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Amsterdam Local Reference INFOrmation

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Trains & Railways in Amsterdam & the Netherlands

Route maps and booking information for the national rail service, regional trains and the urban train network: to help you find your way around Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht, Arnhem, Almere, Lelystad and Nijmegen.

The Dutch rail service has modern, fast trains. Most stations are in or near town centre. Many people use the train service to commute around the Netherlands and connections between stations in Amsterdam are frequent.

The relatively short distances mean that travelling time between destinations is quick, for example 16 minutes between Utrecht and Schiphol Airport, or just 45 minutes between Amsterdam and The Hague.

Further information on travel times and timetables on the website of Dutch rail - Nederlandse Spoorwegen, (NS).

Customer Services (NS Klantcontactcenter)
At: P.O. Box 2372, 3500 GJ Utrecht
Tel: 0900 202 1163
Website
To plan a train journey: Click here

Information booklets with train times and destinations for local or longer trips are available from stations and some tourist offices.

Types of Train

There are two types of services provided by the train network:

Intercity (or express) trains provide a direct link between the main cities
Local trains stop at every station along the way

The Schiphol Line is a special intercity link connecting the national airport at Schiphol with the centres of the main Dutch cities. Seats cannot be reserved.

Many double decker trains operate from Amsterdam stations.

Buying Tickets

There are various types of ticket. Tickets can be bought from ticket vending machines or ticket windows (one way and return tickets bought from a vending machine will be cheaper). Passengers travelling without a valid ticket will be fined.

Note: Tickets may no longer be bought on a train.

One-off trips are best served by:

One Way (Enkele reis) and Day Return (Dagretour)
Day Ticket (Dagkaart) and OV Dagkaart which allow unlimited travel around the country for one day (the OV is valid for train, bus, tram and metro)
Weekend return (Weekendretour) valid from Friday 19:00 until Monday 04:00
Railrunner for children aged 4 to 11 to travel under adult supervision (19 years or older) for a fixed low price. A maximum of 3 children per adult may travel at the Railrunner price
For further information on tickets: Click here

Season tickets (month and year), student cards, business passes and other discount tickets are available.

For further information: Click here (in Dutch)

Bicycles are not allowed on trains in the morning and evening rush hours (except during July and August). It is necessary to buy a Bike day ticket (Dagkaart Fiets) for a small fee.

Station Facilities

Amsterdam has nine train stations. The city’s main station is Amsterdam Centraal station. It is located within walking distance of the Dam and Niewmarkt. Bus, tram and metro services for travel to other parts of the city are situated nearby.

Departure times and platform numbers are shown on the yellow boards in all Dutch train stations. Platform numbers, departure times, routes taken and the final destination are also shown on the blue and white boards.

Luggage lockers are available in most stations and can be rented by the day.

Other Services

Train Taxi

The Treintaxi is a means of getting to and from the station sharing the taxi with others and therefore travelling at a reduced rate. Tickets can be bought at the railway station, or from the taxi driver.

Areas served by a train-taxi are shown at the Treintaxi stand at the station. The tickets can be used interchangeably in every city where Treintaxi is available (59 cities throughout the Netherlands) however a separate ticket must be bought for a return trip.

Details of these services can be found out from the local Town Hall (Gemeente).

The treintaxi stand is easily recognised. It is normally separated from the local taxi services and is identified by the colours of the railway, yellow and blue.

To take a treintaxi there is a blue button on the stand and once connected the operator will order a taxi which takes about 10 minutes to arrive.

For the return trip to the railway station, the Treintaxi Callcenter needs to be contacted at least half an hour before the journey.

Treintaxi Callcenter
Tel: 0900 873 4682

OV-Taxi

The OV-taxi is a shared public taxi service operating in North-Holland. The service can be used for transport to or from 10 train stations in the province. It is available 06:00-24:00 seven days a week.

Tickets are available from the OV-Taxi driver. The cost of a fare is based on the number of zones travelled.

OV Reisinformatie
Tel: 0900 9292
For more information on getting to the train station from the NS website: Click here

Trains to Schiphol Airport

Schiphol station is located directly beneath the airport, near the arrival hall and the departure lounge and is easily reached from any railway station in The Netherlands. Generally only one change may be needed to reach Schiphol from anywhere in Holland.

Lost property

The NS will keep lost property for up to five days free of charge and are then transferred to the Central Lost & Found office in Utrecht. Lost items are kept in the Central Lost Property Office for up to three months and if not claimed, they will be sold. To find out about lost items, fill in a trace request form available from all stations or contact the following number:

Tel: 0900 321 2100
For more information from NS: Click here

Delays and refunds

The NS will refund train delays of over 30 minutes in certain circumstances. Delays of 30 to 60 minutes are refunded 50 percent of the fare. More than a 60 minute delay will result in a full refund. This does not apply in the case of national power failures or if the delay was planned in advance, for example in case of track works.

Delays and refunds
Tel: 0900 202 1163
For more information: Click here
To find out about rail track works: Click here (in Dutch)
To receive information via SMS on train traffic and times, subscribe to a service via telephone (Tel: 7245): Click here (in Dutch)

Bicycles Storage Facilities

All train stations have bicycle stands and approximately one hundred Dutch stations have guarded storage facilities or lock-ups.

For information on prices and availability: Click here

Disabled Passengers

Most manned stations offer assistance from NS service staff agents to help when boarding and disembarking from the train. This service is available to wheelchair users, the visually impaired and other disabled people as well as those who are temporarily disabled.

Further information on train travel for the disabled: Click here

Train schedules are available to hearing and sight impaired people in spoken text, Braille and digitally; the website accommodates digital Braille readers.

Sight impaired: information on schedules Tel: 0486 486 486
Hearing impaired: information on schedules Tel: 0900 555 9292

Trains are accessible to most wheelchairs, although some restrictions are applied to width and weight. Fuel-based motor vehicles are excluded from trains, but special scooters may be sometimes allowed depending on the time of day and number of people travelling.

How to apply for assistance

Bureau Assistentieverlening Gehandicapten (Disabled Assistance Office)
Tel: 030 235 7822

Apply for assistance at least three hours prior to the intended departure time. Inform the Disabled Assistance Office of the planned journey, the departure/arrival time and the stations of departure and arrival; discuss a meeting point for the service assistant. If travelling later than 22:30, contact the Disabled Assistance Office before 19:30.

NS Business Hours
Tel: 030 235 7822, open daily 07:00-23:00
Fax: 030 235 3935
For cancellations tel: 030 235 7823, open daily 05:00-02:00

Dutch residents who obtain an OV-Begeleiderskaart (public transport assistance pass) may travel with an assistant free of charge. Special conditions and facilities exist for blind passengers and the person or guide dog accompanying them.

Two equipped places are reserved for wheelchair passengers on the medium and long-distance trains. Extra help and assistance to get on and off may be provided on the trains marked with a special sign and help on departure and arrival can be organised.