From today, the fine for travelling without a valid ticket on Dutch public transport rises from €50 to €70. The amount is on top of your fare, and if you don’t pay within 14 days, the admin fee goes up from €15 to €20. It’s the first increase since 2016 and follows a cabinet decision announced earlier this year.
Government and operators say higher fines help deter fare evasion and related nuisance. National rail (NS) and local operators will also run more targeted checks to raise the chance of being caught.
Photo Credits: Donald Trung Quoc Don
Where and who it applies to
The new fine applies everywhere in the Netherlands (train, bus, tram and metro) and covers both forgetting to check in and travelling without any valid ticket. Big-city operators and sector bodies have confirmed the change; NS and others stress the fine is standard nationwide.
If you’re checked without a valid ticket, you pay €70 + the journey price.
Pay within 14 days to avoid the higher admin fee.
Make sure your OV-chipkaart or barcode ticket is checked in before boarding (and checked out after the trip) to avoid an accidental fine.
