NS €49 summer pass launch overwhelms site as some struggle to order it, sales top 20,000

The Dutch national rail operator NS saw heavy congestion on its website Monday after launching a discounted summer travel pass, with CEO Wouter Koolmees saying the temporary pricing plan cannot continue beyond August. The 49-euro-per-month off-peak “Nederland Dal Vrij” pass, normally 128 euros and launched at midnight, drew immediate high demand. More than 20,000 were sold within hours, while customers struggled to place orders.

“Because many people are using the NS webshop, it is currently very difficult to order the discounted subscription there,” a spokesperson said. “It is still possible to place an order, but customers are having difficulty getting through.”

By shortly after 10 a.m., NS had already sold more than 20,000 subscriptions. “It is busier than expected, and we are, of course, very happy about that,” the spokesperson said. If you are unable to purchase the pass due to heavy congestion, “the best thing is to try again at a later moment.” Existing holders of the Dal Vrij subscription must manually activate the discount to receive the lower price.

Despite the rush, NS said there is still enough availability. The discount is funded through a 118 million-euro pot from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. For each subscription, the government pays 79 euros of the cost. “If that money runs out, we will stop issuing subscriptions,” the spokesperson said. “But we are still a long way from that point.”

The promotion is temporary and intended for the summer months only. Koolmees said earlier that extending the discount beyond August is not possible.