Train tickets will not become more expensive due to new union deal, NS confirms

Train tickets will not become more expensive as a result of the collective labor agreement that the NS reached with the trade unions on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the transport company has confirmed. The NS and the trade unions agreed that the salaries will increase by 4 percent from March 1, 2025. Another 3 to 3.5 percent increase will be added from March 1, 2026, depending on the job position of the employee.

According to the spokesperson, the salary increases will have no bearing on the prices of train tickets. “The prize is subject to strict rules and agreements with the ministry,” he explained.

Caretaker State Secretary of Transport, Thierry Aartsen, said last month that the ticket prices will be around 6 to 9 percent higher in 2026. The final price will be announced in November. According to the NS spokesperson, inflation and the company’s costs for using the railway will determine ticket prices next year.

The spokesperson does not know yet how the NS is going to pay for the new collective labor agreement. The company takes into account its costs, other sources of income besides train tickets, and plans for the coming year. The railway operator is already implementing cost-cutting measures for the next few years.

From 2028, the company aims to reduce structural costs by 200 million euros by downsizing its headquarters and saving on staffing, IT, and housing expenses.

NS is struggling financially. In the first half of the year, the company recorded a net loss of millions of euros. NS then said that costs continue to exceed revenue from ticket and subscription sales.