NS to replace unlimited youth day ticket with 40 percent discount
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By Simone Jacobs
Dutch rail company NS has announced that from July 1, 2025, the youth day ticket, which allows young people aged between 12 and 18 unlimited travel in the Netherlands during off-peak periods at a set rate, will be replaced with a 40% discount.
NS discontinues unlimited day ticket for young people
In 2020, NS introduced cheaper train tickets for children aged 12 to 18 to encourage more young people to take the train. With the Jongerendagkaart (youth day ticket), children have a day of unlimited travel across the Netherlands during off-peak periods for just 8,50 euros.
According to NS, this scheme was more successful than anticipated and is costing the rail company more than they had planned, which “no longer fits in with NS’s current financial situation”. From July 1, a 40 percent discount for young people on travel during off-peak times will replace the youth day ticket.
40% discount for under-18s travelling with NS trains
During off-peak travel times, on weekends and holidays, young people between the ages of 12 and 17 with a Dal Voordeel subscription will receive a 40% discount. The subscription will cost 5,95 euros per month.
NS states that the youth day ticket was not attractive to young people who travel shorter distances which end up being cheaper than the ticket costs. This means that the 40% discount will be more advantageous for them.
An example given is a train journey from Assen to Groningen, which with a normal OV-chipkaart, costs 6,90 euros - the youth day ticket is therefore more expensive. However, with the 40% discount this would cost just over 4 euros.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more