Checking in for the train with your bank card or phone? Here’s how you can be one of the first

Hoping to make train travel “even easier and more flexible,” NS will trial travellers using their bank cards to check in and out.

Travellers will also be able to check in with their digital bank cards on smartphones using Apple Pay and Google Pay.

After making the initial announcement last week, the NS is now on the hunt for the first guinea pigs.

There’s a catch

Of course, this doesn’t mean train tickets and OV chipcards are going away anytime soon.

“We want to offer travellers extra choice to travel easily by train”, says Ivo Steffens, director of commerce for the NS.

“Checking in and out for the train is just as easy and quick as a contactless payment for your groceries. You don’t have to buy a ticket or load balance, but you can check in immediately and get your train.”

However, there is one catch for avid travellers. During the trial, only full-fare train travel is possible. NS season tickets and other discounts cannot be linked to a debit card (yet).

Become a trial traveller

From August 15 to August 22, NS will recruit “a limited number” of participants for the trials at six stations: Amsterdam Central, Rotterdam Central, The Hague Central, Utrecht Central, Den Bosch, and Delft. Spannend! (Exciting!)

Travellers can only register at these locations from 10 AM to 7 PM through an NS team set up in the stations.

Starting August 29, travellers can travel on all NS routes in the country using their contactless debit or credit card.

While these travellers will be paying the full fare, they do get a bonus: pay for a second-class ticket, and they can travel in first-class. Fancy!

Barriers adjusted

All terminals and gates have new card readers, which now include the contactless payment logo.

Renting a public transport bicycle (OV fiets) or access to a P+R site is not possible with bank cards (yet). After the trial, the NS hopes to make bank card payments and other facilities available to everyone.

Do you want to become a trial traveller for contactless bank card payments? Tell us in the comments!