According to Eurostat, the Netherlands has the most expensive public transportation system in the EU (35% higher than average to be exact). This research was first reported by RTL Nieuws.
The research includes things such as taxi’s, helicopters and planes. But I’m struggling with writing this article straight away though, as I can assure you that the UK has much higher transportation costs and the UK has not left the EU yet (thus part of the 2017 figures), so I am dubious of the research. (E.g. for a train going the same distance, you can pay up to 6 times as much as NL and I’m not even kidding – also taxis and buses are expensive). Not everyone takes a helicopter and plane on a daily basis. So bear in mind the research is including everything (but yeah, if you’re a Brit reading, I feel ya. The costs are crazy).
It also doesn’t appear to factor in discounts in the research, so the likelihood of scoring a good deal on transport. Having said all of this, the Netherlands scores highly overall for the quality of public transport, but according to the research, it just doesn’t compare to other countries when it comes to the money side of things.
Cheaper alternatives
Countries in the EU, such as Luxembourg, plan to have their public transportation system completely free by 2020. A very ambitious and impressive move. Of course, this is much cheaper that the Netherlands, where you still need your discounts in order to get a good deal when you travel. Our government does not plan to do this as they said it would cause overcrowding.
If you’re after a cheap train ticket guide if you’re struggling with the cost, we’ve got you covered. 😉 Important to know when it comes to living costs in the Netherlands.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
