The Netherlands could be getting a €49 unlimited transport pass this summer

As petrol prices batter wallets across the Netherlands, the cabinet plans to make public transport a lot cheaper with an unlimited public transport pass.

For a €49 fee, you could travel freely on all buses, trams, trains, and metros throughout the Netherlands.

However, there’s a catch: the so-called “Nederlands Ticket” would be valid for unlimited travel during off-peak hours for three consecutive months this summer.

According to NOS, the minority cabinet quite likes the idea. Come summer, life could be an OV-dream.

Here’s how it works

The logic is simple: expensive petrol? We don’t need it anymore.

Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks-PvdA argues that cheaper public transport eases the pressure on household budgets and helps reduce the demand for fuel.

“Cheaper public transport is good for people’s wallets and helps with the energy crisis. We want public transport to be a good and affordable alternative to the car,” Klaver tells NOS.

However, the question remains: If most commuters use cars to get to work, how does it help that the Nederlands Ticket only works outside rush hour?

Klaver asserts that’s not a problem for most, since commuters already receive a travel expense allowance from their employer. The target audience is anyone making discretionary trips, such as family visits or day trips.

For those travellers, Klaver says the pass would cut monthly costs by around 60%.

Where did this idea come from?

Germany has operated a similar scheme since the war in Ukraine began, so the Netherlands wouldn’t exactly be reinventing the wheel.

Klaver estimates the cost of the discounted travel pass at €118 million, which is only a fraction of the nearly €1 billion energy crisis package the cabinet announced earlier this week.

Today, parliament is holding a major debate on the cabinet’s response to the energy crisis stemming from the war in West Asia. With the minority cabinet needing opposition support to get measures through, GroenLinks-PvdA’s plan appears to have real traction.

Klaver tells NOS, “I have high hopes that we will get it done.”

Would a €49 unlimited off-peak travel pass change how you get around this summer? Let us know in the comments below.