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Travel to and from Dutch border after using up in/outbound journeys

  • June 1, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 99 views
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We have an Interrail Global pass for 90 days consecutive travel, which includes three in/outbound journeys. We have used two, so we have one left to leave or return to our country of residence, The Netherlands. Now we have already bought reservations for two journeys from Amsterdam to Frankfurt and one from Frankfurt to Amsterdam, and we have booked an OEBB nightjet from Vienna to Amsterdam.

I think we have to use the last in/outbound on the latter, but what is the cheapest way to get tickets for the other journeys? I don’t see a way to get just tickets between Amsterdam and Emmerich, where we cross the Dutch/German border. Tickets Amsterdam - Oberhausen (the first stop on the other side of the border) are quite expensive, and would also include a reservation, which we already have. We also have 40% discount on Dutch domestic journeys with our Dutch card, but there would be no way to check in/out at the border. 

Does anyone know if the NS sells tickets to the border at their ticket offices? Or does anyone have another creative solution?

Best answer by rvdborgt

Indeed, use the combination of BC100 and 40% discount in the Netherlands:

https://www.nsinternational.com/nl/tickets/ns-abonnement-en-internationaal-reizen

Also note that on weekdays, the 40% discount applies the whole day after 9:00 for international tickets.

Alternatively, check the price of a Sparpreis ticket from/to the last/first stop in Germany.

On international journeys, you don't check in or out anywhere, not even for connecting domestic trains, since you'd be paying twice. To pass any gates, you use the barcode on the international ticket.

You should indeed use an in/outbound for the Nightjet, since NS subscriptions aren't valid there.

3 replies

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Full steam ahead
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  • thibcabe
  • Full steam ahead
  • June 1, 2025

I believe the best way is to use https://www.nsinternational.com/en and add that you have 40% NS discount + Bahncard100 in Germany.

I will let ​@rvdborgt, the expert on this topic, confirm. ;)

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R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • Answer
  • June 2, 2025

Indeed, use the combination of BC100 and 40% discount in the Netherlands:

https://www.nsinternational.com/nl/tickets/ns-abonnement-en-internationaal-reizen

Also note that on weekdays, the 40% discount applies the whole day after 9:00 for international tickets.

Alternatively, check the price of a Sparpreis ticket from/to the last/first stop in Germany.

On international journeys, you don't check in or out anywhere, not even for connecting domestic trains, since you'd be paying twice. To pass any gates, you use the barcode on the international ticket.

You should indeed use an in/outbound for the Nightjet, since NS subscriptions aren't valid there.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
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  • nikkib
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • June 6, 2025

Thank you for your answers. For other travelers that are in a similar situation, what we have done:

Our plan was one journey out on Wednesday, departing Amsterdam 6:38, one in Whit Monday evening to Amsterdam and one out on Saturday. We already had all the reservations, but decided to go to Arnhem on a domestic NS train first on Wednesday, such that we could check in before 6:30 and get our 40% discount, then travel on a ticket from NS international for Arnhem-Oberhausen with 100% discount on the German part. Because the other two journeys are in the weekend or on a holiday, and they are within a month of each other, we opted for a NS Dal Vrij abonnement, which only cost EUR 46 for first class. 

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