Netherlands Day trip

[paul@skegby.org.]

On the Stena ferry to Hoek of Holland for midweek day trip March.
Journey starts approximately 07:30

Would like to travel, Haven metro > Utrecht > Amsterdam > Haven metro

I understand you can use contactless debit card on both tram and train.

I was thinking of changing from metro to train at Schiedam, do you exit the metro platform and re- enter separate platform for the train or is it counted as through journey?

And journey itself, is it better to travel Haven to Schiedam, Schiedam to Rotterdam, Rotterdam to Utrecht, advise welcome times or route not important.

 

[eastwestdivide]

I was thinking of changing from metro to train at Schiedam, do you exit the metro platform and re- enter separate platform for the train or is it counted as through journey?

You do have to exit the metro platforms and then enter the rail platforms. Don't know how that affects how you're charged on contactless

 

[NCT]

I was thinking of changing from metro to train at Schiedam, do you exit the metro platform and re- enter separate platform for the train or is it counted as through journey?

You touch out of metro and touch into NS. The two sides are separately barriered.

 

[AdamWW]

You do have to exit the metro platforms and then enter the rail platforms. Don't know how that affects how you're charged on contactless

Completely separate payment for the two I think - no discount for either of them being part of a longer journey.

When I last did this, it turned out somewhat oddly that a paper ticket on the Metro was somewhat cheaper than using a chipkaart, even though I think the ticket was for the whole system and not just the bit I did.

(This was before contactless was accepted, or at least before I knew that contactless was accepted.)

 

[DanielB]

And journey itself, is it better to travel Haven to Schiedam, Schiedam to Rotterdam, Rotterdam to Utrecht, advise welcome times or route not important.

For Utrecht it's most useful to stay on the metro till Rotterdam Alexander as this results in one change less.
The answers given to your other questions by other users are correct: metro and train are charged separately. And for this journey all stations have gates so impossible to forget to touch out.

 

[Bemined]

From Hoek van Holland Haven to Utrecht there are two ways: change once at Alexander or twice at Schiedam Centrum and Rotterdam Centraal. The change at Alexander is certainly easier as the walking distance is a lot shorter, but if you catch a good connection it can be 15 minutes faster to change twice.

When you return from Amsterdam you have two options: the old line via Leiden or the high speed line to Rotterdam Centraal. The latter requires a supplement, which should be possible with a contactless card as well but you need to tap your card additionally on the red supplement validator machine at the platform for that. The high speed line trains depart from Amsterdam Zuid and go to Rotterdam Centraal. Via the old line you can depart from either Amsterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Zuid, sometimes direct, sometimes with a change at Leiden. Most of trains via de old line call at Schiedam Centrum, but not all so make sure you take the right one then.

Also if you take a detour on your route, you will have to make sure you exit the station. Taking a detour to visit a station but without exiting the gateline can get you in trouble. You can of course visit a restaurant within a gateline before or after taking a train, but you are not supposed to stay within the gateline after your arrival and then take a train back in the direction you came from as that counts as fare evasion.

 

[DanielB]

but you are not supposed to stay within the gateline after your arrival and then take a train back in the direction you came from as that counts as fare evasion.

That's a good general guideline, but to add to that: in some cases this is allowed when it shortens journey time.

There's an easy way to find out those cases, as the official rule nowadays is that any journey suggested by the journey planner (without using via-options) is allowed.

 

[Amalie]

Taking the first metro at 7:30 or earlier from Hoek van Holland means that you’ll be travelling in peak rush hour. Especially on a Tuesday or Thursday. Traveling via Rotterdam Alexander will be possible, however, you’ll have a significantly larger chance for a (good) seat on the final train connection if you transfer twice.

However, if the metro you take is after 7:30, traveling all the way to Alexander should be fine as you’ll miss out on the worst part rush hour.

 

[eastwestdivide]

When I’ve travelled that way, I’ve never made a metro as early as 0730. Maybe just before 8 if you’re first off the boat and quick through the formalities

 

[country_end_37]

When I’ve travelled that way, I’ve never made a metro as early as 0730. Maybe just before 8 if you’re first off the boat and quick through the formalities

On weekdays the metros (line B) are every 20 minutes at 07.30, 07.50, 08.10, 08.30 from Hoek van Holland towards Rotterdam. Indeed, I'm not sure I've ever even made it for the 07.50 metro — the Stena staff direct car passengers to leave first, then foot passengers with pets, then finally the remaining foot passengers. Semi-regularly I have made it for 08.10, but only if I'm near the front of the queue to get off the ferry. Usually it's the 08.30 metro.

 

[rvdborgt]

When I last did this, it turned out somewhat oddly that a paper ticket on the Metro was somewhat cheaper than using a chipkaart, even though I think the ticket was for the whole system and not just the bit I did.

This is still partly the case. The 2-hour ticket is now €5.50 (€4 until a few years ago but they've been raising the price every year). Hoek van Holland Haven to Schiedam Centrum by metro using contactless is €5.28; to Rotterdam Centraal must be around €6.50; to Rotterdam Alexander it's €7.99.

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

Thanks for all the help.
Had a couple of days in Amsterdam and a few rail & metro trips, mostly without problem, only one cancelled train midway due to a security alert.

Just out of interest, is there a "Realtimes" alternative in the Netherlands?

 

[rvdborgt]

Just out of interest, is there a "Realtimes" alternative in the Netherlands?

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