Found yourself paying for a taxi during a train strike day last year? Well, at least you could claim up to €25 in compensation. From now on, you’ll get nothing (and you’ll still be late for work).
The NS has announced that compensation will be scrapped for anyone who has to pay for alternative transport during a train strike.
Speaking with RTL Nieuws, Bertien Braak, Director of Commerce and IT at NS, describes the scheme as “complicated, labour-intensive, and, most importantly, susceptible to abuse.”
Yep, let’s blame it on those cheeky people who remain at home in their pyjamas while claiming €25 for the taxi they never took.
Claims can take months to check
However, it’s not just the worry that people are taking advantage of the scheme that has led to this decision. It’s also just a lot of work for the NS.
“Due to our checks, travellers sometimes have to wait months for their claim, while it is difficult to determine whether all those claims are legitimate,” Braak tells the outlet.
And with previous strikes, such as those in June 2025 bringing in 180,000 compensation requests, and more strikes on the horizon for 2026, it makes sense that the company would opt to scrap the compensation now.
Not to mention, the NS had to fork out €2.8 million in compensation for June’s strikes alone.
No compensation for upcoming strikes
This means that if you were hoping to get compensation for the upcoming train strikes on September 9, you might want to opt for a bike instead.
The NS tries to give this development a positive spin, writing that the money they would have lost to compensation claims in September should be put towards improving travellers’ experience instead.
“The strike is not directed against NS. At the same time, such a strike does lead to high costs for NS. The money involved is ultimately paid by the travellers. NS would rather spend that on things that improve the journey for travellers,” they write.
However, while they may be scrapping compensation in case of strikes, you don’t have to worry about compensation in case of delays. Thankfully, that one small mercy remains for now.
Dig what you’re reading? Get more of it! Join our WhatsApp channel or Instagram broadcast to get the latest news straight to your pocket.
