NS: More tickets sold when Rotterdam gates closed

Closing the gates at Rotterdam Centraal seems to be effective, according to Dutch railway operator NS. Sales of tickets at vending machines at the station rose by as much as 73 percent.

The number of people topping up their public transit card at Rotterdam Centraal also increased.

The gates at the Rotterdam station, and many other stations across the country, were closed since May 1. A valid ticket is needed to open the gates, even for people who are not travelling, but only at the station to shop at the stores and visit some cafes.

Since then, staffers issued more than a thousand fines to people who were at the station without a valid ticket. Shortly after the gates closed, RTV Rijnmond broadcast video of young people jumping over the gates in droves.

After the video surfaced, a majority of MPs said they wanted the gates raised to make them harder to jump over. The NS replied that they want to observe the situation first before investing in taller gates.