Dutch travellers satisfied with public transport; Budget cuts risking that

Dutch public transport users are said to have been very satisfied with the country’s public transport systems in 2024. They gave the country’s public transport a 7.8, which is the same grade they gave it in 2023, according to the knowledge platform CROW. The respondents were part of a survey about travel by train, bus, tram, metro, and boat. Public transport over the water was given the highest grade, with an 8.6.

The other categories are reasonably close together in results. The regional bus and tram scored higher than the national average, with 7.9. The subway system scored the same as the average, with 7.8. The city bus, regional train, intercity, and sprinter are just below this, with a score of 7.7. The lowest score was given to the Intercity Direct/IC Brussel, with a 7.6 out of 10.

The popularity of using a bank card or credit card to check in and out via OVPay is increasing. This way of paying for public transport increased to 15 percent of travelers in 2024 compared to 2023, when just nine percent used the payment method. It rose from six to nine percent on the main rail network.

OV-NL the association for public transport companies in the Netherlands, are pleased with the results of the survey but they are also wondering how long these positive reviews will last considering the Cabinet’s plans to cut 335 million euros from the public transport sector.

“Due to the cuts, buses and trains will run less frequently, and tickets will become more expensive,” OV-NL warned. “We are proud of a 7.8. It is an appreciation that we want to maintain at least but would most like to improve on. Public transport keeps the Netherlands accessible and is essential for our economy and society. That is why these kinds of cutbacks are disastrous, and we, therefore, call on the government to reverse them. No traveler is waiting for a lower quality of public transport," said Hatte van der Woude, chairman of OV-NL.

OV-NL is particularly concerned about people on low incomes and people in rural areas. “They will be hit the hardest. The reduction will lead to overcrowded buses and trains, which will lead to people opting to use the car more often. Declining public transport resources will have even more serious consequences in the rural areas.”

Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague (MRDH) have also expressed their concerns about having to increase ticket prices. "This is only possible if the announced national cutback of 110 million euros on public transport in the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region and in the Amsterdam transport region is taken off the table. If the cutback goes ahead, we will have no choice but to significantly increase the price of the metro, tram, and bus, and fewer buses will run," said MRDH director Jeffrey Keus.