Compensation for delays
What are you entitled to?
NS International does everything in its power to ensure that your train will be on time. Unfortunately, some trains do still experience delays. A delay is the difference between the time at which the timetable states a train should arrive at its destination and the time at which it actually arrives. We will give you a refund to compensate you for the inconvenience.
Request money back
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- When will I receive a compensation?
- When will I not receive a compensation?
- How much compensation will I receive?
- NS International voucher
When will I receive a compensation?
You will be eligible for compensation if the delay you suffered meets on of the following conditions:
- You have a valid ticket/supplement for the delayed train.
- The delay was not known at the start of the journey (i.e. excluding planned maintenance work and planned strikes).
- Your request for compensation, together with the original tickets, is submitted to NS International Customer Service within 3 months of the journey being completed or terminated.
When will I not receive a compensation?
If you do not meet the above conditions, you are not entitled to compensation. This also applies when NS International has announced a longer journey well in advance on www.nsinternational.nl/en/overview-service-alterations or NS International app.
Compensation of less than € 5.00 will not be paid. Except for customers with a subscription that gives right to 100% discount for travelling in the Netherlands. Supplements are included in the compensation; booking fees or transaction costs are not.
You will not receive compensation if the delay has been caused, because:
- You planned a trip with too little time to change trains
- You waited on the wrong platform
- You were removed from the train because of your behaviour
- You travelled with other operators, such as Arriva, Veolia, Connexxion and Syntus
- Your delay occurred in the initial trip of your international trip, and this initial trip was not part of the transport contract when you booked your international journey *
* An example is a journey from Utrecht to Rotterdam prior to a Thalys journey from Rotterdam to Paris. This initial trip is not part of the transport contract of travelling with Thalys. This is expressed in a separate Thalys ticket. You were delayed during your initial trip and therefore missed your connection with Thalys and therefore are not entitled to compensation from the Thalys ticket. You may be eligible for compensation for delays for your trip from Utrecht to Rotterdam, see ns.nl.
How much compensation will I receive?
Delay with Thalys
A distinction is made between a delay attributable to the carrier(s) and a delay due to a force majeure situation.
Force majeure applies in the following situations (list not exclusive):
- Collision with a person
- Collision with road traffic at a level crossing
- Train traffic halted by government agencies (police, fire service)
- Activities of customs personnel on board the train
- Extreme weather conditions (storm, flooding, etc.)
In case of force majeure Thalys only offers compensation in cash according to the following criteria:
| How long was the delay? | Amount of compensatio |
|---|---|
| Less than 60 minutes | You are not entitled to any compensation |
| 60 minutes to 119 minutes | 25% of the ticket price (one-way ticket) |
| 120 minutes or more | 50% of the ticket price (one-way ticket) |
When a delay is attributable to the carrier(s) the compensation is:
| How long was the delay? | Amount of compensation |
|---|---|
| Less than 30 minutes | You are not entitled to any compensation |
| 30 to 59 minutes | 20% of the ticket price one-way trip as Thalys voucher |
| 60 to 119 minutes | 50% of the ticket price one-way trip as Thalys voucher or 25% of the ticket price one-way trip in money |
| 120 minutes or more | 100% of the ticket price one-way trip as Thalys voucher or 50% of the ticket price one-way trip in money |
Compensation of less than € 5.00 will not be paid. Except for customers with a subscription that gives right to 100% discount for travelling in the Netherlands. Supplements are included in the compensation; booking fees or transaction costs are not.
Delay with Eurostar
Did you suffer a delay during your journey with Eurostar? Then you can submit your request for compensation directly to Eurostar.
Compensation of less than € 5.00 will not be paid. Except for customers with a subscription that gives right to 100% discount for travelling in the Netherlands. Supplements are included in the compensation; booking fees or transaction costs are not.
Delay with other international train services
Compensation for e.g. ICE International, Intercity Brussels, Intercity Berlin or TGV.
| How long was the delay? | Amount of compensation |
|---|---|
| 0 to 60 minutes | You are not entitled to any compensation |
| 60 t/m 119 minuten | 25% of the ticket price (one-way ticket) |
| 120 minutes or more | 50% of the ticket price (one-way ticket) |
Compensation of less than € 5.00 will not be paid. Except for customers with a subscription that gives right to 100% discount for travelling in the Netherlands. Supplements are included in the compensation; booking fees or transaction costs are not.
Delay with Interrail and Eurail
When travelling with an Interrail or Eurail ticket, you can request compensation directly to the Eurail organisation.
Compensatie Interrail
Compensatie Eurail
NS International voucher
The NS International voucher and the Thalys voucher, issued by the NS International Customer Service, are valid for 12 months and can be used to purchase a ticket at one of the service offices with a NS International counter or via NS International Service Center (030-2300023).
Online use
Also when booking online, it is possible to exchange your voucher. In that case, send the voucher, stating your booking code (DNR) to:
NS International Service Center
Antwoordnummer 4470
3500 VE Utrecht
At a ticket machine
When you purchase an international ticket at an NS ticket machine, you can send both your used tickets and your vouchers together with your bank details to this same address after your journey. Your money will then be deposited into your account.