NS Zomertoer
 

Hi, I'm thinking about using NS Zomertoer. Does anyone know if I can go far to Brussels, with Zomertoer and a supplementary ticket, which covers the route beyond the Netherlands?

Of course. If you have a ticket valid in the Netherlands, it is valid on all trains (except Thalys) to Rosendaal, the last stop before the Belgian border. You simply need to buy a ticket from Rosendaal to Brussels which you can do before you board the train (you don't need to get off the train in Rosendaal).

Thank you very much for the details! Very,very helpful. Could I ask one more thing? I heard NS ticket machines are kind of annoying. I even practiced how to buy on their web! So is it possible to buy Zomertoer from a ticket machine, with Mastercard issued by the American bank?

No it isn't possible to buy it from a machine with a credit card You can with a debit card and a pin if it has the Maestro logo - otherwise go to a kiosk or a post office to buy it. I assume you know it is for two or three people travelling together? And is valid for two days out of any 7? You have to stamp the ticket the first time you ise it at the yellow stamping machines and then it is valid for the next 7 days - but you cn only travel on two of them, anywhere in the Netherlands.
Zomertoer plus includes buses and trams too.
You can buy it online if you have an address in the Netherlands.

And it's Roosendaal (2 O s) you need. Not to be confused with Rozendaal.

hetismij,

Will the ticket machine accept a debit card if it does not have a chip? USA bank cards do not have chips.

It will accept a debit card without a chip - altough cards here have a chip it is used as an electronic wallet- you put money on the chip to pay for parking etc. You do need a PIN to use the machine and the Maestro logo on your card.
Credit cards in the Netherlands are gradually changing over to chip but there are still loads without (including mine) so you will have no problem with your CC in shops and restaurants.
Oh and supermarkets don't accept credit cards - best to have cash if you buy anything there.

Thanks,everyone! The Maestro logo is kind of similar to the Master's one, so I got puzzled. Anyway, it looks better to get much change somewhere. I still wonder where...?

Junny, there are cash machines in or near all major stations in NL, and banks/postoffices/GWK are never far away.

NS Zomertoer. What does this cost? it gives two days of unlimited travel in a week period.

i'd like to compare it to the Holland railpass, which due to the dollar sinking is a better deal than ever.

But don't know what Zomertor ticket costs (www.ns.nl won't come up on my computer)

thanks

2007 summer, Zomertoer costs 59euro for unlimited 2 days trip for 2persons. NS English version website, however, doesn't offer this big deal, so it's very tough for me to get accurate information. :(

€59 for two people for any two days in a seven day period up to 31 August. If you buy it on the 31st August it is valid until 6 September.
A zomertoerplus is €69 for two people, same deal but covers buses and trams too.
You have to stamp the ticket at the yellow stampmchines - the day you stamp counts as day one of your seven.

Are there restrictions of Zomer pass - except for Thalys perhaps. Times?

A great deal.

Holland Rail Pass:

3 days of unlimited travel in 1/mo = $137 p.p. 1st cl; $92 p.p. 2nd cl so much more pricey ($31/day vs. $21/day with Zomerpass) but can be used on any train - i assume Zomer pass can be too.

Holland Pass - 5 days/1 mo $147 p.p. 2nd cl $219 p.p. 1st cl.

But outside summer what equivalent of Zomertoer is there. Perhaps Holland pass becomes a good deal if day tripping then?

Or Benelux pass - good in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg - 5d/1mo $176 p.p. Saverpass 2nd cl; $268 p.p. 1st cl can be a good deal if traveling more than the typical tourist.

Sold only outside Holland or Belgium i believe thru raileurope - and they charge a $18 hndling fee for orders under $399 i think (i always recommend BETS 800-441-2387, a RE agent with no fee usually and expert advice; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - but for most regular tickets bought at stations are the best. www.ns.nl for Dutch prices.

The zomertoer is only available in the summer, there is no direct equivalent in other seasons. There are no restrictions on the times of trains, you can travel on ICE trains with it but not on Thalys. It can be bought online if you have a Dutch address.
Outside the summer one of the passes you mention is probably worth it - but it is worth doing your sums using ns.nl first to see if you really save money.

The alternatives within Holland are a Maandabonnemet, valid for a month on all trains excluding Thalys, at all times for €309 or the Voordeelurenpas -40% reduction on trains after 9 am, and in the weekends. A companion also gets a reduced ticket and for an extra €15 you get 25% off international trains except Thalys and Eurostar.

Thanks - the month pass seems like a great deal for anyone living in Holland or staying for that long and say commuting from Leiden to Amsterdam and touring around (my son is thinking of studying in Leiden or Delft and i could end up staying a month or so so i'm intrigued)

309 euro but i would not need trains before 9am so 120 euro off = 289 euro or about $400 and my companion at 15 euro or $22 makes $420 or so for 2 or $210 a month - that's $6-7 a day - and i love to take trains a lot - doesn't really matter where sometimes. and if i want to go out of the country 25% off - thanks for outlining this to me.

have i missed something in my calculations?

Dank u very well. a.u.b. and Tot Ziens (that along with 'pils please' is about the extent of my Dutch!)

I think my answer was perhaps not so clear.
The voordeelurenpas costs €55, and you get a 40% discount. You can travel after 9 am, and all day weekends and in July and August. If you are over 60 you also a get a number of free days travel.
If you set off before 9 then ask at the ticket counter they will calculate how far you travel at full fare and how far at the reduced fare and will give you two tickets for the trip. A companion can also travel at the reduced rate. (This is true of any of NS's season tickets, including the student OV card that Dutch students get for free travel on public transport).
The vooreelurenpas also gives you membership of Hertz Frequent Driver club, free walking and cycling routes, and a couple of other goodies.
The €15 extra entitles the holder(not sure about the companion) to dicount on international trains, except the Thaly and Eurostar.
Graag gedaan.
You can buy me a biertje sometime if you are here for a month ;)

dank u Hetismij - biertje? is that a small beer? i may well do a month or so in Holland sometime

in past years i led bike tours through Holland for 10 years so did spend lots of time in the country and i love it.

Amsterdam is unique but Holland is so different in its own way.

(We rode bikes from Belgium - Bruges - Antwerp - Breda - Rotterdam - rijnsburg - amsterdam - bilthoven (Utrecht) - Heumen Bos - De Weerd (Venlo) and on to Germany. We were camping. Americans all, about 40-50 to a group. Weather finally did us in and i changed to trains.

Tot Ziens!

Bilthoven is just down the road from me - my OH worked there when we first moved here. SOunds like it was a great trip.

And a biertje is just a normal beer - in a cafe you ask voor een biertje or een pilsje graag. Usually you get something disgusting like Heineken or Amstel but sometimes they have better beers available on tap.

In Bilthoven we camped at De Biltse Duinen (sp?) a nice camp in a sand dune. Yes good memories of cycling thru Holland with all the bike paths, etc. and friendly Dutch folk.