Always check in and check out
Travel with the OV-chipkaart means that you must always check in and check out at the gates or the yellow card readers.
- Not checked in and no valid travel product on your card? That means you are evading the fare. You are risking a fine of € 37.50.
- Not checked in or out, and no valid travel product on your card? Instead of the usual fare you now pay € 4.00 for your trip.
- Not checked in or out? That means there is an incomplete transaction on your card. Your card will be disabled if there are twelve incomplete transactions on your card in two weeks. You must then get the card restored at one of our Tickets & Info service points.
Sufficient balance on your e-purse
To check in successfully, there must be a sufficient balance - at least € 0.00 - in the e-purse on your OV-chipkaart, even if there is a valid travel product (like a season ticket) on the card. You can check in only once with zero euros on your card. Then your account goes negative and you will not be able to check in again. You must first reload the e-purse on your card.
Maximum e-purse
The balance that can be loaded on the card at this time has a maximum of € 30.00. Checking in is possible with a minimum of zero euros on your card. At that time your balance goes below zero, which means you have to reload the e-purse on your card before the next time.
Has your e-purse balance gone below € 4.00 negative? Then you can no longer check out.
Initial fee
When you travel using your e-purse, € 4.00 will be deducted automatically from your card when checking in. When you check out the actual fare is calculated and any excess charge is paid back.
Base fee
As with a strip ticket, travel using the e-purse on the OV-chipkaart is charged using a base fee.
Changing
Checking in and out once using the OV-chipkaart means one individual journey. If you change within 35 minutes (you are checked in again) the base fee is not calculated.
Saying goodbye, picking people up or left something behind?
There is no charge if you check out no more than twenty minutes after checking in at the same metro station or metro stop. If you check out over 20 minutes later you pay the base fee.