Dutch rail travel query

[kintbury jon]

Evening all,

 

We've just booked a week in holland at around Easter time near Arnhem. We would like to go to Amsterdam on one of the days and have thought about going by train. The journey is around about an hour, looking at the NS website it's going to cost 27 Euro's each for a return and 17 Euros for my son. I know the exchange rate is a bit poor but over 70 Euros strikes me as a bit pricey for the distance (about 60 miles).

 

Does anyone know whether there is anywaay of travelling by rail in Holland any cheaper?

 

Thanks,

 

Jon

[chrisf]

I've been trying to remember what type of ticket I bought for my visit in 2007. I was part of a party organised by the RCTS based in Utrecht for a week and using rover tickets valid for three days. You may well find that getting a rover before you go to the Netherlands will save you quite a bit. Try asking a travel agent such as Ffestiniog Travel [others are available but at this time of the morning my forgettery is having trouble retrieving the gen].

 

Chris

 

Edit: found it - www.internationalrail.com Bon voyage [sorry, don't know the Dutch for that]

[kintbury jon]

Many thanks gents - i'll get looking!

[Dutch Tractor]

Being a customer of NS (Dutch Railways) on daily basis for the past 10 years there are a few poorly documented ticket options to consider:

 

If your children are under 4 then they will travel for free. If your children are over 4 and under 12 then there is whats called a rail runner ticket. If your children travel with an adult who pays for a full ticket then you can buy a rail runner for 2.50 euro's for the whole trip. (up to 4 rail-runners per adult I think but I would need to check the ns website).

 

Also if you yourself are over 65 then you qualify for the reduction tariff and not full fare.

 

The point in an earlier post about buying your ticket from overseas is a good one as NS offers a lot of discounted tickets in this way (e.g. with a ferry for example)

 

I hope this helps and you have a nice visit.

[Edwin_m]

Both times I've been to the Netherlands (most recently in 2007) I found the ticket machines only took Euro coins or some form of chip and pin card that wasn't available in the UK (or at least I didn't have one!). When we got dropped at a small station (no ticket office) to find our way back to the airport I was glad my colleague had some coins as I only had notes.