/account that doesn't charge fees.

There's loads of options nowadays; the easiest is probably to make an account with Starling Bank, who are entirely app based and have fee-free foreign transactions (including cash withdrawals) with no monthly/daily limit.

I am fairly sure that cash isn't accepted on buses in NL but I'll allow our local correspondents to confirm.

 

[biko]

- Arriva Bravo 132 (Breda - Tilburg via Baarle-Heertog)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 20 (Hulst - Goes via Teurneuzen)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 133 (Middelburg - Oude-Tonge via Renesse and Zierikzee)
- Connexxion DoorZeeland 104 (Remesse - Spijkenisse via Ouddorp)

Can I buy day tickets from the driver using cash? I would like to avoid using my card abroad if possible.

No, it's not possible anymore to pay cash in most buses (if at all). I double-checked the websites of these operators and they are very clear about the fact that they don't accept cash.

You can pay by card for paper tickets or you could use a OV-chipkaart.

When I buy the day tickets, will they cover all of these routes mentioned above I plan on riding?

The Brabant off-peak ticket (dalurenkaartje) is valid on line 132 (as on all the regular lines of Bravo). This ticket can actually be bought cash from the Arriva service point in Breda.

The Dagkaart and Dal Dagkaart Zeeland are valid on all buses in Zeeland run by Connexxion (except two specific routes for the Dal version), so that's fine for those. It's even explicitly mentioned that the tickets are valid until Oude Tonge on line 133.

As for the trains, I will be travelling from Antwerp to Breda, from Rotterdam to Antwerp, on Rotterdam Metro line D from Spijkenisse to Centrum station and from Antwerp to Middelburg. Again, can I pay with cash?

For Antwerp to Breda, I presume you can buy a cash ticket at the ticket office in Antwerp, but it will be cheaper to buy in advance, even if you buy a ticket valid for any train. Rotterdam to Antwerp will mean you need to go to the international ticket office in Rotterdam. This one will add a surcharge to the booking for paying cash I believe. For the Rotterdam Metro, it's possible to buy tickets with cash at the service point and in most ticket machines, but I don't know how many. The website says that not all have the facility to pay cash anymore. For a journey between Antwerp and Middelburg, the same applies as for Antwerp to Rotterdam.

 

[Benno]

I used to visit the Netherlands quite regularly, but haven't been since 2019 (for obvious reasons). when I was last over there all buses, trams, light rail etc were cashless. You could pay cash at ticket offices on NS rail services but buying a paper ticket had a €1 supplement.

I think you have a couple of options:

1 - Buy an OV Chipkaart and load it with cash and then use that for travelling around. It is accepted on all forms of public transport and I suspect that this will be the easiest option for you.

OV-chipkaart - Tourists

www.ov-chipkaart.nl

Or,

2 - Use a card that has fee free foreign currency, I have a Revolut account for foreign travel. I load it up before I go and transfer some (or all) of the balance into Euros, usually at a better rate than most Bureaux-de-Changes and fee free. Then I pay in euros either on my phone, or using a card issued by Revolut. Any Euros I have left when returning I can change back, or just keep in the account.

 

[DanielB]

For Antwerp to Breda, I presume you can buy a cash ticket at the ticket office in Antwerp, but it will be cheaper to buy in advance, even if you buy a ticket valid for any train. Rotterdam to Antwerp will mean you need to go to the international ticket office in Rotterdam. This one will add a surcharge to the booking for paying cash I believe.

NMBS adds a 5 euro surcharge for buying at the ticket office, at NS the surcharge is 1 euro. The latter also applies to tickets purchased at the ticket machine (only possible at NS).
Booking online will avoid the surcharge and when you do it before the day of travel also cheaper advance fares are available.

Best is to book them at the NS International website as for some reason the NMBS site has a 1 euro surcharge on e-tickets.

 

[dutchflyer]

IF any machines will take cash-then its only COINs. On RET-metro you now really have to search for such a machine-most are card only.
Tix NL-BE are a lot cheaper of bought online (but that will also involve card payment) at least 7 days before-they are not tied to any time or specific train.
On the day itself one can buy also tickets to main BE stations in NL on the machine, these are 1-time chipcards and cost 1€ extra, as all such tix do.
Daytickets Zeeland are very expensive compared to all other daytickets.
On bus/tram-if there is onboard sale, then its since by now at least 3 yrs card only.
IF you go still in sept. you may want to check the ´6pack´ special offer on the connexxion site-6 trips (no change allowed) for 9€, but NOT on/via Belgium lines.
BTW-there are 3 buslines doing Br->Tbg, via different routes, the most frequent is 127? via Oosterhout-Dongen, the longest (133?) runs via the NL/BE intertwined village of Baarle Nassau/Hertog. This is probably the most scenic-127 is only suburbia.
You may want to check if it is, even for these few trips, not better in the end to buy a anon. chipcard-cost 7,50, will last 5 yrs, and put money on it-this will substantially reduce the cost per trip. ON 9292.nl, the national planner for bus/tram/train, one can check all fares charged. (this nr dates from the year when a general fone service was started-before there was www)

 

[DanielB]

Again a very poor advise by dutchflyer. Most was already mentioned in this topic and neither of the route numbers he mentions actually exist.

For Breda - Tilburg TS clearly mentions he'll take bus 132. In that case the day ticket is real value for money as it costs only 7,18 euro and the OV chipkaart fare will exceed 9 euro. Actually that day ticket is so cheap it will always be attractieve for longer trips.
Also it'll give the option to get off the bus and take some photos of the weird situation in Baarle. I've got some where I'm standing in the Netherlands, taking a picture of a Belgian bus that's driving with its right hand side wheels in the Netherlands and its left hand side wheels in Belgium.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

No, it's not possible anymore to pay cash in most buses (if at all). I double-checked the websites of these operators and they are very clear about the fact that they don't accept cash.

You can pay by card for paper tickets or you could use a OV-chipkaart.



The Brabant off-peak ticket (dalurenkaartje) is valid on line 132 (as on all the regular lines of Bravo). This ticket can actually be bought cash from the Arriva service point in Breda.

The Dagkaart and Dal Dagkaart Zeeland are valid on all buses in Zeeland run by Connexxion (except two specific routes for the Dal version), so that's fine for those. It's even explicitly mentioned that the tickets are valid until Oude Tonge on line 133.

For Antwerp to Breda, I presume you can buy a cash ticket at the ticket office in Antwerp, but it will be cheaper to buy in advance, even if you buy a ticket valid for any train. Rotterdam to Antwerp will mean you need to go to the international ticket office in Rotterdam. This one will add a surcharge to the booking for paying cash I believe. For the Rotterdam Metro, it's possible to buy tickets with cash at the service point and in most ticket machines, but I don't know how many. The website says that not all have the facility to pay cash anymore. For a journey between Antwerp and Middelburg, the same applies as for Antwerp to Rotterdam.

Thank you very much for your reply. It turns out that though that thankfully, if I pay in euro, my card will not be subject to a transaction fee. However, I have a Lloyds Bank visa debit, and I've heard the Dutch only accept Maestro cards, is that correct?

For Zeeland, what's the difference between Dagkaart and Dal Dagkaart?

And yes, Baarle is the reason why I want to ride on the 132

 

[philg999]

Thank you very much for your reply. It turns out that though that thankfully, if I pay in euro, my card will not be subject to a transaction fee. However, I have a Lloyds Bank visa debit, and I've heard the Dutch only accept Maestro cards, is that correct?

For Zeeland, what's the difference between Dagkaart and Dal Dagkaart?

And yes, Baarle is the reason why I want to ride on the 132

It’s generally only some major supermarket chains and small retailers that accept only dutch maestro/vpay cards. Transport providers all accept foreign debit/credit visa/mastercard in their ticket machines.

‘Dal’ means off peak.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

It’s generally only some major supermarket chains and small retailers that accept only dutch maestro/vpay cards. Transport providers all accept foreign debit/credit visa/mastercard in their ticket machines.

‘Dal’ means off peak.

This is perfect, thank you.
What's the price difference between an off peak day ticket and anytime day ticket in Zeeland?

 

[johncrossley]

Thank you very much for your reply. It turns out that though that thankfully, if I pay in euro, my card will not be subject to a transaction fee. However, I have a Lloyds Bank visa debit

You avoid Lloyds' 50p foreign transaction fee because you are paying in Euro but you will still pay a 2.99% transaction fee even when paying in Euro. The Club Lloyds bank account is useful for interest and perks (I have one myself), but not for international use. Better to have a separate account for foreign transactions.

What's the price difference between an off peak day ticket and anytime day ticket in Zeeland?

The prices are on the website. 22.15 all day and 16.00 after 9 o'clock. Until 4 September they are 50% cheaper (i.e. 11.08 and 8.00).

Dagkaart Zeeland

www.connexxion.nl

De Dagkaart Zeeland kost € 22,15. Van 14 juli t/m 4 september 2022 krijg je 50% korting op het reguliere tarief. Een Dagkaart kost dan € 11,08.

De Dagkaart is tegen gereduceerd tarief ook verkrijgbaar als Dal-Dagkaart voor gebruik na 9.00 uur.

Dal dagkaart Zeeland

www.connexxion.nl

De Dal-Dagkaart Zeeland kost € 16,00. Van 14 juli t/m 4 september 2022 krijg je 50% korting op het reguliere tarief. Een Dal-Dagkaart kost dan € 8,00.

 

[Watershed]

Thank you very much for your reply. It turns out that though that thankfully, if I pay in euro, my card will not be subject to a transaction fee. However, I have a Lloyds Bank visa debit, and I've heard the Dutch only accept Maestro cards, is that correct?

Lloyds still charge a percentage fee (as do most high street banks). Best to create an account with a bank that offers completely fee-free transactions.

 

[Ken H]

I use a fairfx card. I can load € onto it online and then withdraw cash as eurozone ATMs, or use in outlets.
But I have only been to Greece recently, and that before COVID. There I got cash at an ATM and paid for stuff in cash. Well, its Greece where cash is still king.

 

[37201xoIM]

On a similar topic (apols if it's been covered above and I've missed it!): can you pay a bus driver for a walk-up paper ticket (or the like) using a contactless Visa card in NL? I'm specifically interested in getting a bus from IJmuiden to Driehuis station after arriving on the ferry, so may not have the opportunity to buy something in advance. Thanks!

 

[DanielB]

Yes you'll be able to. But as the bus you're planning to take is in the Haarlem - IJmond region, where OVpay has already been introduced, I'd advise to check in and out at the validators using your Visa card.
In that way you'll pay the same fare as if you were using an OV chipcard, which is a lot cheaper than the walk-up fare (if actually still available in OVpay-regions).

 

[37201xoIM]

Very helpful indeed, Daniel - thanks a lot.