Using FIP in Netherlands - non protected Priv.

[theageofthetra]

Hi I've got my vouchers through for a trip on Monday to the Netherlands for an 8 day trip, however I'm still slightly confused as to how I buy a ticket once the 4th box is used up?

Is it right that each box is valid for two days?

 

[Mag_seven]

Each box is valid for 48 hours. You should also have FIP card that entitles you to a discount. In the Netherlands you can only get the discount on production of the FIP card at a booking office.

 

[CC 72100]

FIP coupons are valid for 48 days, yes. Day 1 is the date you enter on the coupon, and the 2nd day runs directly after that.

Most staff (I'm speaking from my experience in France) are pretty good, but maybe 15-20% will query it on day two. You do get a letter with the coupon with a sentence about the 48 hour rule in about 20 different languages, so you could take that with you (it's written in French, German and one else (?) on the coupon.)

 

[rvdborgt]

In the Netherlands you can only get the discount on production of the FIP card at a booking office.

Correct. Do take into account that the number of booking offices is getting quite limited. Not even all intercity stations will have one.

 

[92002]

Correct. Do take into account that the number of booking offices is getting quite limited. Not even all intercity stations will have one.

In which case you can buy a child fare from a machine. This will give you a 50% discount. It can be backed up to staff by producing your FIP card. Although you may be entitled to a 75% discount the machines cannot handle that. You should also have received a gate pass with a barcode to work these.

Remember too that you need to carry your passport to back up your FIP which does not have a photo. It's also a police requirement too in Benelux.

 

[StephenHunter]

On a tangent to this, what does FIP stand for? I'm assuming it's French.

 

[92002]

On a tangent to this, what does FIP stand for? I'm assuming it's French.

Yes it's French and basically is a staff discount card on other countries railways.

 

[rvdborgt]

In which case you can buy a child fare from a machine. This will give you a 50% discount.

That used to be 40% (+1€ supplement) but children can now travel for €2.50, so I'm not sure if the ticket machines still sell these 40% reduced tickets.
Online, you can buy 40% reduced tickets, although only in the version that only be used off-peak to travel together with a season ticket holder.

 

[station_road]

On a tangent to this, what does FIP stand for? I'm assuming it's French.

Facilités de circulation internationales du personnel

 

[StephenHunter]

Facilités de circulation internationales du personnel

Merci beaucoup.

 

[station_road]

As well as the excellent advice above, remember that your coupons are only valid on services operated by NS and not other operators (Arriva, Abellio etc).

 

[theageofthetra]

Thanks for the advice. Where would I likely encounter an Arriva or Abellio service?

Also regarding that bar code, how many days entrance/exit does it give? Is it only the biggest stations that use it?

The main journeys I'll be doing are.



Schipol - Hague

Hague - Delft

Hague-Hoorn

Hoorn-Amsterdam

Amsterdam - Apeldoorn

Amsterdam - Leiden.

 

[Mag_seven]

Also regarding that bar code, how many days entrance/exit does it give?

According to the RSTL European Travel guide:

Within each day:
• you can enter 6 times and exit 6 times at the same station
• you can enter 12 times and exit 12 times nationally in total

https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/files/Publications/services/rst/RST_Travel_Tips_For_Europe_v55.pdf

You would do well to read that guide.

 

[MisterT]

Every one of the listed stations has barriers. If the code doesn't work, you can ask a member of staff to let you through, or - in case there's no-one nearby, as we don't have dedicated staff for the barriers - use the information button on the information column (there is always one of those things (see attached image) at the end of the barriers) to contact the customer service. They can control the barriers remotely.
At Apeldoorn, there are multiple operators with barriers (Arriva and NS). Please make sure to use the right barrier (the yellow NS ones, not the red Arriva ones).

 

[the sniper]

Thanks for the advice. Where would I likely encounter an Arriva or Abellio service?

A lot of the regional stuff out of Groningen in the north is Arriva, at least.

 

[DanielB]

Thanks for the advice. Where would I likely encounter an Arriva or Abellio service?

Arriva: Leeuwarden - Stavoren, Leeuwarden - Harlingen, Leeuwarden - Groningen, Groningen - Delfzijl, Groningen - Roodeschool, Groningen - Veendam, Groningen - Weener, Zwolle - Emmen, Almelo - Hardenberg, Apeldoorn - Winterswijk, Winterswijk - Arnhem C, Arnhem C. - Tiel, Nijmegen - Venlo - Roermond, Sittard - Heerlen, Roermond - Maastricht Randwijck, Maastricht Randwijck - Kerkrade Centrum, Maastricht - Aachen.

Keolis: Kampen - Zwolle, Zwolle - Enschede, Zutphen - Oldenzaal

Qbuzz: Dordrecht - Geldermalsen

Connexxion: Amersfoort C - Ede-Wageningen

 

[theageofthetra]

Every one of the listed stations has barriers. If the code doesn't work, you can ask a member of staff to let you through, or - in case there's no-one nearby, as we don't have dedicated staff for the barriers - use the information button on the information column (there is always one of those things (see attached image) at the end of the barriers) to contact the customer service. They can control the barriers remotely.
At Apeldoorn, there are multiple operators with barriers (Arriva and NS). Please make sure to use the right barrier (the yellow NS ones, not the red Arriva ones).
View attachment 114260

Thanks for that.

Arriva: Leeuwarden - Stavoren, Leeuwarden - Harlingen, Leeuwarden - Groningen, Groningen - Delfzijl, Groningen - Roodeschool, Groningen - Veendam, Groningen - Weener, Zwolle - Emmen, Almelo - Hardenberg, Apeldoorn - Winterswijk, Winterswijk - Arnhem C, Arnhem C. - Tiel, Nijmegen - Venlo - Roermond, Sittard - Heerlen, Roermond - Maastricht Randwijck, Maastricht Randwijck - Kerkrade Centrum, Maastricht - Aachen.

Keolis: Kampen - Zwolle, Zwolle - Enschede, Zutphen - Oldenzaal

Qbuzz: Dordrecht - Geldermalsen

Connexxion: Amersfoort C - Ede-Wageningen

Actually think I've found one Arriva service I might need to use-Apeldoorn to Zutphen. Presumably on those I just pay full price?

 

[DanielB]

To get from Apeldoorn to Zutphen there's also the option of taking a small detour changing in Deventer using only NS trains.

 

[biko]

In which case you can buy a child fare from a machine. This will give you a 50% discount.

That used to be 40% (+1€ supplement) but children can now travel for €2.50, so I'm not sure if the ticket machines still sell these 40% reduced tickets.
Online, you can buy 40% reduced tickets, although only in the version that only be used off-peak to travel together with a season ticket holder.

Indeed a child ticket is a flat fare of €2.50, so won't be any use. Ticket machines aren't able to sell tickets with discount anymore and it's against the rules to use an online ticket with discount if you're not travelling with a season ticket holder. I would advise to go to ticket offices and if travelling from an unstaffed station later on, to buy a few days in advance.

Of the stations the OP mentions, Apeldoorn and Delft don't have a ticket office, so if starting there on your 4th day, some advance buying is required.

 

[DanielB]

Of the stations the OP mentions, Apeldoorn and Delft don't have a ticket office, so if starting there on your 4th day, some advance buying is required.

Should OP want to check in advance if the station he's departing from has a ticket office, one can check this in advance at the NS-website (Look for "OV Servicewinkel" or "OV Service & Tickets" in the facilities-column).
The station facilities will also mention if a station has gatelines or just has got chipcard validators.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Yes, it is quite hard to buy a FIP ticket in the Netherlands. Child fares from machines absolutely don't work (I tried, and failed miserably with this some years ago) and there are really very few ticket offices left (about 10 for the whole country?) So you maybe will find it easier to buy a full-fare ticket after the 8th day?

Most people have smartcards, the main one being the OV-Chipkaart. These can be used on all buses and trams, as well as trains. You might find it useful to get one of these (they charge c. EUR 4 for them but are available from many NS machines and local transport ticket offices in big cities): I believe the paper tickets bought from a machine also still have a EUR 0.5 supplement added to the price, but this doesn't apply to the smartcards!

In principle, the ticket offices will charge EUR 1 per ticket supplement as well although I think they waive that for FIP in practice.

I have to say that, based on my experience in NL two weeks ago, there is practically no on-train inspection these days: revenue protection seems to rely on the main stations being gated so you may go for some days without check of the FIP coupon ticket at all and just use the gatepass code. But please note that NL is one of those countries where you are just expected to have the right ticket for any public transport that you use even if you are not checked....

 

[rvdborgt]

Most people have smartcards, the main one being the OV-Chipkaart. These can be used on all buses and trams, as well as trains. You might find it useful to get one of these (they charge c. EUR 4 for them but are available from many NS machines and local transport ticket offices in big cities): I believe the paper tickets bought from a machine also still have a EUR 0.5 supplement added to the price, but this doesn't apply to the smartcards!

In principle, the ticket offices will charge EUR 1 per ticket supplement as well although I think they waive that for FIP in practice.

Tickets from a machine and the ticket office are single-use smartcards and have a 1€ supplement. IIRC the supplement doesn't apply to FIP tickets.

I have to say that, based on my experience in NL two weeks ago, there is practically no on-train inspection these days: revenue protection seems to rely on the main stations being gated so you may go for some days without check of the FIP coupon ticket at all and just use the gatepass code. But please note that NL is one of those countries where you are just expected to have the right ticket for any public transport that you use even if you are not checked....

I've read reports that tickets are checked more frequently again after masks became optional. But already pre-corona it was not very frequent compared to e.g. Belgium.

 

[DanielB]

Ticket checks are still incredibly rare in my experience. One could easily travel for over an hour by NS train without being checked.

Though the odds of being checked are significantly higher on regional operators' trains.

 

[theageofthetra]

Regarding the Chip Kart can you used a contactless credit card instead?

 

[rvdborgt]

Regarding the Chip Kart can you used a contactless credit card instead?

Not yet. IIRC that will be rolled out later this year but I don't know when it should become operational.

 

[dutchflyer]

Some corrections/addenda:
chipcards cost 7,50 NONref, valid 5 yrs. The 4€ is the MIn charge that is taken when checking in at bus/tram- and partly refunded when the end-price at checkOUT is lower. Some smart people hence forget to checkout on long bustrips-after a few times the card will block (they say)-roughly after some 18-19 KMs.
SOme regional BUSareas that have just renewed contract now offer OV-pay=use London style a contactless cr/bankcard, but its highly unlikely you need this.
Child tickets-50% have been abolished since <2000. Usual discount is 40%- BUT for kids <12 machines offer the Kids ticket for 2,50+1€ cardprice.
Even if the NS site says that a certain station is manned, it will not in practice mean it is-staff shortage and sudden sickness etc. occur any time.
Gates are never manned as is the case in GB-they were meant to allow to run the system with the lowest nr of staff possible-just like an urban metro.

 

[station_road]

The OP did mention that they were on an 8 day trip - their 4 x 48 hour coupons should cover this with no need to buy a ticket so hopefully the lack of ticket offices will not be a problem, for any journeys on non-NS operated trains they would not get the FIP discount so can buy a ticket at a machine or use an OV-Chipkaart. You might need one of those anyway for any tram/bus travel.

 

[DanielB]

Not yet. IIRC that will be rolled out later this year but I don't know when it should become operational.

Checking in and out with contactless bank cards is already operational in some regional buses (Zaanstreek and around Zwolle). Other regions should follow latest around summer.

I've seen pictures of adapted NS validators recently, so preparations are ongoing already.

 

[92002]

The OP did mention that they were on an 8 day trip - their 4 x 48 hour coupons should cover this with no need to buy a ticket so hopefully the lack of ticket offices will not be a problem, for any journeys on non-NS operated trains they would not get the FIP discount so can buy a ticket at a machine or use an OV-Chipkaart. You might need one of those anyway for any tram/bus travel.

Rail staff currently get Priv rate oyster cards for rail only in London. If used on other modes you pay the full rate.

Perhaps that's what is needed now for the Netherlands.

 

[Watershed]

Rail staff currently get Priv rate oyster cards for rail only in London. If used on other modes you pay the full rate.

Perhaps that's what is needed now for the Netherlands.

I imagine the market for foreign staff travel is far too small to justify investing in a 'discount' system for the smartcards.