Arriva not hiking train ticket prices despite more expensive diesel
Dutch transport companies are taking measures to protect themselves from rising fuel costs, though the effects on consumers vary. Arriva, which operates hundreds of kilometers of diesel train lines outside the Randstad, will not increase ticket prices this year despite higher diesel costs.
A company spokesperson told RTL Z, “Ticket prices are set at the beginning of the year for the entire year. The fuel price increase therefore has no impact on the prices our passengers pay.”
Arriva declined to provide details on how it absorbs rising fuel costs, citing business sensitivity. Diesel remains in use on 17 passenger train lines totaling 551 kilometers, mostly in Friesland, Groningen, Overijssel, and Gelderland, with smaller stretches in Limburg and Noord-Brabant. All Dutch diesel lines are planned to be emission-free by 2050.
The spokesperson noted that annual energy price increases are reflected in the Landelijke Tariefindex, which could affect fares next year.
Other transport companies are more transparent. KLM, for example, employs hedging strategies to mitigate fuel price volatility. Hedging can involve pre-purchasing kerosene at set prices or financial contracts that pay out if market prices rise. KLM reported that in 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, its fuel hedge yielded a positive payout of approximately 500 million euros, helping offset soaring oil costs. The airline plans to expand hedging in 2026, although higher fuel prices will still be reflected in ticket costs.
The Dutch national railway, NS, also uses hedging. Its trains run on electricity, and contracts limit exposure to market price fluctuations for future years. Nonetheless, NS noted in its 2022 report that geopolitical developments “put the affordability of our product for passengers under pressure.”
Rising diesel prices are affecting other sectors. The KNV, representing healthcare transport, touring cars, and taxis, warned that higher costs strain profit margins because they are often passed on only partially to customers. Transport and Logistics Netherlands (TLN) described escalating diesel costs as a growing concern for transport operators, including inland shipping, where some vessels are currently reducing fuel use due to price increases.
