The price of train tickets will rise by 6% next year after the government agreed to put up €40 million to limit the increase.

National rail operator NS said last month it would need to raise ticket prices in 2025 by 12% to cover a €120 million gap in its budget, equivalent to 8.7% above inflation.

Junior transport minister Chris Jansen said in a letter to parliament on Friday that he was looking for a “structural solution for the high ticket price rises”.

AD reported that a compromise had been reached in which the government allocated an extra €40 million to NS while the state-owned company will find €40 million in savings. The remaining €40 million will be covered by higher ticket prices.

NS is still feeling the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with passenger numbers around 5% down on pre-lockdown levels, partly because fewer workers are commuting every day.

The company recorded a €109 million loss in the first six months of 2024. It plans to lay off 500 staff at its headquarters as part of a €200 million cost savings programme.

But raising ticket prices too far risks making the problem worse, the government’s transport policy research bureau KiM has warned. It calculated that every 1% increase results in a 0.45% reduction in passenger numbers.

Freek Bos, head of passengers’ organisation Rover, welcomed the deal. “Sky-high price rises are a kick in the teeth for passengers,” he told AD. “Public transport must be affordable for everybody.”