It’s happened to all of us: you’re standing at your platform when someone comes up to you and says “Hey, do you mind if I tell the conductor I’m travelling with you?”
No, it’s not because you emit maternal energy and this person is feeling particularly vulnerable. It’s because they’ve bought a ticket with a 40% joint travel discount — without a travel buddy.
If you say yes, this person can simply say “I’m with them” when a conductor checks their ticket and… ta-dahh, they’ve saved 40% on travel costs.
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By doing this, many train travellers save money — and the NS wants to put an end to it.
A more complicated process
From April 22, the process of getting a joint travel discount will become much more complicated.
The NS has announced that those who wish to travel using the discount will now have to buy the ticket using a code that must be generated by the person they are travelling with.
They can then use this code to purchase an e-ticket online or activate the discount on their own NS subscription. When a conductor scans their ticket, they will see which NS cardholder they are travelling with.
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In doing this, the NS claims it hopes to provide “more clarity” — but all this sounds a tad bit more confusing than just buying a ticket at the machine.
In reality, the goal of this change is to make sure that people no longer try to dodge the full price of a train ticket.
You heard the NS, cough it up. 🥲
Do you make use of the joint travel discount? Tell us your thoughts on this change in the comments below!
