NS to reward passengers for not traveling during rush hour

On Monday NS launched an experiment in which passengers traveling outside rush hour are given points, which they can save up for free stuff like cake and coffee. NS hopes that this will relieve some pressure on overcrowded trains during rush hour, RTV Utrecht reports. The experiment is currently only running on on the lines between Amersfoort and Utrecht Central and between Geldermalsen and Utrecht. It will last a year, after which its effectiveness will be evaluated. Travelers can use the MyOV smartphone app to see how many points they get per trip - trains just before or just after rush hour give the most points. Points are allocated based on data from the public transport card, which must be connected to the app. Points can be saved and use for coffee or cake, or even movie tickets or a day at an amusement park.