Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) is the state railway company of the Netherlands and operates the majority of passenger traffic on the Dutch rail network.
Summary
- NS accepts FIP Coupons and FIP 50 tickets.
- Reservations are generally not required.
- Supplement required for Eurocity Direct (ECD) and partly for Intercity Direct (ICD).
- For FIP Coupons, a gate-pass coupon is required for access through station gates.
Validity of FIP Tickets
FIP Coupons: ✅
FIP Coupons for Relatives: ✅
FIP 50 Tickets: ✅
FIP Coupons and FIP 50 tickets are valid on NS services. For cross-border journeys, either a continuous FIP 50 ticket or FIP Coupons for both countries are required.
Train Categories and Reservations
Within the Netherlands, reservations are not required on NS and are often not possible. For cross-border ICE and IC trains to Germany, reservations are possible and, for example, mandatory in summer 2025 (only for cross-border journeys). Supplements must be paid for Eurocity Direct and partly for Intercity Direct trains.
InterCity Express (ICE) ⚠️
Description:
High-speed trains of Deutsche Bahn, operated by NS in the Netherlands. They run between Amsterdam and Germany (Cologne / Frankfurt am Main), but can also be used within the Netherlands between Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Arnhem with FIP Coupons without a supplement. However, a supplement is required with FIP 50 tickets.
Reservation possible: yes
Reservation required: no (cross-border during high season: yes)
Reservation cost: 🟡
5.20 € (2nd class)
6.50 € (1st class)
Supplement: ⚠️
When using FIP 50 tickets, an ICE supplement of 3€ per journey must be paid. No supplement is required with FIP Coupons.
The supplement can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. On site, the supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
InterCity Express (ICE) ⚠️
Description:
High-speed trains of Deutsche Bahn, operated by NS in the Netherlands. They run between Amsterdam and Germany (Cologne / Frankfurt am Main), but can also be used within the Netherlands between Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Arnhem with FIP Coupons without a supplement. However, a supplement is required with FIP 50 tickets.
Reservation possible: yes
Reservation required: no (cross-border during high season: yes)
Reservation cost: 🟡
5.20 € (2nd class)
6.50 € (1st class)
Supplement: ⚠️
When using FIP 50 tickets, an ICE supplement of 3€ per journey must be paid. No supplement is required with FIP Coupons.
The supplement can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. On site, the supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
Eurocity Direct (ECD) ⚠️
Description:
International, supplement-required train between Lelystad, Amsterdam, and Brussels, stopping at Almere, Schiphol, Rotterdam, and Antwerp.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Supplement: ⚠️
Between Rotterdam and Schiphol, a supplement of 3 € must be paid for both FIP 50 tickets and FIP Coupons.
This can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. The supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
Holders of an OV-chipkaart can buy a discounted supplement for 1.80 € at the supplement counter in the station during off-peak times.
With FIP 50 tickets, prices may vary by train category.
Eurocity Direct (ECD) ⚠️
Description:
International, supplement-required train between Lelystad, Amsterdam, and Brussels, stopping at Almere, Schiphol, Rotterdam, and Antwerp.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Supplement: ⚠️
Between Rotterdam and Schiphol, a supplement of 3 € must be paid for both FIP 50 tickets and FIP Coupons.
This can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. The supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
Holders of an OV-chipkaart can buy a discounted supplement for 1.80 € at the supplement counter in the station during off-peak times.
With FIP 50 tickets, prices may vary by train category.
Eurocity (EC)
Description:
International train between Rotterdam and Brussels with several intermediate stops.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Eurocity (EC)
Description:
International train between Rotterdam and Brussels with several intermediate stops.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Intercity Direct (ICD) ⚠️
Description:
Partly supplement-required fast train between Lelystad or Amersfoort, Amsterdam Zuid, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Centraal, and Breda.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Supplement: ⚠️
When using FIP 50 tickets between Rotterdam and Schiphol, a supplement of 3 € must be paid. No supplement is required with FIP Coupons.
This can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. The supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
Holders of an OV-chipkaart can buy a discounted supplement for 1.80 € at the supplement counter in the station during off-peak times.
With FIP 50 tickets, prices may vary by train category.
Intercity Direct (ICD) ⚠️
Description:
Partly supplement-required fast train between Lelystad or Amersfoort, Amsterdam Zuid, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Centraal, and Breda.
More information
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Supplement: ⚠️
When using FIP 50 tickets between Rotterdam and Schiphol, a supplement of 3 € must be paid. No supplement is required with FIP Coupons.
This can be purchased online, in the NS app, or at ticket machines/counters. The supplement can be loaded onto an OV-chipkaart. Without an OV-chipkaart, an additional fee of 1.50 € is charged for a single-use ticket.
Holders of an OV-chipkaart can buy a discounted supplement for 1.80 € at the supplement counter in the station during off-peak times.
With FIP 50 tickets, prices may vary by train category.
Intercity (IC)
Description:
Unlike in other countries, these are not true long-distance trains, but rather fast regional trains with few stops.
An exception is the IC Amsterdam - Berlin, which is a true cross-border IC with stops only at major hubs.
Reservation possible: only on the IC Amsterdam - Berlin
Reservation required: no (cross-border during high season: yes)
Reservation cost: 🟡
5.20 € (2nd class)
6.50 € (1st class)
Intercity (IC)
Description:
Unlike in other countries, these are not true long-distance trains, but rather fast regional trains with few stops.
An exception is the IC Amsterdam - Berlin, which is a true cross-border IC with stops only at major hubs.
Reservation possible: only on the IC Amsterdam - Berlin
Reservation required: no (cross-border during high season: yes)
Reservation cost: 🟡
5.20 € (2nd class)
6.50 € (1st class)
Sneltrein (RE)
Description:
Regional trains with more stops than Intercity, but still only at important stations.
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Sneltrein (RE)
Description:
Regional trains with more stops than Intercity, but still only at important stations.
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Sprinter
Description:
Regional trains for short connections, stopping at every station along the route.
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Sprinter
Description:
Regional trains for short connections, stopping at every station along the route.
Reservation possible: no
Reservation required: no
Trains of the Sneltrein / Regional-Express (RE) category, including the connections Venlo - Hamm (Germany), Maastricht - Aachen (Germany), and Arnhem - Düsseldorf (Germany), as well as other RE connections, are not operated by NS and cannot be used with FIP.
Ticket and Reservation Purchase
Online
- NS Website:
Reservation: ⛔
FIP 50 tickets: ⛔ - Deutsche Bahn Website:
Reservation: ✅ For cross-border ICE trains
FIP 50 tickets: ⛔ - Deutsche Bahn FIP Booking (FIP DB):
Link in DB Reisemarkt
Reservation: ✅ For cross-border ICE trains
FIP 50 tickets: ✅
Cross-border FIP 50 tickets, with ticket portion only for the Dutch section, for Deutsche Bahn employees - Deutsche Bahn FIP Booking (FIP International)
Reservation: ✅ For cross-border ICE trains
FIP 50 tickets: ✅
Cross-border FIP 50 tickets for the entire route (not valid in your own country)
On Site
- NS ticket counters:
FIP 50 tickets can only be purchased at full-service (Light) stations with ticket counters. As of December 2023, these are: Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Zuid, Arnhem Centraal, Breda, Den Haag Centraal, Eindhoven Centraal, Enschede, Haarlem, Leeuwarden, Leiden Centraal, Maastricht, Rotterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport, Utrecht Centraal, Zaandam, Zwolle
Reservation: ✅
FIP 50 tickets: ✅ - Other options:
FIP 50 tickets can also be purchased at CFL, DB, and SNCB travel centers.
On the Train
FIP 50 tickets cannot be purchased on the train. 1
Arrival and Border Points
Germany
From Germany, the cross-border ICE from Frankfurt / Cologne / Düsseldorf can be used to enter the NS network. For cross-border journeys, an additional DB ticket is required. There are also various regional trains, but only two are valid with FIP: the connections from Dortmund to Enschede and Münster to Enschede. Here, DB Regio operates on the German section. With an additional ticket for the German section of DB, you are covered. On the RE routes Hamm - Venlo and Düsseldorf - Arnhem, the Deutschlandticket is valid for the entire route. If you have this ticket, you can also enter the Netherlands.
Belgium
From Belgium, cross-border regional trains (including the IC here) can be used, but an additional FIP ticket from SNCB is required. There are also long-distance trains (ECD and EC), where an additional supplement may be required when traveling on the Rotterdam - Schiphol axis. With the Eurostar (formerly Thalys), you can also reach the SNCB network from the Netherlands. Here, a special FIP ticket from Eurostar is required for the entire route (including within the Netherlands). (see Eurostar)
Border Points
Border Points
| Railway Company | Border Points |
|---|---|
| DB AG | Bentheim (Gr), Emmerich (Gr), Herzogenrath (Gr), Venlo (Gr), Weener (Gr) |
| SNCB | Roosendaal (fr), Visé |
| THI | Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Schiphol |
Border Points
| Railway Company | Border Points |
|---|---|
| DB AG | Bentheim (Gr), Emmerich (Gr), Herzogenrath (Gr), Venlo (Gr), Weener (Gr) |
| SNCB | Roosendaal (fr), Visé |
| THI | Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Schiphol |
Discounts
No discounts are known.
Special Tariff Conditions
Ticket Barriers at Stations
With the FIP Coupon, you receive an NS gate-pass coupon with a barcode to open the gates at NS stations. This is a gate-pass, not a ticket. It is valid for use on 8 separate days (00:00 to 23:59) within a period of 3 months from the first day of use. The first use at a gate sets the start date. Within a day:
- You can check in and out 6 times at the same station.
- You can check in and out a total of 12 times nationwide.
If needed, a new gate-pass coupon can be requested at the NS ticket counter.
Experiences
NS impresses with a dense schedule and good connections. Delays and cancellations do occur, but due to the high frequency, they are often not too problematic. Nevertheless, you should not plan with tight connections, as trains rarely wait for each other. The 1st class in NS trains is often not much more comfortable than 2nd class.
Sources
