As NS made a loss in the first half of 2024, the Dutch rail operator has stated in a press release that they can no longer hold off on raising ticket prices. In 2025, NS will implement an 8,7-percent increase in ticket prices on top of regular inflation, amounting to an overall price hike of more than 11 percent for trains in the Netherlands.
Domestic train travel was meant to get more expensive in 2024, but NS was able to freeze ticket prices when the government provided the state-owned company with 120 million euros to keep the prices lower. This money will no longer be available for next year, which means the proposed ticket price increase of 8,7 percent plus inflation will go ahead in 2025.
According to the CPB, the Dutch Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, the projected inflation for next year is around 2,5 percent. This added to the 8,7 percent price increase would see tickets for train travel costing more than 11 percent more.
In a press release, the NS announced that they experienced an operational loss of 109 million euros in the first six months of 2024. Despite a 6,4 percent increase in passenger kilometres, there are still fewer passengers using public transport than there were before the coronavirus pandemic.
To offset this loss without affecting the high-quality Dutch train service, the company will not only increase the cost of tickets but also cut 500 jobs at the head office. They will do this by not hiring replacements for employees who leave or retire.
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