OV Chip card

In 2005, the OV chip card was launched in the Netherlands. In the future, this card will replace all the paper (yellow) tickets. This card looks like a credit card (same size).  The OV chip card is an electronic ticket. First of all the OV chip card was first introduced in the three biggest cities of the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht) and later step by step in the rest of Holland.

The connection with NS (Dutch railway operator) is that passengers can be travel with this card by train and all other public transport. At the end of 2012, the OV chip card will completely replace the paper tickets.  Students get a free OV chip card, this card is named ‘student travel product’. They can travel free to school during the week and have 40 percent discount in the weekends. In January 2012, it is required to check-in and out in the free travel period. In my opinion it’s the worst thing you can introduce. Students must always have a minimum limit of 10 euro’s on the card. And if you forget to check-out, you lose the boarding rate of ten euro’s.

On the other hand, this card makes it easier to travel by train. The card is innovating, because commuters don’t have to buy a ticket. They only have to check-in and out, so there’s more time to do something else.
But the introduction caused a few problems, like the protection of the main system and the problematic start up, because it was able to hack the chip in the card.

After all, the card will work better in the future. More people see the positive points of this travel method.