Dutch children to ride free on public transport from 2027, senior discount scrapped
From 2027, children aged 4 to 11 will travel free on all Dutch public transport when accompanied by a paying adult. Simultaneously, the automatic 34 percent fare discount for about 3.5 million seniors on local buses, trams, and metros will be removed.
New fare structure
Children between 4 and 11 years old will ride free on all Dutch public transport (bus, tram, metro) from 2027, as long as they are accompanied by a paying adult. Up to three children per adult may travel at no cost. Already, children under 4 travel gratis, and the national railway (NS) has long offered a free ‘Kids Vrij’ subscription for under-12s. The universal discount of 34 percent that currently applies to roughly 3.5 million people aged 65 and older for local public transport will be abolished at the same time. In its place, income‑based support schemes are planned, though details and regional variations remain unclear.
Rationale behind the shift
The umbrella body DOVA (cooperation of provinces and urban transport regions) made the decision in order to encourage public transport use from an early age and to free up budget for targeted support for low‑income passengers. DOVA director Jan van Selm said:
What you learn young, you take with you the rest of your life. When children travel by public transport with their parents or grandparents, that benefits the passengers of the future.
The Dutch government backs the move, noting that it gives families on a tight budget the opportunity to go on outings and introduces children to public transport. The hope is to simultaneously reduce car traffic and build a new generation of riders.
Criticism from senior groups
Seniors organisations have reacted with disappointment. SeniorenNetwerkNL stated:
For many elderly, public transport is not a luxury but a necessary facility to remain independent. The 34 percent discount disappears for about 3.5 million people, while this group increasingly faces rising costs of housing, care and living.
The Seniorencoalitie, an umbrella of elderly associations that includes Anbo‑Pcob, fears a ‘patchwork of regulations’ that could leave poorer seniors without the support they need. The original seniors’ discount was introduced in the 1970s to prevent social isolation; critics warn that removing it without a clear replacement risks pushing vulnerable older people into isolation.
Reactions from passenger groups and experts
Passenger organisation Rover welcomed the change, calling it ‘a matter of solidarity and fairness’ in a written statement. Rover argued that ending automatic senior discounts creates financial room to assist passengers with low incomes directly, but cautioned against complex application procedures or digital barriers for the new system. Professor Erik Verhoef, a spatial economist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, said he can ‘very well follow’ the DOVA decision, viewing it as a logical reallocation of limited public funds.
What stays the same
The extra off‑peak discount that seniors receive on NS trains will be preserved, according to current information. The specific income‑based measures for low‑income groups still need to be worked out, and may differ from one region to another. The ministry encourages the policy, but implementation will be handled at the regional level.
