Schiphol to Breda

[stuartmoss]

Hello All,

I'm working in Breda on Monday and land at Schiphol early morning. I understand that I can get a direct train to Breda. I just wondered, would it be worthwhile me buying online in advance, or just buy from the machine at the station? Is it cheaper to buy a return rather than two singles?

Thanks in advance.

 

[radamfi]

There is a 1 euro surcharge for buying at the machine. A return is twice the single, but if you buy a return at the machine you only pay the 1 euro surcharge once.

You also have to pay a surcharge for the high speed line between Schiphol and Rotterdam. That can be avoided by travelling via Den Haag.

If you buy online you have to travel on the day you book your ticket for.

 

[AlexNL]

ns.nl recently started accepting credit cards, so you can now save yourself € 1 in "ticket handling fees" by buying a ticket online (NS wants everyone to travel on an OV-chipkaart). If traveling via the high speed line (with 'Intercity Direct') you'll have to pay a supplement. This costs € 2,40 per journey.

There's no price difference between singles and return tickets either - a return costs the same as two singles. There is no price difference between buying in advance or buying on the day itself - you can even buy a ticket through NS's Reisplanner Xtra app while you're going down the escalator at Schiphol Airport.

 

[dutchflyer]

OR-if you intend to do this many more times and also use local buses, think of just buying a OVchipcard (7,5O, non refundable, lasts 5 years)-gives you the price as online. AND the HS=IC-direct service (these are the direct trains Schiph-Breda, ev 3O mins, taking slightly over 1 hr) supplment is reduced to 1,4O off-peaks. Savings on local buses by using the chipcard )works like an TfL Oyster, except you always need to check in AND OUT-as fares go by the actual distance) are much higher-esp. short distance. Just put money on it, but you ned a MIN of 2O eur (they say, actually just 16) for using trains.

 

[stuartmoss]

Thanks, I had an interesting experience. Buying tickets at the machine was easy. The trains were comfortable. However on the way down I had a 2 hour delay at Rotterdam Centraal due to a suicide south of Centraal. On the way back to Schiphol my train broke down at Hoofddorp. It was stood for over 3 hours. Eventually we were evacuated, had to climb down a ladder onto the ballast, walk alongside the train and then climb onto another one. I arrived at Schiphol 3 hours and 10 mins late, and missed my flight home. Had to re-book for a later flight, which cost me €189. I filmed the train evacuation from my iPhone, which was sat in the breast pocket of my shirt, it’s on my insta: stumoss. Anyone have any idea about claiming for the delay and subsequent flight expense against NS?

 

[AlexNL]

Anyone have any idea about claiming for the delay and subsequent flight expense against NS?

You can put in a delay repay claim ('Geld terug bij vertraging').

You can put in a claim for the new plane ticket, but NS are likely to reject that as they are legally not liable for subsequent damages caused by the delay of your train.

 

[MisterT]

You can get a refund for your train tickets: https://www.ns.nl/en/customer-service/refunds/refunds-for-delays-on-a-domestic-route.html
Unfortunately, NS will usually not refund the extra flight expenses, but you might want to try to claim those by writing a letter explaining the situation to the customer service. They might be able to give you a refund, even when it's not officially given. You can find the address here: https://www.ns.nl/en/customer-service/other-items/complaints.html

Please note that the average response time to a letter (and for the delay repay too) is quite high. Please do not expect a reply within the next few months.

Edit: and as usual, AlexNL beat me to it

 

[stuartmoss]

Thanks Alex and MisterT....

 

[stuartmoss]

In case anyone is interested, this wasn't the best of trips, on the way down I had a 2 hour delay at Rotterdam Centraal due to a fatality on the line, missing my conference speaking slot (they did squeeze me in the next day though) so here's a bit of footage from Rotterdam Centraal:

On the way back, my train broke down just outside of Hoofddorp, where it sat for 3 hours before we were evacuated onto another train (climbing down onto the track, walking on the ballast, and climbing up onto another train). I missed my flight home consequently and had to shell out £170 for another. I did film the evacuation with my phone in my shirt breast pocket, thought it made for some interesting footage (albeit a bit shakey), hear the delight in my voice to find out I need to climb down and up ladders!

 

[paddington]

Interesting.

Not sure why NS should pay for a new flight, if anything it should be the (estate of the) person who committed suicide, or more realistically, travel insurance

 

[AlexNL]

Not sure why NS should pay for a new flight

They don't have to.

 

[Groningen]

Last week there was a nonstop train from Zaventem to Rotterdam Centraal. Not sure whether it stopped in Antwerpen and following the old line via Roosendaal and Dordrecht (but not stopping there). So also avoiding Breda. This HSL in the Netherlands is overloaded.

 

[AlexNL]

This HSL in the Netherlands is overloaded.

The HSL itself is not overloaded, but there are many pinch points on the surrounding infrastructure which makes planning trains on it quite difficult. The large speed differential between Thalys/Eurostar and the LHCS is also eating a lot of theoretical capacity.

 

[Groningen]

In Rotterdam the Thalys to Schiphol and Paris is (about) 7 minutes behind a IC Direct. I believe that sometimes there are problems with the change of current.

 

[stuartmoss]

Interesting.

Not sure why NS should pay for a new flight, if anything it should be the (estate of the) person who committed suicide, or more realistically, travel insurance

You have misinterpreted. The delay on the way South was due to a suicide. The delay on the way back North was due to a train breaking down.

 

[Groningen]

There is no compensation when there is a poweroutage, treat of a terrorist attack, strike, weather events like storm or snow. It does not say anything about a suicide. If you have to catch a plane (in/at Schiphol) do not arrive last minute. I also read that there is no compensation if you travel on an CIV ticket; than you have to contact nsinternational.

 

[stuartmoss]

Without wanting to turn this into an argument, I will say that getting a 15:45 train from Breda for a 19:10 flight, isn’t exactly last minute, when it should be a 50 minute journey.