Amsterdam and Region Travel Ticket now includes NS trains

[radamfi]

In the last few years, two tourist products for the Amsterdam area have been introduced. The Amsterdam Travel Ticket, which includes travel between Amsterdam airport and the city centre, plus travel within the city itself, and the Amsterdam and Region Travel Ticket, which covers travel within Amsterdam plus surrounding area, so you can visit places like Keukenhof, Marken, Haarlem and Zaandvoort. However, until recently it didn't cover NS rail travel. Now it does include trains but has increased in price to 18.50.

Rail validity is bounded by Hoofddorp, Zaandvoort, Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, Purmerend Overwhere, Lelystad Centrum, Hilversum Sportpark and Amsterdam Holendrecht.

A map of the rail routes and selected bus routes is here:

https://en.gvb.nl/amsterdam-region-travel-ticket

Bus validity is unclear. It is valid on GVB, EBS and Connexxion routes in the area and presumably it is valid on the routes shown on the map but may well be valid on all routes in the franchise areas concerned.

 

[Groningen]

Zaandvoort is Zandvoort. Lelystad Centrum is way out of bounds. Funny; you can reach Beverwijk and Nieuw Vennep not with the train, but only with the bus. And Nieuw Vennep only when the Keukenhof is open (March - May). According to the map even Hoorn (line 314) can be reached with the bus, but Hoorn is not displayed on the map. There are strange choices made what to include and not to include.

 

[childwallblues]

Zaandvoort is Zandvoort. Lelystad Centrum is way out of bounds. Funny; you can reach Beverwijk and Nieuw Vennep not with the train, but only with the bus. And Nieuw Vennep only when the Keukenhof is open (March - May). According to the map even Hoorn (line 314) can be reached with the bus, but Hoorn is not displayed on the map. There are strange choices made what to include and not to include.

Interesting.

 

[radamfi]

I've used the ticket on buses "off the map" and the smartcard reader accepted the ticket. My guess is that all buses from each depot which operate routes in the area have their machines programmed to accept the ticket.

The main question here is, if the machine accepts the ticket when boarding, does that mean you are covered if an inspector gets on and thinks you are out of area?

 

[dutchflyer]

Very strange-there is suddenly this week here many (just copying one another) reports about this ''new'' and its there since more as 7 monthes now! Even the tripadvisor forum had it mentioned ages ago.
There is also enormous advertising for it at NS-stations, where it must be bought in person.
As long as you are properly checked in in whatever bus, you are fine. It goes not by depot, but by concession, of which Connexxion has many, but also OUT of the area. There this ticket will not-should not-work. Inspections are very, very rare indeed, but most drivers are pretty keen in listening to the beeps.
It IS valid on NS as far as Lelystad, Zandvoort, and in fact even the 1-day version is cheaper as a full-price return between those 2 towns. In fact the 3-day version works out cheaper for a regular commuter from Lelystad to AMSterdam as monthly seasons, certainly if also GVB is used. NS has apparently forgotten to build in a after 9.00 rule.