Overview

With Whim, you can now access single (1st and 2nd class) NS/Dutch Railways train tickets in the Netherlands on a pay-as-you-go basis. NS runs most of the train services in the Netherlands and their train routes have extensive coverage in the country. 

In this article you can find the following:

• Buying an NS Ticket through Whim
• Questions and Answers
  • How long is my NS single ticket valid for?
  • Can I cancel my ticket?
  • Which train services are covered by NS tickets bought through Whim?
  • Can I take my bike or my dog with me on the train?
  • My train was delayed - can I get a compensation/refund?
  • What do I need to scan at the gates/show the ticket inspector?
  • What if my battery runs out?
  • My credit card linked to Apple Pay pops up when I try to scan the NS ticket QR code, what can I do?

Buying an NS Ticket through Whim

1. Press "Where to?" button in the Home View (Fig.1). 

Fig. 1. "Where to?"  in the Whim Home view

This opens the Journey Planner (Fig.2). Type your destination into the Journey Planner (you can also edit your location address after entering the destination). 

Fig. 2. Journey planner view

Whim shows you different connections and the ticket prices (you can see more details by tapping the options) (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Connection options

3. Choose the connection you want from the options provided (Fig. 3).
4. Whim will offer you a 2nd class ticket as a default. If you wish to buy a 1st class ticket, you can choose that by clicking the "Second Class Single Ticket" in blue.

Fig. 4. Ticket class option

5. Confirm purchase (Fig. 4), the price will be charged from the payment card you have linked to your Whim account.

• If the expiration date of the ticket is in less than 5 days, the amount will be pre-authorized first and charged once the ticket is expired.
• If the expiration date of the ticket is in more than 5 days, the payment will be charged immediately.

6. You can find all your active tickets from the Active Tickets section in the Home View (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Active tickets View

7. Open up the ticket and scan the QR code at the gates or show the QR code to the train conductor when asked and they will scan the code to verify the validity of the ticket.

Questions and Answers

• How long is my NS single ticket valid for?
• Can I cancel my ticket?
• Which train services are covered by NS tickets bought through Whim?
• Can I take my bike or my dog with me on the train?
• My train was delayed - can I get a compensation/refund?
• What do I need to scan at the gates/show the ticket inspector?
• What if my battery runs out?
• My credit card linked to Apple Pay pops up when I try to scan the NS ticket QR code, what can I do?

How long is my NS single ticket valid for?

Single tickets are valid for a particular day and until 4 am the following morning. This ticket can be used only once, but you can stop elsewhere along the route too, as long as the whole journey is completed on the same day.

The ticket is personalized and only valid with valid proof of identity (passport, ID card or driver's license). It is also important to make sure that the name and date of birth on your ticket correspond to the information on your ID.

Can I cancel my ticket?

If you have bought a ticket for the same day, this ticket is already activated and may not be cancelled any longer.

If you have bought a ticket for the next day or further in the future and your plans change, you can cancel your ticket in-app and the price of the ticket will be refunded to you. Please note, that in order for you to receive a refund, this ticket needs to be cancelled on the previous day before 00:00 as the ticket will be activated at 00.01 on the day of the planned journey.

Which train services are covered by NS tickets bought through Whim?

Tickets bought through Whim are valid in NS Intercity Trains and Sprinter Services, but they are currently not valid in the Intercity Direct trains (Amsterdam - Schiphol - Rotterdam - Breda route) or any international train service.

Can I take my bike or my dog with me on the train?

If you wish to travel with your bike or your dog, you are required to buy a separate bicycle or dog ticket for them. Unfortunately, these are not yet available through Whim, but you may buy these from NS ticket outlets or their own mobile application.

More information about NS Bicycle tickets here and dog tickets here. 

My train was delayed - can I get a compensation/refund?

If you have experienced a delay during a national train journey with NS or your train service was cancelled, you may be eligible for compensation. To find more information about this and to submit a request for a refund for delays of 30 minutes or more, go here.

What do I need to scan at the gates/show the ticket inspector?

Some stations have gates and some don’t. At the gated stations, you will need to present the QR code of your ticket to a QR code scanner. There will always be at least one gate with a QR scanner at gated stations. If there are no gates, please make sure that you have a valid and activated ticket before entering the platform area of the station.

You must be prepared to present your NS ticket anytime during your journey. When approached by the ticket inspector, you will need to present your ticket to them and you may also need to produce a valid form of ID which may include passport, ID card or driver's license. The ticket inspector will also scan the QR code of the ticket. If you fail to present a valid ticket, you will be asked to pay a fine of 50€.

Below is an example of how a NS ticket bought through Whim looks like:

What if my battery runs out?

You are responsible for ensuring that you have a valid ticket throughout the whole journey and for ensuring that you have sufficiently charged and properly working smartphone. Failure to present a valid ticket will result in a fine. 

My credit card linked to Apple Pay pops up, when I try to scan the NS ticket QR code, what can I do?

If your payment card linked to Apple Pay pops up when you are trying to scan the QR code of your NS ticket, we recommend you to remove this card through your general Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Select your payment card > and remove this card. This issue is under investigation and we are working hard to solve it as soon as possible.