The problem is this:
NS and most other regional TRAIN companies have 2 types of gates (if there are gates), older ones with a grey nob only reacting to chipcards with chip and glassy readers (like at airprotgates) that can also read barcodes, even from fones.
However, this line is now RET=Rotterdam (region) local transport, its METRO and all its stops are fully gated with only old-style gates able to only take chipcards. ALL single use chipcards have an expiry date set in them, mostly till 31/12 of the year following. It is of course a hassle for anyone stocking those chipcardtickets, as they can also easily damage without this being noted. Applies also to GVB=AMSterdam metro, it took so many yrs before it all got started and cost such a lot to install that with such low normal fares they will not go to adapt that untill a all-singing-and-dancing brandnew system comes along. Its technology from indeed now >15 yrs old. The starter chipcard cities like HongKong face the same situation.
I´ve predicted with this knowledge that the old method for through tickets and InterRail etc. would be impossible to keep on and this proves it. What you mention about ´to any station´ being used to fuzzy around the whole day is by now >20 yrs old topic and was resolved in the past by simply putting the final station on the ticket. I dont know however if this is currently still so. I assume one now/future simply has to print off (or keep on smartfone) the final ticket (if the combo ticketing remains) for trains, and for this RET section in between to have to buy the ticket-from the machine on the platform and with card. I also recall that apparently the nr of people using this type of ticket has dwindled to less as 10/average per trip and thus not even a hired bus to bridge the gap would be costeffective. Refer to seat61-marc has a dutch wife and is very much on the current with this.
Aside note: ´bargain´ day rovers (but only valid off-peak) are still available for dutch people in the know and with swift action when they are advertised, but never from NS but steady varying retailers. Can cost still as low as 15/16 eur/day (my weekends only networkseason cost me 32 eur for a month). However slowly these are also being fased out to online return bookings. The usual cost that Stena would have to pay to NS (and part of this goes to ARRIVA and the like) I estimate to something between 6-9 eur.
