Public transport plays a crucial role in keeping the entire country accessible, which is why the government has decided to provide financial support.
Good news for travelers in the Netherlands: prices for public transport tickets will not increase next year. The outgoing cabinet has decided to make 420 million euros available to fulfill this wish of the House of Representatives. State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen of Infrastructure announced this in a letter to Parliament, in which she stated that the cabinet will implement two motions that requested this. This decision comes as a relief to many travelers and is intended to prevent train and bus ticket prices from rising significantly next year.
From next year, regional transport will structurally receive 300 million euros. In addition, 120 million euros will be allocated to the Dutch Railways (NS), so that train ticket prices will not increase in 2024. Heijnen emphasized the importance of public transport in the Netherlands, especially at a regional level. She acknowledged that the transportation sector faces several challenges, such as inflation and rising costs for energy, materials and personnel.
Although the Dutch Railways (NS) are satisfied with the decision, they express concerns about the uncertainty whether the train fare increase can be permanently canceled or whether it is in fact only a postponement of one year.
From next year, regional public transport will structurally receive 300 million euros. In addition, 120 million euros will be allocated to the Dutch Railways (NS) to ensure that train ticket prices will not be increased in 2024. It is important to note that this amount is considered incidental and not a structural increase in funding.
Although the government has expressed its intention to implement the motions, practical decisions still have to be made regarding the distribution of the extra money between the various transport companies in the region. The additional money will be deposited into the county fund, but the exact details have yet to be determined.
The news from the cabinet was received with enthusiasm by various parties in public transport. For example, the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region has already announced that public transport rates in their area will not increase next year thanks to this financial support.
Heijnen emphasized the importance of (regional) public transport in keeping the Netherlands accessible. She acknowledged the challenges facing the transportation sector, such as inflation and rising costs for energy, materials and personnel.
Without the extra funding, public transport fares would have risen by as much as 11,72 percent next year, according to the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region, which serves about 2,4 million residents. Commuter André de Vries is happy with the decision and adds: “This is good news for travelers, but they must ensure that this is not a temporary solution. Structural measures are needed to guarantee the affordability of public transport in the long term.”
Although the NS is happy with the cabinet's decision, they emphasize that it is not yet clear whether the train fare increase has been definitively averted or has only been postponed for a year. The NS wants to prevent travelers from being confronted with a double fare increase in 2025, as this would not be in the interests of travelers. They hope for further clarity on this point.
