Dutch regional transport strikes (October 2026) and the 4.7% NS fare rise in 2027: what runs, refunds, and how to pay less

In October 2026, regional buses and trains in the Netherlands started striking once a week. The unions said the action would continue until Christmas, and that each strike day would only be announced shortly beforehand. For anyone who relies on a regional bus to get to work or school, that meant not knowing until the evening before whether tomorrow's trip would happen.

Then, on 21 October, the unions announced a two-week pause, and the strike planned for 22 October was called off. A day earlier, on 20 October, NS (Dutch Railways) had announced that train fares will rise by an average of 4.7% in 2027. So in a single week, residents got news about transport that may stop and transport that will cost more.

This article starts from DutchReview's report and sets out the situation as of 23 October 2026. It then covers what most residents actually need: where to check strike information, what you can get back when you cannot travel, and how to prepare for the 2027 fare rise. Because this changes quickly, each time-sensitive point comes with a place to check the latest version.

Main sources for this article

• DutchReview, "Starting tomorrow, regional transport workers will strike one day per week until Christmas" (13 October 2026)
• FNV, "Acties streekvervoer twee weken opgeschort" (21 October 2026) and DutchNews, "Unions call off bus and regional train strikes for two weeks" (22 October 2026)
• NS, "NS maakt prijs treinkaartje 2027 bekend" (20 October 2026)
• NS, "Refunds for delays on a domestic route", and 9292's strike page (updated 22 October 2026)

1. What is happening right now (as of 23 October 2026)

Here is the sequence of events over the past six weeks. One thing to note first: the October regional strikes and the September national strike were about different disputes.

9 September: a national 24-hour strike (a separate dispute)

On 9 September 2026, a national 24-hour strike called by FNV stopped regular NS trains for the whole day. The only exception was the airport sprinter between Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol and Hoofddorp, running four times an hour. City buses, trams and metros in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague also stopped (DutchNews, 9 September 2026).

That strike was a protest against the cabinet's planned cuts to unemployment (WW) and disability (WIA) benefits. It had nothing to do with the regional transport collective agreement.

14 October: the first regional strike

The collective labour agreement (cao) for regional public transport expired at the end of June 2026. Talks broke down after eight rounds, and an ultimatum to the employers' association VWOV expired without a response (DutchNews, 9 October 2026).

FNV and CNV held a first 24-hour strike on Wednesday 14 October and said they would strike once a week until Christmas. Around 13,000 to 13,500 workers are covered, most of them bus drivers (DutchReview, 13 October 2026).

21 October: a two-week pause, and no strike on the 22nd

On 20 October, DutchReview reported that a second strike would take place on Thursday 22 October (DutchReview, 20 October 2026). The next morning, VWOV sent a new proposal and the unions decided to pause action for two weeks. The 22 October strike did not happen.

According to the trade site Treinreiziger, employers offered to bring a pay rise forward and withdrew proposals that would have worsened rosters (Treinreiziger, 21 October 2026). FNV called it a truce, but said the next action will follow on 7 November if employers do not offer enough (FNV, 21 October 2026).

The same timeline, with sources:

A pause is not a settlement. If talks have not produced an agreement by early November, weekly strikes could return.

2. What the dispute is about

It is not this article's job to take sides, but knowing the issues helps you judge how long disruption might last. Here is what each side has said publicly.

What the unions want

CNV is asking for a 9.5% pay rise over two years, better arrangements for older workers, faster access to permanent contracts and fully paid parental leave for the first nine weeks. FNV has been reported as asking for 6% (DutchNews, 9 October 2026).

What employers originally proposed

According to the unions, employers wanted to cut sick pay, add more unpaid breaks to shifts and fix rosters at shorter notice: four days or less instead of the current eight or so. VWOV said that "the financial pressure on public transport is high" and that it did not have room to meet the unions' demands.

The 21 October proposal reportedly dropped the roster changes and other cuts, so the remaining gap seems to be mainly about the size and timing of pay rises.

Why strike dates are announced late

The unions chose to announce strike days only shortly beforehand. CNV's negotiator said this was to stop employers drawing up emergency timetables that would blunt the strikes (DutchReview, 13 October). For passengers, it means you may not know until the evening before whether your service will run. That is why section 4 matters more than any long-range forecast.

3. What stops and what keeps running

Dutch public transport is run by different operators line by line, under regional concessions. These strikes are about the regional transport collective agreement, so only operators covered by that agreement are affected. Once you know which operator runs your bus or train, you know whether a strike is likely to hit you.

What actually happened on 14 October

NL Times reported that Arriva ran no trains in Limburg, while most of its buses in Limburg ran and only about 15% ran in Noord-Brabant. Its regional lines in Groningen and Friesland were expected to run normally. EBS warned of "significant service cancellations or delays", and RET in the Rotterdam region ran no buses while its trams and metro ran as usual (NL Times, 14 October 2026).

Even within one operator, service levels varied a lot by region. "It's Arriva, so nothing will run" is not a safe assumption either way.

As the table shows, the real picture often only becomes clear on the morning itself, so forecasts from the day before are of limited use.

If you live in or around The Hague

Trams, buses and RandstadRail (the light rail linking The Hague with Rotterdam and Zoetermeer) in The Hague are run by HTM, which is not part of this dispute. But some buses towards Delft, Westland and Rijswijk are run by regional operators such as EBS. IamExpat reported that EBS would only run selected routes in Haaglanden on 14 October (IamExpat, 13 October 2026).

Two buses at the same stop can be run by different operators, so check the operator for each line you use, either on the stop's timetable or in 9292's route details.

Getting to Schiphol

IamExpat warned that bus connections to Schiphol could be cancelled on strike days, pushing up road traffic and taxi demand. NS trains ran on schedule. The train is the safer way to the airport.

4. How to check strike information

Because strike days are announced late, checking just before you travel matters more than planning far ahead. Here is what each source is good for.

9292: every operator in one planner

9292 combines the timetables of all Dutch public transport operators, and operators send changes straight to 9292, so it shows alternative routes during strikes and cancellations. It also runs a strike news page, which announced the cancellation of the 22 October strike (9292, updated 22 October 2026).

9292's own advice is to plan as close to departure as possible and to enter your exact start and end addresses rather than stop names, so nearby stops that are still served show up (9292's tips for strikes and disruptions).

The NS app: trains and crowding

The NS app is strongest on train running information, delays and platform changes. It shows expected crowding with one to three icons, and if you save a journey it can push an alternative when your train is likely to be busier than expected (NS, calmer travel).

For regional buses and other operators' trains, 9292 and the operator itself are usually more detailed. A simple rule: NS app for NS trains, 9292 for everything else.

Operator websites and social media

On a strike day, the first detailed information about which lines run, and how often, usually comes from the operators. Arriva, EBS, Qbuzz, Keolis and Transdev (Connexxion, Hermes, U-OV) each have a travel information page. Bookmark the ones you use.

News of a strike moves from union announcements to the media, sometimes with a delay of a few hours. Checking once the evening before and again in the morning is a realistic routine.

5. Refunds and delay compensation

What you can get back depends on how you paid and which operator you were travelling with. The answer is not always "a cancelled trip means a refund".

If you pay per trip (OV-chipkaart balance or OVpay)

With an OV-chipkaart balance or OVpay (tapping a bank card or phone), you pay for the distance you travel. If you do not travel, you are not charged, so there is normally nothing to refund for a strike day.

The risk is getting off somewhere unplanned when a service is cancelled mid-trip. If you forget to check out, the boarding fare (instaptarief) deducted when you checked in may not be returned. For trains, you need at least €20 on an OV-chipkaart (€10 with an NS discount subscription on balance), and HTM's boarding fare is €4 (NS, HTM).

Fixing a missed check-out with OVpay

With OVpay, you can correct a missed check-in or check-out in the app or on the website from six hours after the trip, for up to 60 days. There is a limit: three times a year with NS, and three times every six months with other operators. Without an account, you can use the payment reference on your bank statement, which starts with "NLOV" and has 18 characters (OVpay service).

NS delay compensation (Geld terug bij vertraging)

On domestic NS routes, part of your fare comes back depending on the length of the delay: usually half from 30 minutes and the full fare from 60 minutes. Intercity direct and the Intercity between The Hague and Eindhoven via Breda qualify from 15 minutes.

Claim within three months of travel: via Mijn NS for an OV-chipkaart, or the online form for contactless cards and phones. Amounts under €2.30 are not paid. Delays announced in advance, delays caused by another operator and force majeure (such as a national power cut) are excluded.

Because delays announced in advance are excluded, cancellations on a pre-announced strike day are unlikely to qualify.

Regional operators' delay schemes

Regional operators such as Qbuzz also have compensation schemes for delays of 30 minutes or more and for cancelled services, according to consumer programme Kassa (BNNVARA Kassa). Conditions, deadlines and forms vary by operator and by concession, so look for "geld terug" (money back) on your operator's website.

If you have a season ticket

Article 7.2 of the general conditions for urban and regional transport (Algemene Voorwaarden stads- en streekvervoer) reportedly allows season ticket holders a pro-rata refund of prepaid fares in the event of a lawful, general strike lasting more than one day. Operators may charge reasonable administrative costs, and replacement transport such as taxis is not covered (Treinreiziger).

Single-day strikes like the current ones may not meet that condition. In past strikes some operators offered goodwill compensation, such as extending subscriptions. Such decisions are usually announced after the dispute ends, so keep a note of the strike dates and the trips you could not make.

6. Alternatives on a strike day

On a strike day you have three basic options: switch to transport that is running, travel at a different time, or not travel. Picking one or two in advance saves a lot of stress on the morning.

Commuters

If a regional bus normally takes you to the station, cycling to the station is the most reliable fallback. Most major stations have large bicycle parking facilities, many free for the first 24 hours. NS's rental bike, OV-fiets, rises from €4.80 to €4.95 per rental in 2027 (IamExpat, 21 October 2026).

If your employer allows working from home, that is often the simplest answer. Messaging your manager the evening before to say you will work from home because of a strike is a normal thing to do in the Netherlands.

Families with children who take the bus to school

Secondary school pupils who rely on regional buses lose their ride on strike days. Some schools tell parents how lateness or absence will be handled, so watch for messages from the school. Sharing car runs with neighbours is a common solution.

7. The 2027 NS fare change

Separately from the strikes, NS fares change on 1 January 2027. NS announced on 20 October 2026 that tickets and most subscriptions will rise by an average of 4.7% (NS, 20 October 2026).

What makes up the 4.7%

NS says the increase covers expected inflation for 2027, a correction for 2026 inflation and a previously agreed catch-up for missed inflation in 2020–2023. Passenger organisation Rover says 1 percentage point of it is the catch-up (Rover, 20 October 2026).

It is an average, so some routes will rise slightly more and others slightly less. DutchNews notes this is the third year in a row that NS fares rise above inflation, after rises of about 6.5% in each of the last two years; in 2024 fares were frozen with a €120 million government contribution (DutchNews, 20 October 2026).

Dashes mean NS did not state a 2026 figure in its announcement. The €3.10 minimum fare comes from DutchNews and Rover and is not in the NS press release itself.

What stays the same

Products for families are unchanged: Kids Vrij (children aged 4 to 11 travel free with an adult), the Railrunner day ticket for children (€2.50), and Dal Voordeel for 12 to 17-year-olds (40% off in off-peak hours and at weekends, no subscription fee).

How passengers' groups reacted

Rover accepts passing on inflation but opposes the extra catch-up. It called the higher minimum fare unnecessary, noting that a short trip with other operators costs about half. It welcomed same-day PrijsTijd Deals and the extension of subscription discounts up to the border on the Eurocity Direct to Belgium.

8. How to pay less despite the rise

Even with higher fares, when and how you buy makes a big difference. Dutch rail discounts are designed to reward people who travel at quieter times.

PrijsTijd Deals: discounts on quieter trains

PrijsTijd Deals give you a discount for buying a ticket on a quieter train at least one day ahead. The discount depends on the day and how busy the train is, and the NS journey planner shows it next to each departure. Since 25 August 2026, trains just before and after rush hour have also been included, at around 30% off on average (NL Times, 25 August 2026). In 2027 the maximum discount rises to 80%, and later in the year deals will also be available on the day of travel.

80% is a ceiling, not the typical discount. Expect the biggest discounts on trains that are quiet anyway, such as weekend middays.

Off-peak subscriptions (Dal Voordeel and others)

NS rush hours are weekdays 06:30–09:00 and 16:00–18:30. If you can avoid those times, Dal Voordeel, with 40% off in off-peak hours, is the basic option. The monthly price changes from year to year, so check the season ticket page on ns.nl. As a rule of thumb, it tends to pay for itself if you make at least one off-peak return trip a month.

In summer 2026, NS sold Dal Vrij (unlimited off-peak and weekend travel) for €49 a month in July and August, compared with the usual €127.50. NS has said it wants to discuss bringing the summer offer back (DutchNews, 20 October).

Check your employer's travel allowance

Dutch employers can reimburse actual public transport costs tax-free. For travel by car or bike, there is a tax-free limit per kilometre, which was raised from €0.23 to €0.25 for 2026 (Belastingdienst). Some employers provide an NS Business Card. Before fares go up, it is worth rereading your employer's travel policy.

Not all discounts can be combined. NS's season ticket selection guide (keuzehulp) on ns.nl lets you compare them for your own travel pattern.

9. From OV-chipkaart to OVpay

Alongside strikes and fares, the way you pay is changing. Dutch public transport is gradually moving from the OV-chipkaart smart card to OVpay, where you tap a bank card or phone.

Anonymous cards are no longer sold

According to OV-chipkaart.nl, anonymous OV-chipkaarts could no longer be bought from 1 July 2026. Existing cards keep working for now, and NS says they can be used until the end of 2027 (OV-chipkaart.nl, NS).

The successor, the OV-pas, is managed through an OVpay account and costs €6 according to HTM. ACCESS NL says the OV-pas is expected to replace the OV-chipkaart by the end of 2027 (ACCESS).

NS subscriptions and student travel products still need an OV-chipkaart for now. Use the "overstaphulp" (switching guide) on ovpay.nl to see whether you can move over yet.

Free HTM travel for children in The Hague

Children aged 4 to 11 registered in the municipality of The Hague can travel free on HTM buses and trams under the "Kids voor Niks" pilot. Parents apply for a special card, and children still check in and out. The pilot was originally set to run until the end of 2026 and the municipality has announced an extension (Gemeente Den Haag); check the city's website for the current terms.

10. Common mistakes

Information about strikes and fares mixes English and Dutch sources, which makes misunderstandings easy. These are the ones that come up most.

The most frequent confusion is between "NS strikes" and "regional strikes". The 9 September national strike and the October regional strikes covered different operators, so read past the headline to the operator names.

11. Steps to take this week

The pause is a good moment to get ready in case the strikes return. In order:

1. Install 9292 and the NS app: save your commute and turn on notifications
2. Find out who runs your lines: check the operator name in 9292's route details
3. Bookmark your operators' travel information pages: Arriva, EBS, Qbuzz and so on
4. Pick one fallback: bike plus train, working from home, or shared school runs
5. Check your employer's and school's rules: working from home and lateness on strike days
6. Watch the news around 7 November: FNV and CNV statements and 9292's notices
7. Set up your delay claims: a Mijn NS account, or your regional operator's claim form
8. Review your subscription before January: compare Dal Voordeel and PrijsTijd for your trips

12. Three example situations (fictional)

Here are three fictional residents in different situations, to show how preparation differs. They are not real people.

A: commuting by EBS bus from The Hague to Delft

Someone living in The Hague who takes an EBS bus to work in Delft. HTM in the city is unaffected, but the EBS bus may stop. The practical move is to check, in advance, a route to Delft by HTM tram or NS train in 9292.

B: a family in Noord-Brabant with a child on the school bus

A secondary school pupil who takes an Arriva bus to school. On 14 October only about 15% of Arriva buses in Noord-Brabant ran, according to NL Times. This family needs a car-sharing plan with neighbours and should check school messages the evening before.

C: a remote worker who takes weekend train trips

Someone who works from home on weekdays and often travels to Utrecht or Maastricht at weekends. The 2027 fare rise applies, but weekend trains are often quiet, which is when large PrijsTijd discounts tend to appear. Booking a day ahead could more than offset the increase.

The same strike can hit people very differently depending on the operator. Knowing which operators your daily life depends on is the best preparation.

13. What not to do

14. Checklist

• Installed 9292 and the NS app and saved my routes
• Checked which operators run my buses and regional trains
• Bookmarked those operators' travel information pages
• Chose one fallback for strike days
• Checked how my employer and school handle strike days
• Noted to check union announcements around 7 November
• Set up Mijn NS so I can claim delay compensation
• If I still use an anonymous OV-chipkaart, considered the OV-pas or OVpay
• Compared subscriptions and discounts before the January rise
• Told visiting friends or family about strikes and 9292

15. Summary

• Regional bus and train strikes began on 14 October 2026 and were paused for two weeks from 21 October; the 22 October strike was called off
• FNV says the next action will be on 7 November if employers do not offer enough
• The strikes hit Arriva, EBS, Qbuzz, Keolis, Transdev and others; NS, HTM and GVB were not affected
• Check 9292 and the NS app the evening before and again on the morning
• Pay-per-trip travellers are not charged for trips not made. NS delay compensation is 50% from 30 minutes and 100% from 60 minutes, claimed within three months. Season ticket strike refunds come with conditions
• NS fares rise by an average of 4.7% from 1 January 2027, while the PrijsTijd Deal maximum rises to 80%
• Anonymous OV-chipkaarts are no longer sold (since July 2026); check your payment method before the end of the year

Sources used

Strike coverage (residents' media)

• Starting tomorrow, regional transport workers will strike one day per week until Christmas — DutchReview: first strike, demands, employer proposals (13 October 2026)
• Yet another regional transport strike announced for Thursday — DutchReview: 22 October announcement, 13,500 workers (20 October 2026)
• Unions call regional transport strike, threaten weekly walkout — DutchNews: breakdown of talks, pay demands, rosters (9 October 2026)
• Weekly regional transport strikes begin, to run until Christmas — DutchNews: first strike (14 October 2026)
• Unions call off bus and regional train strikes for two weeks — DutchNews: two-week pause (22 October 2026)
• National 24-hour public transport strike begins — DutchNews: 9 September national strike
• Bus and train services uncertain as regional transport strike begins Wednesday — NL Times: operator outlook
• Public transport strike: No buses, regional trains running in most of the Netherlands — NL Times: service on 14 October
• Bus drivers in the Netherlands to strike on October 14 — IamExpat: regional impact, Schiphol
• Staking van streekvervoer op donderdag gaat niet door — Treinreiziger: employers' new proposal

Unions, operators and planners (primary sources)

• Acties streekvervoer twee weken opgeschort — FNV: pause, 7 November
• Strikes in regional public transport on 22 October are cancelled — 9292: cancellation and operators covered
• Tips for travelling during a strike — 9292: search tips
• How does travelling with an OV-chipkaart work? — 9292: card price, minimum balance
• NS maakt prijs treinkaartje 2027 bekend — NS: 4.7%, PrijsTijd 80%, unchanged products
• Refunds for delays on a domestic route — NS: delay compensation rules
• Travelling with your OV-chipkaart — NS: minimum balance, anonymous card end date
• Travel more peacefully — NS: rush hours, crowding indicator
• Reizen met de OV-chipkaart en de overstap naar OVpay — OV-chipkaart.nl: end of anonymous card sales
• Service and contact — OVpay: correcting check-ins and check-outs
• OV-chipkaart — HTM: OV-pas €6, €4 boarding fare
• NS in 2027 weer flink duurder — Rover: passengers' view, €3.10 minimum fare

Fare coverage

• Rail fares to go up by 4.7% next year — DutchNews: past rises, summer subscription
• NS train tickets will be nearly 5% more expensive from 2027 — DutchReview: breakdown of the rise
• NS train tickets to rise 4.7% in 2027 — IamExpat: OV-fiets, Dal Voordeel
• NS launches cheaper tickets just before and after rush hour — NL Times: rush-hour edge discounts

Refunds and rules

• Staking openbaar vervoer: wanneer kun je geld terug krijgen — Treinreiziger: article 7.2 of the regional conditions
• Vertraging in het openbaar vervoer — BNNVARA Kassa: regional delay schemes
• Verhoging onbelaste kilometervergoeding — Belastingdienst: €0.25 per km tax-free

Living guides (residents' media)

• Public transportation in the Netherlands — Expatica: checking out when changing operators
• What is the OV pass? — ACCESS: move to the OV-pas
• How does the OV-chipkaart work? — ACCESS: using the card
• Public transport in the Netherlands — Xpat.nl: operators and 9292
• Public transport in The Hague — The Hague International Centre: operators in The Hague, minimum balance
• Gratis OV voor kinderen in Den Haag — Gemeente Den Haag: Kids voor Niks

All sources were checked on 23 October 2026. Strike plans and service levels change daily, so check 9292, NS and your operator before you travel, and confirm fares and discount conditions on ns.nl.

Original article

Starting tomorrow, regional transport workers will strike one day per week until Christmas — DutchReview