Public transport in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has a large, highly-effective public transportation network - one of the best-connected in the world! - consisting of trains, metros, trams, buses and ferries, run by various transportation companies. Here is what you need to know about public transport in the Netherlands.

Modes of public transport in the Netherlands

While cycling may still be the most popular way to get around the Netherlands, there are six other commonly-used modes of transport that can quickly get you from A to B:

NS trains
Metros
Trams
Buses
Ferries
Public bikes

Since the whole network is integrated, you can use your OV-chipkaart across all forms of public transport in the Netherlands. Alternatively, you buy a ticket.

NS trains

The Netherlands is covered by a dense, efficient train network, operated by the Dutch Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen - NS). In the late 19th century, the Dutch government began laying a national railway network to encourage the construction of new railways, and today the Netherlands has more than 400 train stations and transports over 600.000 passengers per day.

Train travel in the Netherlands is generally very comfortable and smooth, with the train compartments fitted with large seats and USB charging points, onboard WiFi, and digital displays showing travel information and train schedules. Most trains also have toilets. Trains typically run from 5am to midnight, with services up to every 15 minutes during the day, and once per hour at night.

There are two types of NS trains:

Sprinter
Intercity

Sprinter trains

Sprinter trains are intended for shorter journeys and stop at all stations along a route. They have wider doors to enable people to get on and off the train more quickly. Sprinter trains are generally blue.

Intercity trains

Intercity trains cover medium to long-distance routes and only stop at the main stations along a route. All Intercity trains have toilets, designated quiet zones (where talking or other noise is not allowed), work and rest zones, and meet and greet zones (where talking and making phone calls is allowed). Intercity trains are usually yellow.

The Intercity direct is only used for journeys between Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Centraal and Breda. The Intercity direct only stops at these stations, allowing for shorter journey times. To travel with this train you may need to buy an extra supplement.

Taking your bike on the train

Both Intercity and Sprinter (but not Intercity direct) trains have designated spaces for storing bikes. You can take your bicycle with you in the train if you have purchased a bike ticket alongside your regular ticket; this can be loaded onto your OV-chipkaart or purchased as a physical ticket. A bike is only permitted in off-peak hours and must be stowed in the designated area. If this area is full, you cannot take your bike with you. You can bring a folding bike for free.

1st and 2nd class seating

Note that both Intercity and Sprinter trains have areas of first and second class seating. If you do not have a first class ticket you are not permitted to sit in the first class area, even if the other areas are full. The zone is designated by the number displayed on the interior and exterior of the train, and the colour of the seats (red = first class; blue = second class).

Major train routes in the Netherlands

The Intercity network covers the following major train routes in the Netherlands:

Maastricht/Heerlen – Alkmaar
Eindhoven – Nijmegen/Schiphol
Roosendaal – Amsterdam
Roosendaal – Zwolle/Hoorn
Eindhoven – The Hague
Rotterdam/The Hague/Schiphol – Enschede/Groningen/Leeuwarden
Amsterdam – Deventer
Nijmegen – Alkmaar
Leiden – Utrecht

Other train operators in the Netherlands

There are five other trains that run through the Netherlands, namely:

The ICE, which connects Amsterdam with Frankfurt.
The Intercity Berlin, which travels from Amsterdam to Berlin in 6 hours and 20 minutes.
The Intercity Brussels, which connects The Hague and Rotterdam to Brussels.
The Thalys, which allows travel between Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.
The Eurostar, which travels between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels and London.

Arriva also operates some trains in northern, eastern and southern Netherlands.

Metro

The two biggest cities in the Netherlands - Amsterdam and Rotterdam - also have metro systems. Since they travel on separate tracks (sometimes underground) and are not impacted by congestion, metros travel faster than trams or buses.

The metro reached the Netherlands at a relatively late time, due to the fact that most Dutch cities aren’t very large, and because of the pre-existence of an elaborate tram network. It wasn’t until the 20th century that a metro network was introduced in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and it is still being extended nowadays.

Amsterdam metro

The Amsterdam metro network was opened in 1977. It consists of five lines and stretches a total of 42,5 kilometres, reaching out to Diemen, Duivendrecht and Amstelveen, all areas near Amsterdam. Its tracks largely lie above ground.

The five lines of the Amsterdam metro are as follows:

50 - from Isolatorweg to Gein
51 - from Westwijk to Central Station
52 - from Amsterdam Noord to Station Zuid
53 - from Gaasperplas to Central Station
54 - from Gein to Central Station

Rotterdam metro

The Rotterdam metro network belongs to RET, It has five main lines, branched off and extended from the old Erasmuslijn and Calandlijn, that sometimes transfer into a tram network. One of these five lines connects the Rotterdam metro network to the tram network in The Hague.

The five lines of the Rotterdam metro network are as follows:

A - from Vlaardingen West to Binnenhof
B - from Hoek van Holland Strand to Nesselande
C - from De Akkers to De Terp
D - from De Akkers to Pijnacker Zuid
E - from Slinge to Den Haag Centraal

Metro stations can be recognised by square signs depicting a straight, yellow “M”, and the correct line and direction can be found as indicated on metro maps and overhanging signs.

Travellers make use of the metro by scanning their OV-chipkaart at the gates at the station. The metro was the first public transport service in the Netherlands to be solely accessible through using the OV-chipkaart.

Tram

The Netherlands was once abundant with tram networks powered by horses or petrol. Nowadays, a few tram networks are still in operation, powered by electricity. Trams still run in the following cities:

Amsterdam (network covers the entire city with 500 stops and 200 kilometres of tram lines)
Rotterdam (nine tramlines cover 322 stops and 194 kilometres of track)
The Hague (12 tram lines, running on 117 kilometres of track and covering 241 stops)
Utrecht (three tram lines, running on 38,5 kilometres of track and serving 43 stops)

It is possible to buy a ticket for journeys on the tram, but you can also use your OV-chipkaart to check in and out.

Bus

There is a huge bus network across the Netherlands, run by multiple bus service providers (including GVB, Arriva, Connexxion, HTM and RET), but with coordinated timetables so that transfers are quick and easy. Most buses in the Netherlands run on 100% renewable energy or fuel.

No matter which bus service you’re using, you’ll still be able to use your OV-chipkaart, or buy a ticket from the driver. Most bus services run from 5am to 12am, but in Amsterdam there are also night buses running once per hour.

Ferry

The ferry is another way of getting around in Amsterdam! The ferry is free for pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders. It transports passengers from the north of Amsterdam to the centre, sailing over the IJ. GVB also provides a ferry connection across the North Sea Canal.

Public bikes (OV-fiets)

Finally, if you don’t have a bike of your own, or you are heading somewhere for the day and don’t want to take your bike with you on the train, you can hire a public bike (OV-fiets). OV-fietsen are the yellow and blue bicycles you can find at train stations. These bicycles are a handy way to get to the end point of your journey.

To use an OV-fiets, you need a personal OV-chipkaart, to which you load an OV-fiets subscription (this is free). If you already have an NS Flex subscription on your OV-chipkaart, you don’t need to do anything. You can then use your OV-chipkaart to rent an OV-fiets for 4,65 euros per day (as of January 1, 2025) at more than 300 locations in the Netherlands. After three days, the cost increases to 9,55 euros per day. You can rent up to two bikes at a time with one OV-chipkaart.

To rent the bike, simply head to the rental location, take a bike and scan your OV-chipkaart. The saddle can be adjusted to the correct height. When you’re done, you can return your bike to the rental location. If you take it back to a different location, you pay an administrative fee of 10 euros.

Public transport apps in the Netherlands

There are several different public transport apps in the Netherlands that you can use to get up-to-date train times, plan journeys, and even buy tickets:

Public transport operators in the Netherlands

Here is an overview of the major public transport operators per city in the Netherlands:

GVB

GVB (Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf) is the public transport provider for Amsterdam. If you are looking to travel by metro, bus, tram or ferry in the Dutch capital, GVB will, more than likely, be the provider you go with.

RET

RET (Rotterdamse Elekrische Tram N.V.) is the public transport company serving the Rotterdam region, providing bus, tram and metro services. It serves up to 190 million passengers each year.

HTM

HTM (Haagsche Tramweg Maatschappij) is the main transport operator for The Hague region. It operates a network of trams, buses and light rail vehicles that transport over 300.000 passengers every day.

U-OV

U-OV is the brand name under which Qbuzz operates public transport in the Utrecht region. It operates buses and trams.