Which NS Subscription is Right for You?

There is probably nowhere you cannot reach with public transportation in the Netherlands. Whether you live in Leiden or The Hague and need to travel in between for your lectures or you like to travel in the weekend and discover the wonders of the Netherlands, one of the many NS subscription opportunities will definitely fit your needs!

Weekend Benefit (Weekend Voordeel)
The weather is getting better, the spring is on the way and the Netherlands has lots of beautiful destinations to have a weekend away. So, pack your backpack, grab some snacks and some friends to enjoy it. The weekend benefit might be just for you.

• 40% discount on weekends

• Only 2 EUR per month

Weekend Free (Weekend Vrij)
You are done with the exams, have no assignments due for the month and want to travel to a new place every weekend? Great! The weekend free packet is perfect for you. Also note, it is still useful to get it even if you will travel only one weekend. If your destination is on the other side of the country, a single round trip will be more expensive than the weekend free subscription. For example, a one-way trip to Groningen from Leiden is 26,5 EUR without any subscription. So, do the math before you decide!

• Limitless travel during the weekend

• 32 EUR per month

‘Dal’ Benefit (Dal Voordeel)
Apparently ‘dal’ means ‘valley’ in the Dutch, I couldn’t see the connection but hey if you did, please let me know. This is the most popular deal among all, and the one I have been using. Perfect if you not only travel on the weekend but also travel during the week.

• 40% discount on weekends

• 40% discount during the week outside of rush hours (between 06.30-09.00 and 16-18.30)

• Only 5 EUR per month

I walked you through the three most popular deals the NS offer, however, you can check https://www.ns.nl/nsflex/webshop#/bestelling/producten for more options and subscribe to one.

After you subscribe, you no longer need to upload money to your card as you pay the amount you travelled at the end of every month through your bank account. So no longer train missing due to the queues at the machines!

And the best part: your OV-chipcard comes for FREE if you order it at the same time you subscribe to one of the NS deals.

Do you already have an OV-chipcard? No worries. You can still subscribe with your existing OV-chipcard. But then, you need to go to one of the NS machines in the stations and process the subscription to your card. Considering the first two options are only 5 EUR or less, I strongly suggest you subscribe for one, as it will pay off in a single trip even though you don’t travel that often.

Hope the information will be beneficial and inspire you to travel somewhere. Maybe this weekend? Why not? Please comment and share your travel plans with us or add your suggestions.