Loading an OV-chipkaart

Before you start travelling you need to load balance on your OV-chipkaart. This can be done by charging an amount of money or a travel product. A travel product can be a season ticket that is only valid in a certain area. Charging the OV-chipkaart can be done at a Public transport company or at a machine.

With a personal OV-chipkaart it is possible to select automatic charging. In that case, when your account has reached a certain balance, an additional amount will automatically be withdrawn from your bank account and loaded directly to your OV-chipkaart.

Checking in and out

With a positive balance on your OV-chipkaart you can check in and out. Hold your OV-chipkaart against the screen of a gate or single card reader.  The gate will open; the card reader will give a confirmation signal. At the end of your journey you check out in the same way.

Gates at metro stations and train stations

At stations there are a lot of gates. These gates are one-way and the direction is displayed clearly. In case of an emergency, all gates open automatically.

Transfers

If you make a transfer you will need to check out and in again on the next mode of transport. If you are transferring from one train to another train of the same company, you only need to check out at the end of your journey. 

Check out and in when transferring

• You travel by bus and transfer to another bus
• You travel by bus and transfer to a train
• You travel by an NS train and transfer to a regional train, for instance from one NS train to a regional train like Veolia, Arriva, Connexxion or Syntus.

Check out on your final destination

• If you are transferring to a train of the same company, for instance from NS to NS, Arriva to Arriva, Veolia to Veolia, and so on.

Choose the right card reader

Card readers sometimes are placed at the platform at trainstations or metro and tram strations. Be sure that you check out at the right Public transport company.