Bye bye OV chip card! Hello, travelling by bank card

In the summer of 2022, you will be able to check into Dutch public transport in style with just a debit card, credit card, or a digital wallet on your phone. 📱

Are you constantly losing your OV chip card? Or do you often worry about whether you put money on it this month? Well, you can finally rest easy — because your prayers have been answered! 🙏🏻

Checking into public transport with just your debit card/credit card will be widely available starting next year, reports Tweakers.

OV pay baby

The Netherlands is currently testing out the new system, called OVpay, in Lelystad and Gooi en Vechtstreek.

For the time being, you can only do debit card check-ins for full-fare travel. However, this new strategy wants to eventually connect travel products (like discount subscriptions) to people’s bank accounts. Handig!

A contactless, pay-as-you-go system has already been operating in London for a few years now and Dutchies have taken notice of this. 👀

New OV chip card and app

A new OV chip card and app that doesn’t require a bank card to be linked to it will also be available.

In 2019, it was announced that the current OV chip card is expected to be phased out in 2023.

What do you think about paying for public transport by bank card? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image: Kloeg008/Depositphotos

Nicole Ogden 🇹🇭 🇺🇸
Nicole Ogden 🇹🇭 🇺🇸
Hailing from the bustling city of Bangkok, Nicole is a Thai/American international student who came to the Netherlands to study linguistics. When she's not reading books or listening to true crime podcasts, she's practising her singing and guitar skills! She is also attempting to pick up the Dutch language (moeilijk).

28 COMMENTS

  1. Is this going to be as impossible for tourists or visitors to use as any non/Dutch bank card? I’ve encountered shops that don’t take cash and only accept Dutch PIN cards…So in effect my business wasn’t wanted. Just one more step to making NL an even less friendly Nation to visit?

    • Well, then don’t come. Or just don’t go to those shops or whatever. People have the choice of operating however they want.

    • It sometimes malfunctions as being already read, it sure isn’t better than the possibility of having an app, where you can at imaginably report issues.

  2. Stop calling the Dutch “Dutchies”. It’s a stupid term. No, even if some Dutch people sometimes call themselves that, it’s not a good word to use to describe a whole nation.
    Do you call Americans “Yanks”? The French, “Frenchies”? Just stop it.

  3. Having been using this system in London it is so much better. The ov chip card system is so dumb. Good bye €20 deposit stuck permanently on my card. It really is extortionate, the current system. Can’t wait until they get rid of it.

  4. No thanks! This means my bank card will wear off and be replaced more often as a result of regular use. I will still prefer to use the ov chipkaart.

  5. Definitely NO! No credit/debit card system, especially NO for the credit cards. Tourist already many times in difficulty because many shops don’t accept foreign cards, especially American express, or what about people who don’t have? Yes, because not everyone has credit/debit cards. One other factors that credit cards are very personal, our bank account number, details, our safety in case of losing. So, definitely one big N O

  6. 1 less card and a consolidated one is good, makes it easier Thor monthly statement check. For tourist, I would suggest to have “tourist traveling” card where they can buy and top up anywhere.

  7. Much easier for tourists. I live in Canada and have difficulty getting chip cards as only a few stations carry it and I am not up to date on prices.

  8. 🤣 I’m afraid, hope not because I’m very forgetful sometimes if using my bank card all the time it’s more problem. Ov is better atleast if you loose it you can just block it. Than losing your bank card and what if you don’t have cash too. I think this idea is not smart 😅

  9. The NS (train service) will miss the millions of euros from the OV cards that are unclaimed each year. Remember that if you do not check out you get charged for the entire trajectory of the train you were on. And how will someone get their charges back or be checked on the train by the conductor….with OV it was an arbitrary system… with your bank card every condutor will have access to check if you paid. 🤔 Hmmmm

  10. I am a dutchie and travelled through Norway where you can pay for your busfare with your bank/debet or credit card. Perfect system and that will work fine for the dutchies in The Netherlands.

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