NS international train tickets often much more expensive than other EU rail companies

According to RTL Nieuws’ rail price analysis, international train tickets are often much cheaper to buy from foreign rail companies than from NS. For example, traveling from Amsterdam to Budapest on the same train with the Hungarian company MAV-Start costs almost 40 euros less than with NS.

For train travel from Amsterdam to Budapest, the NS costs €109.90. MAV-Start costs around €66 for the same train at the same time, depending on the booking time.

Residents of Rosendaal often cross the border to Essen, Belgium, eight kilometers away, to catch a train to Antwerp, the broadcaster said. Rosendaal has its own train station, but on weekends he on NMBS a return ticket from Essen to Antwerp he costs €6.60 per person. The price for NS from Rosendaal to Antwerp is €16.40 per person for the same train that also stops in Essen.

From NMBS he saves even more when you buy duo tickets for two. Duo return tickets from Essen to Antwerp cost €10.60. NS doesn’t have a duo ticket, so you pay €32.80 for two people from Rosendaal to Antwerp. The train from Rosendaal to Essen takes just 8 minutes.

According to RTL, train travel within the Netherlands is also relatively expensive given the distance. A round-trip ticket from Breda to The Hague costs 31 euros without discount. For the same route in Belgium, Antwerp-Nyvel, you will pay €26. In Neuss Dortmund, Germany, it’s around 20 euros.
Eva Taylor Perkins, of travel agency Rover, told RTL Nieuws, “We definitely don’t want price differences.” “Travelers need to be confident that they are paying the best price for their trip. So, ideally, travelers should pay the same price across all booking channels.