Studying foreign experience is an important and useful activity, it not only helps to avoid mistakes, but, in the case of traffic, literally helps to save people's lives. In terms of mobility, the Netherlands is interesting in that only in Amsterdam alone, the share of cycling is 40% - few cities can boast of such results, and the country itself occupies a leading position in road safety in Europe. So, according to the WHO, in the Netherlands in 2015, 3.4 per 100,000 people died in road accidents, and 18.9 in Russia ...
By what means did the Dutch achieve such indicators of safety and ease of use of the infrastructure?
First, I would like to repeat a simple rule once again: it does not matter how many residents are in the city and what their order is. People are the same everywhere, the laws of physics are the same in all countries, but the conditions are different, and it is by changing these conditions that the behavior of most people can be controlled. So, with a 99% probability, if we move a street from Rotterdam / Amsterdam / Utrecht or any other Dutch city to Russia, then we will get the same traffic safety results as in the Netherlands.
Highways
Let's go from roads to streets (who does not know, these concepts are very different from each other). Naturally, there are country roads in the Netherlands. There is a division into three categories of highways: with a maximum speed of 130, 100 and 80 km / h. It depends on the intersections, the number of lanes, and so on. On highways, special asphalt is laid, which allows water to pass through, so in the rain over the road there is no such spray and fog from dampness, plus better controllability of the car. The water goes into a special catchment under the road, and then it is discharged into a storm / ditch / natural catchment. Alas, it is difficult to show it in the photo, so here is the route tunnel under the canal:
Some time ago, there was a statement in the news that roadside driving was allowed in the Netherlands. This is, of course, not true. But on some highways in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam area during rush hours, they include an additional lane, which at other times acts as a roadside. You can see this on the scoreboard above the road:
Everything is regulated by cameras.
Most of the motorway exits are standard, however, there are also inventions of Dutch transport workers, which eventually spread all over the world. First of all it is turbotondy, which are an improved version of the standard rings:
This is how it looks live, due to the channeling of flows, the traffic becomes stable and is less prone to road accidents.
As you can see, with such an organization, the ring allows more cars and is safer due to fewer lane changes. Now there are 419 of them in the Netherlands, while in the world there are 20 countries, from the USA to Poland, where they are used. Often the lanes have a physical separation, which guides and does not give rise to doubts about the correctness of the movement, and also so that there is no temptation to drive in some way. In addition, crossings on highways with a speed limit of 80 km / h are often made from such turbo rings.
The photo below shows another typical junction at the highway exit, where two rings are connected into one. In general, in the Netherlands, whenever possible, they try not to install traffic lights. The point is not only in banal savings, but also in calming traffic - in front of the ring, the driver is guaranteed to slow down, unlike a traffic light and a straight road. The same principle is established by the Swedish zero-tolerance death program, as accidents at traffic lights are more severe than at roundabouts.
There are intercity cycling routes throughout the country, and sometimes the routes simply pass near residential areas on the outskirts, so there is a need to separate the traffic of cars and people. In such cases, either punctures are made under the road with a smooth descent:
... or bike bridges are made, again with a smooth descent:
Although, if it so happened that the road passes through a new area, then it is either transferred or taken underground:
Streets
Unlike roads and highways, streets are public spaces that are built based on the needs of, first of all, pedestrians and cyclists, and after public and private transport. Let's go from the streets to the residential area.
Streets in a residential area
Public and transport functions are not so in demand here, therefore, most often, the sidewalks are not too wide and there is a limitation of 20-30 km / h. There is no separate bicycle infrastructure - cyclists move in the general stream, and the road material is, most often, tiles. In addition to tiles, there are other tools for physically calming traffic, such as chicanes, or deliberate curvature of the roadway:
There are also the usual speed bumps:
... as well as raised intersections:
There are no markings and zebras here, since the expectation is that a pedestrian can cross everywhere, plus the carriageway itself is rather narrow so that two cars can hardly drive off.
By the way, more and more often parking on such streets is done in the middle - the street not only benefits from this aesthetically, but also improves safety, since the driver sees the sidewalk and can react in time to a child / pedestrian / dog who decided to cross the road (cars do not block the view ).
Small streets
We would call them streets of regional significance. Unlike the streets, which I will talk about a little below, here the bicycle infrastructure often comes in the form of bicycle lane markings:
Often the carriageway is narrow. So small that two cars drive apart only if they enter the bike lane a bit:
Often, bottlenecks are deliberately created where one machine must pass another:
And there are also just streets with a priority of cyclists (here they are monsters, right?).
Ordinary streets
On ordinary streets, public transport and cars drive, the cycling infrastructure is either placed on the bike path, or goes along the bike lane. There are traffic lights, and all exits from secondary streets are raised to the level of the sidewalk:
This is done for two purposes - to force the driver to slow down in front of the main road and not to force pedestrians and cyclists to descend to the level of the carriageway. Thus, there are no puddles at the crossings, the cyclists' buttocks do not suffer from curb stones, and the drivers are guaranteed to slow down, look around and drive safely further:
In addition, there is now a tendency to raise entire sections of roads at intersections to the level of the sidewalk, creating a common space where pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are equal and independently regulate the situation:
Statistics show that such a solution is much safer than the capital traffic rules.
The safety islands, of course, are actively used, they are installed both along the carriageway ...
... and at crossings with intersections:
Sometimes, when it is necessary to make a safety island, but it is necessary to preserve the possibility of long vehicles passing, the islands are made slightly above the level of the carriageway so that a bus or a truck can enter it a little:
By the way, almost all traffic lights are equipped with sensors that recognize the approach of a car:
The same ones stand on bike paths, creating a green wave for the cyclist:
If there is a cycle lane or there is no turn off the cycle lane, then the stop line for cyclists is placed in front of the car stop line. This was done taking into account the fact that cyclists start faster than cars, but, most importantly, this way a person does not fall into the driver's dead zone (our Ministry of Transport still rejects a proposal to introduce such markings in our country):
Sometimes cyclists can use the designated bike lanes / bike lanes to pass the red. This is done for convenience, so that cyclists do not dismount and do not waste energy on gaining speed (this is not for you to press the pedal):
Often, for the sake of public transport, the passage for personal transport along the street is closed - this is the norm. In addition, highlighted lanes on streets are often elevated to visually highlight the lanes. This is also done for trams:
... and for buses:
If the tram platforms are located in the middle of the road, then the approaches are raised:
In general, complaints were received at 98% of all city traffic lights. It is likely that some will permanently dismantle it. This is how the authorities want to fight the congestion of cyclists at intersections during rush hours. Traffic lights that were included in the experiment are marked with signs:
And this sign says that work is underway to optimize the traffic light:
Trunk streets
Everything is simple, our city planners divide the streets into a bunch of subspecies, in the Netherlands the main street will not differ much from the usual one. Perhaps there may be a little more lanes, because of which there will be no unregulated transitions. In spite of everything, the street is a public area, the carrying capacity of which is not determined at all by the number of lanes or the maximum speed of movement, which, by the way, is not higher than 50 km / h. It will look something like this:
One can argue for a long time that fences along the roads, the cancellation of crossings or the construction of off-street crossings are a panacea for road accidents, but, apparently, the world does not think so, having comfortable and safe cities. By the way, traffic on the motorway 40-50 km / h is considered a wild traffic jam in the Netherlands. There are practically no traffic jams on the streets.
The post was prepared by Arkady
I believe that you can fully feel the spirit of the city only by traveling on public transport, where you can see both the townspeople and their habits, and consider how the transport system is organized in the country. In general, moving is an integral part of any tourist trip. Since the Netherlands is compact, I want to look more in them. On this trip we lived in 3 different cities, and saw even more.
types of tickets for public transport and trains in Holland;
how to buy tickets;
how to use tickets.
Perhaps, let's start with the airport, Schiphol is only fifteen minutes from the city center, it is easy to take the most ordinary train and get to the center even for an hour.
The easiest way to reach the city is by public transport.
Other stories about the Netherlands:
Public transport in the Netherlands has its own characteristics. First of all, we will talk about Amsterdam. First, we used it there all the time. Secondly, having dealt with the Amsterdam transport, it will not be difficult to deal with the rest.
Unlike Stockholm, public transport in the Netherlands has no curiosities like pendeltogs. It's simple: metro, buses, trams, ferries (and, in part, trains).
By the way, tram route No. 2 is recognized as one of the ten most beautiful routes in the world.
Types of public transport tickets
If we talk about tickets, then there were some surprises. As soon as I tuned in to the outlandish system with strip cards, it turned out that just a year ago they were replaced by the no less unusual OV-chipkaart. Now you can pay for travel with single-use tickets, travel passes for a certain number of days and chip cards.
A chipcard is a universal national travel card; tickets for all types of transport throughout the country can be “loaded” onto it, or money can be deposited, and the required amount will be withdrawn for each trip. They are named and anonymous. It is clear that it takes more time to get a personalized one, so it is suitable for residents. As tourists, we needed an anonymous OV-card, which, by the way, can be transferred to each other. True, despite the namelessness, one card cannot pay for travel for two people at the same time.
With cards, the most important rule is to check in every time you enter and exit the transport, since payment on the train, for example, is calculated based on the distance covered. A second subtlety emerges from this: it is necessary that the card constantly has an amount sufficient to make a trip, if you get a negative balance, you have a fine. So some amount may remain on the card, if you do not fully use it. If you are not used to such a system, then it is very easy to miss something. In addition, in the near future we are unlikely to go to the Netherlands again, why leave any money on the card?
By the way, the same rule about marking at the entrance and exit from transport applies to travel cards. If you forget to checkout several times, the pass may be blocked.
The pass can be taken for a period from a day to 7, for a day in Amsterdam - 7.5, for 7 days - 32 euros.
We took a travel card in Amsterdam for three days. It is noteworthy that out of two passes, one turned out to be "broken" - I could not activate it in any way, I had to go to a transport kiosk located a couple of meters from the metro entrance, where I was "gladdened" that I became the happy owner of an empty ticket. Fortunately, we still have a check, Mevrow called back at the ticket office, where we bought tickets, confirmed that she needed it there, and gave me a new one completely free of charge.
A single trip is designed for 1 hour and costs ... 2.70, or even 3 euros (for example, in The Hague)!
There are also combo tickets. A combined ticket for a trip to the area (we have Zaanse Schans planned) on public transport is called the Amsterdam & Region day card and costs 13.50 per day. Moreover, it does not turn on the train, so it turns out that you have to get there by bus. But this is not profitable for us, no matter how you think, it's easier to buy a travel card for all days and at any time just pay extra for a train ride from Amsterdam there and back for 6 Euro.
And finally, a nice bonus: in public transport in Amsterdam you can travel with tickets to the Philharmonic! Yes, yes, 3 hours before the start of the concert and 4 hours after, you can travel for free with a ticket to the Philharmonic in Amsterdam - a nice bonus to the cultural program.
Now the trains
The Netherlands is a country with well-developed railways and their coverage is gorgeous. In principle, everything is logical, this is a small country, the population density is one of the highest in Europe, and the ocean coast between The Hague and Haarlem is almost a solid condominium, a train ride from one end of the country to the other can take as long as one and a half to two hours.
There is one small nbahn with an Intercity train that runs from Amsterdam to Rotterdam via the airport in 20 minutes. Due to the fact that they are very high-speed (after Amster it stops only at Schiphol), the price is 2.5 euros more on average than ordinary ones. Basically, this will be reflected in the payment process.
On one of our first visits to the Netherlands, to Maastricht, we were advised a day pass for the local Maastricht railway, which cost 5 euros and was incredibly profitable. And this time, despite the affordability of prices, I wanted to save some money and try to find the most profitable travel card, because from Amsterdam to Rotterdam - almost across the whole country.
Yes, there are loads of passes, ranging from the daytime OV-Dagkaart to the seasonal Zomertoer for the summer, Herfsttoer for the fall or Voordeel-urenkaart, with 40% off all tickets. There is also an Inter Rail Pass, but due to the small size of the Netherlands, this ticket is calculated directly for the Benelux, which was absolutely useless for us. In addition, it turned out that Dagkaart costs 40 euros, which means 6 hours on the train for payback, and the rest were not suitable either for the season or for the duration.
So I had to be smart and buy tickets for each trip separately.
The only way to save on travel for an adult is to use round-trip tickets, then the trip will cost 60% of the initial cost. But such a trip, there and back, must meet the period between midnight and 4 am the next day, otherwise you have to buy 2 separate tickets for single trips.
Another plus - the ticket is given not for a specific train, but for a specific date, so the trip can be split. For example, buy a ticket from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, get to Leiden, go for a walk there until the evening and in the evening take a train from Leiden to Rotterdam - all with one ticket.
How to buy tickets
OV-cards have already been discussed before, now about ordinary tickets.
You can buy tickets and public transport passes at the machines at the bus stops - there is the widest choice. Drivers and hotels are also allowed, but they may not have the entire range.
Ordinary train tickets can be bought from vending machines; you do not need to check in with them anywhere, but only show them to the conductor upon request.
To buy tickets on board the train from the controller is, however, more expensive. But there is a chance to cheat: the conductor may not appear on short hauls such as "The Hague-Leiden".
Train tickets can be bought at vending machines and at the ticket office.
The price of a regular ticket depends on the distance and age of the traveler - up to 26 years old there may be significant discounts on travel. It also makes no sense to buy tickets in advance - this will not affect the price in any way. But in order not to rush before leaving, you can take a ticket with an open date. Buying a ticket from a vending machine will cost you 0.50 euros less.
By the way, there will be a surcharge in the field in the machine for withdrawing money from cards such as VISA and Mastercard, and for free - Maestro and some local card.
How to use travel tickets
It is easy to use tickets - one-time tickets are simply bought from the tram driver or, for trains, from the machine.
Xatiti, in Holland there are 2 types of trams. It is customary to enter some either through the first door and one of the last doors, where in the middle of the carriage a conductor sits in a booth, and in front of the driver or conductor's eyes, mark a pass, or, if this is the type of tram, you can enter any door and mark with a card at the entrance.
To travel by train, you need to check in at the entrance to the station, where there are vending machines. There are no readers on trains! By the way, vending machines at the station usually have their doors open, so that those who simply cross to the other side of the station can do it without hindrance.
Oh, here's another! If you mark the entrance and exit at one train station within 60 minutes, then it is considered a free “platform ticket” (Free Platform Tickets) - they say, they went out to wave a handkerchief after a leaving friend. Free, of course.
Total transport in 2014 in the Netherlands cost us so much:
Schipshol-Amsterdam Zuid - 2.60 + 0.50 for non-Maestro card payments
Asterdam-Zaanse Schans (Koog-Zaandijk) - 6 + 0.50
Amsterdam Zuid-Rotterdam - 13.30 + 0.50
Rotterdam-Delft and back - 6.40 + 0.50
Rotterdam-Leiden - 7.10 + 0.50
Leiden-The Hague and back - 6.60 + 0.50
Travel card for 3 days in Amsterdam -16.50
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👁 Do you know? 🐒 This is the evolution of city excursions. VIP-guide - a citizen, will show the most unusual places and tell urban legends, tried it, it's fire 🚀! Prices from 600 r. - will definitely please 🤑
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On my blog there are several articles devoted to the topic “", but as it turned out, this section raises a lot of questions from those readers who are going to independently visit not only Amsterdam, but also other cities of the country.
Well, since a rather large number of questions and answers to them have accumulated in the comments to the articles, I decided to combine them into a separate article that can clarify the incomprehensible points.
After all, not every reader looks at the comments and as a result, the same questions are asked, to which the answers have already been given. In addition (to my pride), the Russian-speaking employees of the transport system, represented by Oksana and Mikhail, periodically read our discussions and really help to solve the pressing problems of misunderstanding in matters.
Question: Is it possible to transfer money back from the travel card to a bank card, if, for example, you have not spent all the money on travel and are already leaving the country and you don’t need a travel pass anymore?
Answer: Yes, you can, you just need to pay attention to the fact that it does not exceed 30 euros and you will have to pay 2.50 euros for the refund service.
Question: Please tell me, if you return money with a loss of 2.50 euros, does the chip card remain with the owner or is it taken away?
Answer: When returned, the card itself remains with the owner - a separate amount of 7.50 euros has been paid for it, and its validity period is 5 years.
Question: If when changing to a similar type of transport (for example, from bus to bus) the card will be less than 4 euros, then the "check-in" during the transfer will work or the machine will somehow show that the amount on the deposit is less than 4 euros , and therefore further travel like a hare?
Answer: When "check-in" on the bus, 4 euros will be immediately debited into a deposit (this is the maximum cost of the bus route from the starting point to the final point) and the display will show how much money is left on the card. you will pass “by a hare.” I hope that at the last section you will not fall into the clutches of controllers, since they are also people and are condescending to the mistakes of tourists, but they can “get up on the wrong foot” ...
Question: Tell me, can you also pay for suburban trains, for example, Amsterdam - Haarlem, with this card, or is it only for city transport in Amsterdam?
Answer: you can pay for suburban trains too, the only thing to note is that during the check-in - for a train, the card must have an amount of at least 20 euros.
Question: Tell me, is it possible in the NS ticket machine in advance for a certain route and upload it to an anonymous card so as not to keep a deposit of 20 euros on it and not buy a one-time ticket with an additional payment of 1 euro?
Answer: We will tell you of course - unfortunately it is impossible.
Question: Is it possible, when traveling on the NS train with a change, to skip the next train and take the second or third, and after arriving at the final station, make a "check out"?
Answer: If you go by train, you can make a "check-out" without any sanctions within 6 hours from the moment of "check-in". But, if the time is closer to midnight, then you will have less than 6 hours, because then all transactions are processed and if the controller passes on the second train, then some of you will not be happy ... One train I would still risk missing, but didn’t try two or more 🙂
Question: Is it possible to use OV-chipkaart to travel from Amsterdam to Antwerp and back on the same day? Or is it only valid in the Netherlands?
Answer: works only in the Netherlands, and to get to Antwerp you need to buy a ticket at the box office.
Question: Are there any commuter train discount cards? We plan to live in Haarlem and travel every day to Amsterdam, The Hague, Delph, etc. All this during the week. Can we save some money on the fare?
Answer: There are no train discounts for short stays in the Netherlands. There are discounts, but this applies to subscriptions - monthly or annual, for children and the elderly, students, etc. You can save a little by using OV-chipkaart or by buying tickets online, which must be printed out. Despite the fact that they are sent to the specified email address, the e-tickets shown on the gadget (phone, iPad, etc.) are NOT a travel document.
Question: Can you please tell me if this card is valid for travel throughout the Netherlands? For example, if I buy a card at the airport, then use it to travel to Amsterdam, there for a few days, using public transport (trams and metro), and then go to with this card and use it there to travel around the city (trams and metro). Is it possible?
Answer: That's right, the OV-chipkaart is valid for all public transport throughout the Netherlands, with the exception of intercity buses. So you can use the card to pay for travel in Amsterdam and in.
Question: My wife and my 23-year-old son are flying to. Further, with a change in Leiden, we move to Hillegom. Do I need to buy 3 or is one enough, but for which three times in a row you can check-in and at the exit, respectively, three times check-out?
Answer: you need to buy for each "rider", since you won't be able to check-in three times. Officially, it is considered as if one person “went in, went out, went in”;
Question: I read somewhere that the action does not apply to Arriva buses. Is this so and what advice can you give on paying for trips to Arriva?
Answer: On the official website of Arriva it is written that travel on buses is paid for, both with a ticket bought from the driver (the second, of course, is more expensive).
Question: Who is / how to get a 20% and 40% discount on OV-chipkaart? If anything, then I am 60 years old.
Answer: Discounts of 20 and 40 percent are provided for holders of different season tickets, for example, annual ones, but, unfortunately, it is not profitable for tourists (I mean buying an annual subscription).
Question: The price for travel on the e-tickets and OV-chipkaart electronic tickets by rail is identical, so the question is: e-tickets are bought for a specific train, or in the same way as OV-chipkaart, that is, without time and date, and should it be printed or is it enough to show the controller on the train on the screen of a tablet / smartphone?
Answer: An e-ticket is not tied to a specific train or location, BUT it is valid for a specific day. It MUST be printed out, since the picture on the electronic device is not a travel document (information from the official website)
Question: Refunds must be less than € 30. And, otherwise, the money will not be returned at all or only 30 euros will be returned?
Answer: The money will not be returned at all, they will be sent to ride until the balance drops to 30 euros.
Question: The website “9292.nl” does not say whether it is necessary to check-in and check-out twice when transferring from one Arriva bus to another, within one hour, but indicates one amount. Or buy a ticket from the bus driver that will be valid for an hour?
Answer: Every time you board and disembark from a bus (tram, train, metro), you must do a "check-in" and "check-out".
If, within 35 minutes after the last "check-out", you board another transport, then the system automatically takes into account that you made a change (overstappen) and does not deduct the base fare of 0.88 euros (roughly speaking - "for boarding"), but only the corresponding tariff for the kilometers traveled (they differ slightly in different provinces)
Question: I read on the Russian-language Internet that the check-in and check-out terminals are different on the train. This is true? That is, if by mistake you touch one terminal twice, the reserve 20 euros will be automatically written off? Do "check-in" and "check-out" terminals in NS and ARRIVA differ not only in color (yellow or pink), but also in some other peculiarities during check-in?
Answer: The "check-in" and "check-out" terminals are the same, the validators of different transport companies differ (for example, NS ARRIVA). After the "check-in" at the NS terminal, you will be charged a 20 EUR security deposit. If you "check-out" at the NS terminal, the deposit will be refunded (minus the cost of the flight). But, if you confuse the validator and make a "check-out" at the ARRIVA terminal instead of NS, then you and NS will not return the collateral (for them you did not check-out) and ARRIVA will write off the collateral (for them it is considered a "check -in "). Then the trip will become really expensive ... Each terminal says which company it belongs to and they stand nearby quite rarely, but it happens (especially in big cities).
Question: Can you please tell me, can you use the same device for "check-in" and "check out" in buses and trams, or can you use a special color for each procedure? And what will appear on the screen after applying the card? Everything is in Dutch there! How to understand that registration was successful?
Answer: For "check-in" and "check out" in buses and trams, the devices are the same, they are located on the handrails, on each side of the door.
If, upon entering the vehicle, make a "check-in", you will hear one sound signal ("pip"), and the device will display the message "IN OK SALDO ..." and how much money is on the card at the time of boarding, after debiting the security deposit ( 4 euros on the bus and 20 euros on the train).
When leaving the transport, when "check out", you will hear a double beep (two "pip") and you will see the inscription "UIT OK SALDO ...", how much was debited for the trip and the balance on the card.
And yet, during "check-in" and "check-out" the main thing is NOT to miss and attach the card to the pink logo of the reader, and not anywhere else. If a person did not make a "check-out" by mistake, then for the system he continues to go, as it were, until the balance is written off for the longest journey along this route.
Question: Please clarify, the NS website has information about Route cart, incl. Traject Vrij Monthly ticket. As I understand it, these are travel tickets. Are they accessible to tourists?
Answer: Of course, a tourist can buy such a pass, but the question is: will it be profitable for him? A monthly pass is a journey along a given route by train, within a month, and this is definitely more expensive than paying with an OV-chipkaart card or buying a ticket.
Question: On one of the sites about public transport in Amsterdam I read this information: "The cost of travel on the NS train will be the same if you use a card or buy a one-time ticket."
Answer: The cost of a one-time train ticket will be the same as buying it online. At the cash register and at the machine, its cost will be 1 euro more expensive.
Question: On the metro, trams and buses, you can buy a ticket for a specified period of time in the form of a paper card:
- GVB 24 Hours (1 day) - 7.50 EUR
- GVB 48 Hours (2 days) - 12.00 EUR
- GVB 72 Hours (3 days) - 16.50 EUR
- GVB 96 Hours (4 days) - 21.00 EUR
- GVB 120 Hours (5 days) - 26.00 EUR
- GVB 144 Hours (6 days) - 29.50 EUR
- GVB 164 Hours (7 days) - 32.00 EUR
Did I understand correctly that if I plan to stay in Holland for a week and travel mostly by trams, then such a pass is much more profitable for me (with an additional purchase of a train ticket if necessary), since I do not need to spend 7.50 on a card and, possibly, 2.50 for its return.
Answer: The paper GVB card is valid only in Amsterdam and how profitable it is depends on the intensity and distance of travel around the city. If it's only once a day and a couple of stops, then it's probably easier to buy a one-time ticket from the driver. If more often and further, then, of course, more profitable.
Question: If I need to travel from The Hague in transit through Leiden to Amsterdam: do I need The Hague-Leiden and Leiden-Amsterdam for this day and go by any train? Or can you buy The Hague-Amstredam right away, and then go out in Leiden, take a walk, and continue the trip? Do you need some kind of boarding validation for these tickets?
Answer: You can buy a direct ticket The Hague-Amsterdam, get off in Leiden, take a walk and then continue on to Amsterdam. Tickets for a specific route are not tied to a specific place and time, they are valid for one day from 00:00 to 04:00 the next day.
Question: Do I understand correctly that it is possible only with a card or in cash? And how to get the rest of the money back from OV-chipkaart? As I understand it, you can only return the amount below 30 euros, minus 2.5 euros for admin costs.
Answer: You can either use a debit card (at any machine on the street, at a train station or in a store), or at points of sale of OV-chipkaart cards (as a rule, they are located at train stations, at the airport, in newspaper shops). The seller can replenish the card for the amount you need and you can pay him in cash.
You can return the balance from the card at OV-chipkaart service points
Question: Is it possible to use one OV-chipkaart card for two or is it worth taking a card for each?
Answer: There is no opportunity to use the OV-chipkaart card for two people, each passenger must have their own card (say, like on a Russian bus - you don't take one ticket for two, do you?)
Question: Tell me where and how to apply if you forgot to check-out?
Answer: Contact the office of that transport company. used by: GVB, Connexxion, EBS, etc.
Question: I read that for a ticket bought in Amsterdam on a tram from a conductor or driver, you also need to do "check-in" and "check-out", because it is valid for 90 minutes. That is, you can drive a little, get off the "check-out" and then after a while get on another tram (for example, the return one). Is it so?
Answer: So! True, a ticket purchased from a driver / conductor is valid for 60 minutes, not 90. For him, "check-in" and "check-out" are also required. Within an hour, you can change to another tram / bus (for example, the return one), that is, not in the amount of an hour, but within an hour from the first validation.
Question: If a child is almost 4 years old, how can one prove to the inspectors that he is not yet 4 years old? Need to carry his documents with you?
Answer: There is no need to prove the age, the controllers take their word for it.
Question: In connection with a trip with a 10-year-old child to Leiden and Amsterdam, the following questions have accumulated:
1. Rail runner ticket for children from 4 to 11 years old - where can I buy it?
2. How much does it cost?
3. Can I use the train as well as the bus?
4. How long does it take?
5. What are the conditions of use that you need to know if you need to travel every day?
I answer point by point:
1. Children's Rail Runner tickets can be purchased at ticket offices or railway ticket vending machines.
2. A ticket costs € 2.50
3. Valid ONLY for travel on trains within the country (NOT valid for other types of public transport)
4. Valid all day long
5. From the conditions of use: a child with a Rail runner ticket can travel alone in second class carriages. He can travel in 1st class carriages only when accompanied by an adult.
Question: Are 7.5 euros paid upon purchase refundable or not?
Answer: No.
If, after reading this article about, you still have not found the answer to your question, feel free to ask it in the comments, and I (and possibly the staff of the OV-chipkaart service, represented by Oksana and Mikhail) will try to answer them.
Transport outside the urbanized part of the Netherlands is mainly represented by trains, as well as buses. In large cities, of course, there are other types of passenger vehicles: metro, tram, taxi, water transport. This article provides an overview of various means of transportation in the Netherlands: trains, buses, cars, bicycles, taxis. If the purpose of your trip is the capital of the Netherlands, then you can read our material "Transport in Amsterdam".
A train
The Netherlands is a densely populated and urbanized country, so rail transport is well developed here. In the western part of the country, the rail network is more than just a large urban network, with up to 12 trains per hour on main lines. There are two main types of trains: intercity express trains and trains that stop at all stations. At the same time, fast trains are not as fast as in some other countries, they have more stops. With the exception of a few rural lines, trains run at least half an hour on weekdays.
On some directions, in particular from Amsterdam to the north, there are no more direct routes, you will have to change trains (for example, in Amersfoort). Due to the fact that trains run one after the other, it is common to be late. However, trains are not more than 5-10 minutes late. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (National Railroad Company) boasts good punctuality - 80 - 85% (this is the percentage of trains departing / arriving within 3 minutes of the scheduled time). Trains can get crowded during peak hours, especially in the morning. Nederlandse Spoorwegen serves most routes. Several local lines in the north and east of the country are served by Syntus and.
A ticket can be bought at all stations, regardless of the operator, and there is a single national tariff system everywhere. Tickets can be purchased at automatic ticket offices by paying in coins or by credit card (the only credit card accepted is Maestro). Only large stations have regular ticket offices, and a ticket to them will cost 0.5 € more. There are two types of ticket vending machines: the old version, with a greenish LCD and 2 lines, and the new one, with a large touch screen. The latter has a menu in English. If you still have problems buying a ticket at such a ticket office, ask someone for help: almost all Dutch people speak English and will certainly help you.
Buying a ticket in advance will not lower its price, as is the practice in some countries. The ticket price is standardized and depends only on the distance. Please note that you can buy an open date ticket in advance, which will take effect as soon as you enter the platform, but it will not become cheaper - this is simply for the convenience of passengers. You can buy round-trip tickets (called retour, there will be savings: the price of a one-way ticket will be 60% of the round-trip ticket price), but you can buy tickets only on the day of departure, or in the case of a weekend retour (the same ratio in price) - for the period between Friday 19:00 and Monday 4:00. As in many countries, there is some distinction between first and second class. The second class ticket costs 60% of the first class ticket price. The main advantage of the latter is the smaller number of passengers in the carriage, and the seats and aisles there are usually wider.
For foreigners, such a mistake is typical: they, without hesitation, buy a ticket from vending machines with a 40% discount. However, a special discount card is required to use this ticket. However, you can use another person's discount card.
There are no conductors on the trains, as in some other countries. If you buy your ticket already on the train, you will have to pay the regular price plus a € 35 fine. If you had a valid reason (for example, the machine did not work), the fine can be refunded, but only after a written appeal to the NS office. In such cases, the conductors are not allowed to act at their own discretion, which causes sharp criticism in the society, but so far everything remains the same. If you have neither money nor a passport, you will be arrested. And the more you argue with the guide, the sooner he will turn to the help of the transport police.
Night trains run between Rotterdam, Delft, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht, which is very convenient for nightlife lovers and airport passengers. They go all night long, every hour in all directions. However, the journey from Rotterdam to Utrecht on such a train will take approximately two hours (in the afternoon - 40 minutes). On the night from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, there are also trains to North Brabant: you can go to 'Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven, Tilburg and Breda.
Railway tickets
If you plan to travel around the Netherlands mainly by rail, consider purchasing the Eurail pass with Benelux package. This will allow you to make any trip within Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg within a few days. You can purchase the Eurail Benelux Pass for 3 days for 187 euros, 4 days for 224 euros, 5 days for 260 euros, 8 days for 353 euros.
Europeans who are not eligible to purchase the Eurail pass should look for the Inter Rail Pass, which will also allow them to travel on trains at a discounted rate.
If you are staying in the Netherlands for just one day, and you are going to see as many objects as possible and plan to travel by train, you should purchase NS-Dagkaart. This is an all-inclusive ticket and will allow you to use all public transport in the Netherlands for a fixed fee. Various promotions for the sale of travel cards are held every month. You can buy a day ticket for 13 or 16 euros. You can track stocks on the Treinreiziger.nl website.
It's a bit of a gamble to take advantage of the added benefits of an “off-rush hour” or “annual pass” (such tickets are usually held by students or government officials). This way you can save on travel without having any travel card at all: just find a student with an OV-Kaart (annual public transport pass) or one with a Voordeelurenkaart and who travels in the same direction as you. He has the right to take with him up to three fellow travelers, who also have the right to purchase tickets with a 40 percent discount. You must purchase a discounted train ticket in advance, and finding someone who goes where you are is not a problem. This ticket is valid only on weekends, on weekdays from 9:00, on national holidays and in summer in July and August. When the conductor asks you to present your ticket, your travel companion must show their pass. Who exactly it will be does not matter at all, as long as you agree with him to go through the control.
Bus
In the Netherlands, long-distance bus travel is inconvenient. Buses are usually used to travel to small towns or small regions, not between them. Usually it is convenient to travel by bus for a distance of no more than 10 km.
In addition, the bus routes have a big disadvantage - they are not direct. For example, if you want to get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, then on the way you will have to call in Schiphol, Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague and Delft.
In Amsterdam and some other large cities, public transport runs at night. Typically, the ticket will cost more than a day ticket, or you will have to buy a special ticket for the night bus in advance. In some cases, the usual strippenkaart does not work, they can only be used for daytime travel.
Automobile
A car is a good way to explore rural areas, especially those that cannot be reached by train, such as Valuwe, Zeeland or the North Sea islands. Driving in the Netherlands is usually pleasant: the road network is extensive, there are signs on the roads in the right places, and Dutch drivers are some of the least aggressive in Europe. However, it is one of the most populous countries in the world, so prepare yourself for heavy traffic and traffic jams everywhere except in the northern part of the country.
Driving tips for the Netherlands
When driving in town, always make way for cyclists when crossing bike lanes. If you find yourself in an accident involving a cyclist, you will automatically be found guilty (until proven otherwise). If you want to see only cities, it is better not to take a car. Due to limited road capacity and parking difficulties, most major cities are actively moving away from cars. Buses on the route have priority when exiting the stop, so be careful as they can enter the lane in front of you, confident that you will give way.
There are many road signs, but a map is very useful to have, especially in cities where there are many one-way streets and it is not always easy to get from one part of the city to another. Be careful not to navigate the designated bus lane (often labeled Lijnbus or Bus) or cycle paths marked with a bicycle or reddish asphalt. In addition, do not drive in the reverse lanes (Spitsstrook) if a red X is lit above them - this sign indicates that this lane is not allowed to be used now.
Right-hand traffic. The speed limit in residential areas is 50 km / h, and in some areas it does not exceed 30 km / h. Outside the city, you can drive at a speed of 80 km / h (as on most northern roads). On some local roads the speed is limited to 60 km / h. On motorways, it is allowed to drive at a speed of 120 km / h, with the exception of some highways, where the speed limit is 100 km / h. During rush hours, there are signs above most roads to indicate what speed is currently allowed.
Throughout the country, the speed of passing cars is controlled by the police. Pay particular attention to the "Trajectcontrole" sign: it means that the road you are driving is automatically tracked for the average speed of the vehicle over a long distance.
Alcohol and driving are incompatible, this is strictly monitored. The breathing tube test is often used, either selectively (you pull over to the side of the road and a police officer thinks it necessary to test you for alcohol) or everyone else (for example, the police have an alcohol checkpoint on the highway). A solid yellow line next to the sidewalk means that stopping is prohibited, and a dashed yellow line means that parking is prohibited. At some junctions on the road, there is a broken line similar to shark's teeth, which means that you must give way to other vehicles.
Note that the police also use covert patrolling, especially on highways. They have video surveillance systems at their disposal, and it often happens that you will not be stopped immediately after breaking the rules, but will continue to follow you. If you continue to violate the rules, you will be fined for all violations at once.
Breakdown and accident
If your car breaks down on the motorway, you need to walk to the nearest emergency telephone (praatpalen) on the road. They are easy to recognize: they are yellow, 1.5 meters high, with a round lid and "ears" sticking out from above. They can be used to directly contact emergency services.
If you are involved in an accident, then, according to the rules, both drivers must fill out and sign statements for their insurance companies. You must always have such a form on hand. The police must be notified if you have damaged public property, especially along motorways, if you have caused harm to someone, or if another driver refuses to sign the insurance statement. By hiding from the scene of the accident, you are breaking the law. If you see another driver doing this, call the police and wait for her to arrive. Emergency telephone number 112 (free, you can even dial from a disconnected mobile phone); regular, non-urgent police call - 0900-8844.
Gas station
Fuel is easy to find. There are many petrol stations along the motorways, operating around the clock, 7 days a week. There are more and more automatic gas stations (even along the highways), where gasoline is sold at lower prices. These deserted stations accept all common debit and credit cards. All filling stations sell both gasoline and diesel fuel; all premium brands have the same octane number (they say, to compensate for the high price, they add additives to improve engine performance). Liquefied gas is sold at many gas stations along the motorways, but you will never find it in the populated areas. Its symbol is a green icon depicting a gas station, it is located next to the usual black icon depicting a gas station. Do not use truck diesel to fuel your car: the fuel is the same, but the pressure is much higher.
Parking in the Netherlands
Parking fees in the city can be quite significant. If you are visiting a major city, especially Amsterdam, but also other large cities such as Utrecht or Rotterdam, seriously consider getting there by public transport, this will avoid traffic jams and huge difficulties associated with finding a parking place. In many cities, your car will either be blocked or towed if you stand in this place for too long (or stand in a place reserved for disabled people or special vehicles). On the outskirts of most large cities there is an opportunity to take advantage of the privileges of “parking” tickets; you can park your car cheaply here and continue your journey with public transport. Please note that public transport operates at night in Amsterdam and The Hague (however, only on weekends), with the exception of trains.
Taxi
Taxi prices in the Netherlands are quite high. Taxi drivers are licensed but do not pass a qualification test to prove that they know the streets of the city well. However, such an exam is planned to be introduced in the future. All licensed taxis have a blue number.
Some drivers refuse to take short trips (less than € 10). It is illegal, but it is difficult to challenge such a refusal. The minimum price (price for boarding a taxi) is 3 euros. The maximum charge is based on meter readings. Waiting costs € 0.35 per minute. If you agree on the price in advance, then you need to pay this amount, or the one that the meter will show, whichever is less. The law prohibits getting into a taxi without having enough money to pay for the trip, so it is advisable to agree on the price in advance.
A bike
Cycling in the Netherlands is much safer than in other countries due to the well-developed infrastructure: cycle paths, cycle lanes and signposted cycle paths. Below are a few things that cyclists in the Netherlands need to know about.
- Cycle lanes and bike lanes are indicated by a round blue sign with a white bicycle, on the pavement or red asphalt. You must drive exclusively in these lanes.
- Cyclists are required to obey the same road signs as drivers - unless there is a sign stating the opposite (for example, the image of a bicycle under the "No entry" sign).
- Unlike Germany and Belgium, where many places are required by regulations to drive on the sidewalk, if there is no cycle path or cycle lane, drive on the carriageway.
- On some narrow streets, if there is a cycle path, mopeds can ride along it, rather than as usual along the main part of the street.
- Bicycles must be equipped with a working headlight and taillight, reflectors alone are not enough. You can be fined 40 € for riding a bike in the dark without headlights. Small, battery-powered LED headlights are not compliant, but are often deemed acceptable by the police.
- You can simply cycle through the city and the surrounding area, without a goal to get from point A to point B. Many bicycle routes marked with road signs are designed specifically for such cases, most of them resemble an octagon and will return you at the end of the walk to the starting point. Some routes pass through rural areas inaccessible to cars. Cycling signs are usually white with a red border and red lettering. Note that in the southern part of the Netherlands you can create your own routes by linking marked and numbered waypoints together, called "knooppunten".
- You can take your bike with you on the train for a day trip to another city or region. It costs 6 euros. It is not recommended to take your bike with you during peak hours. There is another option: rent it at the station itself (or nearby). To transport a bike, you need another ticket, which is easy to buy at automated ticket offices. If the bike is foldable, then folded it can be carried free of charge.
- You can load your tent onto your bike and travel across the country. To do this, you must be fit and not afraid of rain. There are national long distance cycling routes designed specifically for this type of recreation (long distance cycling routes in the Netherlands can be viewed on the website).
- Bicycle theft is a serious problem in the Netherlands, especially around train stations and in big cities. Never leave your bike in the parking lot near the station, use guarded bike parking (stalling). Usually, 2 different types of locks are used (for example, a lock chain and a lock on the tube). This is because bicycle thieves tend to specialize in one type of lock, or carry the best tools for one type of lock. If there is no dedicated parking nearby, the bike should be fastened to a lamp post or something similar. Bicycle thieves simply pick up unattended bicycles and load them onto pickup trucks so they can safely pick the locks.
- If you buy a stolen bike, the transaction will be declared illegal and the police will arrest the buyer as well. If you buy a bike at a suspiciously low price (for example, between 10 and 20 €) or in a suspicious place (usually on the street), the law is considered that you “suspected or could have assumed” that the bike was stolen. In other words, not knowing the reason for selling a bike is no excuse. Sometimes even the police themselves sell stolen bicycles in order to arrest potential buyers.
The country has a good transport infrastructure. An extensive system of highways and express roads, an extensive railway and bus network cover the entire country, providing ease of communication with any point. The road condition is excellent.
On highways, speed is limited to 120 km / h, on local highways - 100 km / h, within settlements - 50 or even 30 km / h, police radars are installed everywhere.
The central lane of many streets is reserved for public transport. On city streets, cyclists are given priority in order of movement.
Parking on many streets, especially in areas of concentration of attractions and public transport stops, is extremely difficult.
Last changes: 24.02.2013
Public transport
The cities have a unified urban transport system (GVB), which includes trams, trolleybuses and buses (including the night routes "nachtbussen").Cities are divided into transport zones, and depending on the route of the trip, coupons need to be punched out as many times as the zones cross the route. At night, the fare on a bus for one or two zones is doubled, and for three zones - one and a half times.
A single-trip ticket is valid for an hour and costs ~ 1.5 EUR. It is more profitable to purchase reusable strippenkaarten tickets, consisting of several coupons (15 coupons cost ~ 5 EUR), as well as one-day “dagkaart” tickets for ~ 6 EUR and nine-day single tickets for 22-30 EUR.
Public transport in Amsterdam consists of buses, trams, 4 metro lines and 4 ferry crossings.
Taxis can be taken at a special parking lot or ordered by phone. The basic fare is about 2 EUR plus 1-1.5 EUR per kilometer.
The Dutch often use a bicycle as a means of transportation - their number exceeds the number of inhabitants of the country. On the roads and city streets a separate place is reserved for bicycle lanes, and there are special parking lots for bicycles practically at every corner. Bicycles can also be rented from special locations.
Last changes: 18.04.2010
Air transport
The country's main airport, Schiphol, is the hub for local and international airlines. At the airport, you can use the luggage storage services (there are automatic and regular luggage storage rooms for up to one month) and an information center, as well as rent a mobile phone.An economical option to get from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam is a free city bus that runs on schedule.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Railway transport
Dutch Railways - modern rolling stock and strict adherence to the schedule. Suburban and intercity passenger trains usually run until 1: 00-2: 00 at an hourly interval.Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) trains are the main means of transport in the country.
Major cities are connected with each other at intervals of half an hour or fifteen minutes. The main hubs are Amsterdam and nearby Utrecht. Most trains are fast InterCity (IC) and Sneltrein. The regional trains that stop at each station are simply called Stoptrein.
The price does not depend on the type of train, there are no surcharges in domestic traffic. Tickets are relatively inexpensive. If you intend to travel intensively in Holland, then the EuroDomino Netherlands pass is probably suitable for you.
If you are traveling by train, pay attention to the signs on the platforms. Most trains go to or through Amsterdam Central Station, but it may turn out that a train approaching the underground platform should not go to another city or country, but only to the other end of the city to the South Station.
