Travellers use Dutch public transport more on weekends, less during the week

Based on the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), people in the Netherlands have been using public transport more often on weekends, while the number of check-ins during the week has declined. 

Dutch public transport use drops slightly in 2025

In the first six months of 2025, 607 million people checked in on Dutch public transport - almost 1 percent less than the same period last year. While around 81 percent of these check-ins were on weekdays, this group has seen a drop of 2 percent since 2024. 

The opposite is true for weekends, seeing 2,5 percent more travellers for a total 19 percent of check-ins. The most popular time for passengers to travel on weekends is between 1pm and 6pm. These figures include check-ins for travel by train, bus, tram and metro.

Good weather sees more public transport use on weekends

According to the Rover Travellers’ Association, the “favourable weather” that the Netherlands experienced in the first half of the year likely played a role in the number of public transport passengers on weekends. More and more “social and recreational travellers” choose public transport, which is probably why they choose to travel by train and bus, among others. 

On the other hand, the drop in travellers during the week is probably not due to the weather. "This trend has been going on for a while. And if you compare the figures, there are multiple stories behind it," Freek Bos, director of the Rover Travellers' Association, told NOS. 

One possibility is the decline in students in the Netherlands. Figures from earlier this year showed that the number of international students at Dutch universities fell by 6 percent compared to the previous academic year. Another possibility could be that travelling by car has become faster than public transport, and with rising costs for public transport, driving might seem more convenient to residents.