Traveling with a bank card or credit card is a logical and easy choice for many travelers: it is already in the wallet.

Travelers do not have to purchase a separate OV chip card and do not charge a balance or buy a ticket in advance. Travelers check in and out with their payment card as they are used to. Travel expenses incurred are processed overnight after the travel day and debited through the bank. During the trial, at least one gate or post was made suitable for travel with the payment card at the stations between Leiden and The Hague. These can be recognized by the “contactless payment” logo.

Travelers who regularly travel by train between The Hague and Leiden, but do not use a season ticket or discount product, can register for participation in the trial on ns.nl/betaalkaart . During the trial participants get an insight into all trips and associated costs via an app on their smartphone.

Participation is possible for travelers who have a contactless bank card from ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, SNS, ASN Bank or RegioBank or a contactless credit card from Mastercard or VISA issued by ICS (International Card Services). All participants in the test travel with their payment card in the 2nd class, full rate.

For a nationwide introduction of travel with the payment card, far-reaching adjustments are required for all transport companies, Translink and all banks. Because of the different concession areas, this will be done step by step. In this test, the technique is first carefully tested. In addition, participants’ experiences are investigated in order to make possible improvements based on their experiences.