Public transport travellers will soon be able to ride and pay later, according to the NS transport operator. It is testing a new ‘NS Flex’ card that will let people travel on buses, trams, trains, on the metro, as well as parkg and hire public OV bicycles. Instead of having to load up their card with cash in advance, they will receive a monthly bill at the end of the month. The trial is starting this year with a... More >

A mobile laboratory at Amsterdam Centraal station this week will measure the effects of waiting on travellers, in order to improve travel experience. The NS StationsLab, run by consultant Mark van Hagen, will use EEG brain scans and blood pressure measurements to see how loitering at the station positively or negatively affects NS customers. ‘People hate waiting,’ Van Hagen told NRC on Thursday. He said the NS train company could either run more trains or make the wait a better... More >

KLM passengers have been advised of technical issues in checking in at Schiphol airport, according to tweets by the airline. ANP reported that the airline was apparently experiencing a ‘major failure’ in systems on Thursday. It told a customer via Twitter at around 12pm that it was ‘still experiencing technical issues’ and could not say when these would be resolved. We are still experiencing technical issues at this moment. Unfortunately we cannot give you a time-frame at this moment. — Royal... More >

After years of having open gates, NS train operator is going to close the turnstiles at three big stations, reports the NRC. A trial is set to begin in Amsterdam on Thursday and Utrecht and Den Haag will follow. This will mean that to access the stations or their shops, passengers will need to scan a valid transport card or ticket. Across the country, says the NRC, 71% of train travellers now pass through a set of closed barriers and... More >

Train operator NS has warned commuters to be prepared for packed carriages in September as passenger numbers are set to hit a new record high. The month after the holiday season is traditionally the busiest of the year as workers and students resume their daily routine, but with the economy recovering and unemployment falling the number of passenger journeys is expected to rise to 35 million in September. Commuters have been urged to avoid the peak rush hour, between 7.30am and 8.30am, if possible, or prepare... More >

For those planning to drive on holiday, the NOS broadcaster published a speeding ticket map of Europe on Friday. The interactive map – which it calls a ‘boete-route’ in Dutch – shows speeding limits and penalties in different parts of Europe. It warns that if you get a ticket, this will be sent to the Dutch justice department, which will find you and pass on the fine – with administration costs. ‘If you don’t pay, there’s a chance that your... More >

Flights to and from Eindhoven Airport were suspended for nearly two hours after an ‘unusual smell’ was detected in the air traffic control tower. The tower was evacuated as a precaution at around 12.30pm while firefighters investigated the source of what the fire service described as an ‘irritating substance’, Eindhovense Dagblad reported. All flights due to take off or land after 1pm on Monday were postponed or rerouted. The air traffic control duties were handed over to the royal air force’s command centre... More >

There could be a sting in the tail on the way for bus passengers – Dutch scientists have unveiled the first electric passenger vehicle to run on formic acid. A team at Eindhoven University of Technology have built the prototype bus, which uses formic acid to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Formic acid is the poison carried in the stings of ants, wasps and nettles. Max Aerts, head of the development team, said formic acid was a cost-effective way to create hydrogen as fuel. ‘The... More >

Standing in the aisles may be a sign of good things in the theatre – but not on the train. So Dutch train operator NS has announced that from next year its travel app will tell you where to find a seat. Data scientists Cyriana Roelofs and Sophie Verberne have developed a Reisplanner Xtra function to tell you which carriages are least full by using smart sensors in the track to weigh each carriage in real time. The Telegraaf reports that... More >

Schiphol airport is to introduce ‘no trolley’ queues at its security gates this summer in a bid to bring down waiting times. Passengers who travel with little or no hand luggage will be given priority going through security over those with trolley bags, which take longer to check. The move is part of a pan-European experiment to try to reduce the time it takes to get to the departure lounge. Schiphol said it was also considering separate queues for groups... More >