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Buying Train Tickets at Schipol - Machine

Buying Train Tickets at Schipol - Machine

Old May 25th, 2017, 04:10 AM
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Buying Train Tickets at Schipol - Machine

I can't quite remember from six years ago...is this accurate?

http://www.amsterdam.info/transport/tickets/

I remember the machines and I think we had to wait in line and buy from a human.

I don't think we have enough change but have a chip and pin card.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 04:20 AM
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We just tried to use a Chase chip and PIN card to buy train tickets in Paris in a machine; no go.

There are not many TRUE chip and PIN cards in US that works in European machine as most of them and chip and signature [they are inserted into hand held readers] but a paper receipt still needs to be signed in most cases, though many merchants didn't bother to have us sign [and yes, all the charges went through properly/promptly].
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Old May 25th, 2017, 04:31 AM
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"Your credit card is a chip and signature card with Personal Identification Number (PIN) capability. In most cases when you travel abroad, you'll be asked to sign for your transaction. However, at some unattended terminals, such as train ticket kiosks, you may be asked to enter your PIN instead of signing. Click here to learn about chip card."

We have a Barclaycard Arrival MC. Who knows if it will work? We will find out most likely at the most inconvenient times...
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Old May 25th, 2017, 04:42 AM
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I didn't even get far enough into the process to have it ask for PIN, it was rejected before that point.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 04:48 AM
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You now get a single use chip card from teh ticket machine, which has to be scanned at a check in scanner or to open a gate. There are no gates at Schiphol but you must scan the ticket to check in and then scan it at the gate at CS to get out again.
If you are going to Amsterdam you may find an Amsterdam travel ticket a better option. https://www.ns.nl/producten/en/overi...-travel-ticket
You can also buy those in some of the shops at Schiphol (see the pdf list in the link) which shouldn't have a problem with your card.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 04:58 AM
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Do you know if the instructions are still in Dutch only?
If my credit card is rejected, does it only accept euro coins?

I could buy an online ticket, but can't be sure of the exact train due to possible flight or passport control delays, I suppose.

We are only in Amsterdam for a day so no point of any multi use tickets.

We will probably end up in line, but wanted to give the machine a go. I know my brain will not be working well after a cheap flight through Iceland.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 10:15 AM
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I could buy an online ticket, but can't be sure of the exact train due to possible flight or passport control delays, I suppose.>

Dutch domestic train tickets (besides Thalys trains) can be used on any train I believe as they are not discounted nor train specific - no seat reservations possible for domestic trains.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 12:14 PM
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I bought a ticket last year from the Schiphol airport ticket machine with my chip and PIN credit card. My non-PIN chip credit card did not work, either.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 01:24 PM
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You can always buy tickets at the airport train station ticket windows - so try your cards- so you wait a few minutes IF cards do not work.

Do KLM Airport buses still run into Amsterdam -if so they may go close to your hotel.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 05:04 PM
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We are staying at the Movenpick, which is very close to Centraal Station.

Played around with the NL train site, but it won't take a US credit card. The trains are all the same price, so theoretically one could take any, but there will be a bar code that will open gates with an e-ticket. Will they open with a "wrong timed" ticket?

Could buy it on trainline.eu ,but more money and might still have that problem.

I guess I will do it there, hopefully with the machine if all goes perfectly. If not, wait in line.
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Old May 25th, 2017, 07:55 PM
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I have successfully gotten tickets directly from the NS in one of these two ways:

1. With credit card. Whether in person or using machine, it had to be CHIP and PIN card. Most US cards are not this type.

2. With Cash using bills. Only at counters with human at large enough stations. I don't remember if there are machines but take only coins. Probably because it had never been practical, I blocked it out of my options...
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Old May 26th, 2017, 11:31 AM
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rs899 the scan codes are date specific. there are no time slots involved.

it's simply easiest to buy a ticket at the ticket window at Schiphol. If you know the date when you'll be traveling back to Schiphol from Amsterdam, you can buy that ticket too. The ticket windows at Amsterdam Central are notoriously busy.

Also, once again, I wish to apologise for our esteemed Dutch Railways that simply don't take international travellers into consideration.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 11:49 AM
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No need to apologize. At least you have a railway system. We cant really use much of ours nor can you.

We are coming in around noon on Sunday so I would expect the ticket window to be understaffed.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 12:01 PM
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I think it'll be well staffed actually. Schiphol has no off time, and Sunday as a quiet day has no meaning at Schiphol, or in Amsterdam.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 12:05 PM
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Also, once again, I wish to apologise for our esteemed Dutch Railways that simply don't take international travellers into consideration.>

Yes seems weird - should make it as easy as possible one would think.

And be sure to get on the right train at Schiphol - about half the Amsterdam trains do not go to Centraal Station -be sure it says Amsterdam C.S. on the destination board and not Amsterdam RAI, Zuid-WTC, etc -those are on the southern edge of Amsterdam.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 02:54 PM
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>

Do you know why? I wasn't aware Chase even made a chip and PIN credit card as I have a Chase Visa and it is solely chip and signature. If they make them, I don't know why that isn't their standard. Your next sentence implies you are using that term to mean any card with a chip, though, was that a mistake?

I just wondered as what is the point of a chip and PIN card if it doesn't even work in the place were you need that feature?

The only chip and PIN card I have in the US, although I've never pursued it as it isn't that important to me, is my Target redcard which I think is really funny as you can't use it anywhere but Target and I'm surprised they decided this was necessary.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 03:29 PM
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Last year, when visiting the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and St. Petersburg, then stopping in Amsterdam, I used my chip and signature card almost everywhere, including ticket machines for trains, buses, and museums. The Schiphol train ticket machine was the only place on the entire trip where I really needed my chip and PIN card (or coins).

But I just got back from Italy and France, and their train station ticket machines accept only chip and PIN credit cards (or coins). So I found my chip and PIN card really useful in both countries. I also used phone apps in both countries to buy train tickets (when I could commit early enough on which train to take, some were booked last minute), but using my chip and PIN card at the machines and not needing to dig out the right number of coins was super convenient.

I used to have an Andrews Federal Credit Union visa and would get one again if I didn't have a chip and PIN card now.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 10:13 PM
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Palenq, it's even weirder. Trains that stop at Amsterdam Zuid WTC or Rai don't indicate that as destinations, they weirdly go to places like Amersfoort Schothorst, Leeuwarden or Groningen.

Also, but this is advanced course material, if someone has a hotel in De Pijp or Amsterdam Zuid, Zuid WTC or Amsterdam Rai may actually be the better station.
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Old Jun 4th, 2017, 05:15 AM
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Following up my own question, I was able to negotiate a ticket at the machine, but only with a chip and pin card that I had.

Select "do you want a ticket to amsterdam". How many, class, today.

Insert card, pin. Get tickets.
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Old Jun 4th, 2017, 08:07 AM
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Yep - the way I had to do it in 2015 and 2016. Many people don't get off a plan carrying a lot of coins at the airport, but the machines charge a 50 cent surcharge (last I used them) for payment by credit card, so it's cheaper if you happen to have Euro coins, even if you have a chip and PIN credit card.
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