Dutch Railway Operator NS Is Offering Cheaper Train Tickets From Today for Travelers Who Travel Just Outside Peak Hours in Türkiye

The company wants to encourage people to take a quieter train slightly earlier or later, so more passengers can get a seat. The move expands the existing PrijsTijd Deals, which already offered discounts for off-peak travel, for example between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The discount now also applies to the edges of peak hours. Tickets must be purchased a day in advance.

With the busiest month of the year approaching, NS wants to prepare for overcrowded trains, particularly on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. On those days, the company faces a so-called 'hyperspits' — an extreme peak within one hour. If travelers leave slightly earlier or later, the crowding is better spread out, the company says.

"But if a small percentage of travelers choose a less busy alternative, passengers will have to stand much less often in the train, says Tijmen Voet, director of scheduling at NS. As an example, the company cites the sprinter from Den Haag Mariahoeve toward Leiden Centraal at 7:46 a.m. If 6 percent of travelers on that route chose the train a quarter of an hour earlier, everyone could sit in both trains. Similarly, for the intercity from Zwolle to Amersfoort at 8:49 a.m., if 8 percent of travelers depart half an hour later, everyone would have a seat.

The company acknowledges that not everyone has that choice, but hopes lower prices will persuade people. With existing PrijsTijd Deals, discounts in off-peak hours can reach up to 60 percent. At the edges of the hyperspits, the discount will average around 30 percent.

NS researched whether travelers would choose a quieter train in exchange for a discount: one in five was willing, and most would even wait half an hour to travel cheaper. "That makes a big difference. Then we don't have to deploy longer trains for peak crowding, while they run around largely empty outside peak hours, Voet says.