[NL] Dal Voordeel - Not really practical for non resident, right? (Checking my understanding)

[Egg Centric]

We'll be in Netherlands as a family for a week in April, without a car (including Kings Day which I may ask for more guidance about planning nearer the time). My research suggests to me there's no real point in doing anything other than contactless and *possibly* PriceTime deals (although as they have to be booked the day before, they likely won't suit). There is a national "Dal Voordeel" product which gives 40% off peak travel, is only about 7 euros per month, and would be very attractive if travelling a decent amount during that week, which we will be - but in practice it's not practical to apply for it if you're a non resident as you need to set up a Dutch direct debit equivalent.

Am I understanding this correctly? Have I missed anything? Seems to me that in general Dutch ticketing is distressingly simple, I'm not used to this

 

[DanielB]

There is a national "Dal Voordeel" product which gives 40% off peak travel, is only about 7 euros per month, and would be very attractive if travelling a decent amount during that week, which we will be - but in practice it's not practical to apply for it if you're a non resident as you need to set up a Dutch direct debit equivalent.

April is still a month away, so plenty of time to sort things out. As first step, you'll need to order a personal OV-chipkaart. Should it be shipped to the UK then you'll probably need to call customer service of OV chipkaart as it is not in the standard order from, but should you have somewhere in the Netherlands to have it sent to that would be a practical solution.
The Dal Voordeel product can be ordered via NS customer service by phone, any SEPA IBAN is legally required to be accepted, but you need to have the chipcard number first.

As you state you're travelling with a family, the advantage of Dal Voordeel is that you also become eligible for joint journey discount. So you can take up to three people with you with 40% discount needing only one subscription. Do note however that with discounted e-tickets it's not allowed to be on the train during peak hours, while with a chipcard the check in time counts.
In case children under 12 are involved it however is often cheaper to buy a railrunner (day ticket for only €2,50 when accompanied by an adult)

 

[rvdborgt]

April is still a month away, so plenty of time to sort things out. As first step, you'll need to order a personal OV-chipkaart. Should it be shipped to the UK then you'll probably need to call customer service of OV chipkaart as it is not in the standard order from, but should you have somewhere in the Netherlands to have it sent to that would be a practical solution.

They write: "Is your IBAN not from the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg or Germany? Please contact us via chat. We will then help you apply for your OV-chipkaart."

The Dal Voordeel product can be ordered via NS customer service by phone, any SEPA IBAN is legally required to be accepted, but you need to have the chipcard number first.

You can then also ask NS customer service for a refund of the OV chipcard costs, since it is supposed to be free of charge if you order an NS subscription, but NS can't be bothered to make their order page accept foreign addresses and IBANs.
And after that, you still need to load the NS Flex subscription onto the chipcard, only once fortunately.

 

[dutchflyer]

Also consider:
1. INterrail 1 country. No restrictions on times or days when to use. If at least 3 longer return trips in that period are planned
2.NS group ticket, cost is 38,50€ for 2 or 3 persons or 43 for 4. No need for that extra card to arrange.
It all boils down to how many people, their ages and what trips are planned, also if it is possible to avoid travel in the peak hours.