Check in and check out, every single time
Forgetting to check out of an NS train is the single most common way new arrivals lose money on Dutch public transport. What it actually costs, the narrow window for a correction, and what happens if an inspector catches you without a valid check-in.
Last checked Aug 21, 2026
Check in and check out, every single time
NS charges a fixed amount if you forget to check out. EUR 33.30 in 2nd class (checked 2026-08-18). A different fixed amount applies if you forget to check in instead. EUR 20 (checked 2026-08-18). Both are correctable, but only within a limited window and only a few times a year, so acting quickly matters more than getting it exactly right.
Why this catches people out
You tap in at the start of a journey and tap out again at the end, with the same card, phone or watch both times, and you do it again every time you switch to a different operator, for example getting off a train and onto a bus. It is easy to forget the second tap when you are rushing for a connection or distracted by a phone call, and the system has no way to know you actually left the train unless you tell it.
Getting a correction
You can ask NS or OVpay for a correction if you forgot to check in or out. 60 days after the trip, up to 3 times a year (checked 2026-08-18). Ask through Mijn NS if you paid with an NS-issued pass, or through OVpay.nl or the OVpay app if you paid with a contactless bank card, and expect to wait a few days after the trip before you can submit the request. See paying-for-public-transport-in-2026 for how the payment itself works.
If you checked in by mistake
If you tap in by mistake, you have a limited window to check out again at the same station and have NS cancel the journey instead of charging you for it. 60 minutes (checked 2026-08-21). Do this before you actually board or travel anywhere, since travelling first removes the option.
If an inspector catches you without a valid check-in
Travelling on an NS train without a valid check-in is not only an oversight, it can mean a fine you did not expect, higher than the correction charge for simply forgetting to tap in or out. EUR 70 fine plus the fare, EUR 20 more if unpaid within 14 days, EUR 20 off if paid by card on the spot (checked 2026-08-21). Waiting to pay only adds the administration surcharge on top, so paying immediately by card when an inspector catches you is normally the cheaper option. One more trap worth knowing: if you forgot to check out on a delayed train, you cannot also claim delay compensation for that journey.