Which OV-chipkaart (PT smart card) do I need?  

6 november 2007

There are two different PT Smart Cards: the personalized OV-chipkaart and the anonymous OV-chipkaart. You can reload the e-purse on both of these cards, and you can travel anywhere with both of these cards. But there are a number of differences.

Personalized OV-chipkaart
The personalized OV-chipkaart offers you the most advantages. You can reload the e-purse on the card as often as you want, either with a balance in euros or with a travel product (with, for example, a season ticket or with train tickets). You can also decide to have the e-purse on your card automatically reloaded. If the amount on your e-purse goes below 5 euros, then a fixed amount of 10 or 20 euros is automatically transferred from your bank or giro account to your OV-chipkaart. You will also need a personalized OV-chipkaart if you want to benefit from an age-related reduction. There is a one-time charge of € 7.50 for this card, which is valid for 5 years. In case of loss or theft you can get this card blocked.

Anonymous OV-chipkaart
An anonymous card that you can only load with an e-purse and with train tickets. You cannot load season tickets onto this card. In some cases it's more convenient to travel with an anonymous card. For example, if you want to share the card with others. But several people cannot travel at one and the same time using the same card. Just like the personalized card, there is a one-time charge of € 7.50 for the anonymous card, which is valid for 5 years as well. The card cannot be blocked.

Disposable card
You can also buy disposable cards at the Ticket Vending and Add Value machines at metro stations and metro stops. You can choose between single, double and four trip cards. Travel using separate cards is more expensive than using an OV-chipkaart.

More information
Read more about the possibilities of the PT Smart Card.