From the OV-chipkaart to OVpay and the OV-pas: what's changing (and what to do)
June 9, 2026 · 4 min read
The OV-chipkaart is being phased out. After almost twenty years, the familiar card is making way for OVpay, the new system for checking in and out. What that means for you depends on how you travel. In this article you'll read what's changing, when it happens, what to do now, and what it means for your balance and your right to money back when your train is delayed.
What exactly is changing?
The OV-chipkaart is disappearing and making way for OVpay, the new way of checking in and out. Soon you'll be able to travel in three ways: with the new OV-pas, with your debit or credit card, or with the digital OV-pas on your phone. Checking in stays the same: tap your card against the gate and you're done. The big difference is behind the scenes. You manage everything in your OVpay account rather than at a ticket machine.
OVpay has actually been around for a while. Since June 2023 you've been able to check in and out across the Netherlands with your debit card or phone. The OV-pas is the newest addition, designed for people who prefer to travel with a separate card rather than their bank card. OVpay is an initiative of Translink, together with the banks and the transport operators.
When does the OV-chipkaart stop?
The OV-chipkaart still works, but not for much longer. The new OV-pas is already here, the digital version arrives at the end of 2026, and the OV-chipkaart is expected to no longer be accepted by the end of 2027. During 2026 you'll be actively invited to switch over. Prefer to wait it out? Then you'll switch automatically as soon as your card expires or your transport operator asks you to.
Here's the timeline at a glance: checking in with a debit card has been possible since 2023, the physical OV-pas has been on sale since the end of 2025, the digital OV-pas follows at the end of 2026, and by the end of 2027 the OV-chipkaart is well and truly finished.
OVpay, OV-pas or debit card: what's the difference?
Under OVpay you travel in three ways. Here's the difference.
| Method | What it is | Handy for |
|---|---|---|
| Debit or credit card | Checking in with your bank card or phone, including via Apple Pay or Google Pay | Anyone who wants to travel hassle-free without a separate balance |
| OV-pas (physical) | A separate card, €6 and valid for 5 years, with its own balance | Anyone who wants a standalone card, or wants to share one |
| Digital OV-pas | The OV-pas in your phone's wallet, from the end of 2026 | Anyone who wants everything on their phone |
You top up your balance through the OVpay app, the website or in a shop. You choose how much to add yourself, no longer from fixed amounts. In your OVpay account you can see your journeys and you get a heads-up if you forget to check out.
What should you do now?
Do you travel occasionally and pay the full fare? Then you can switch to the OV-pas now, or simply use your debit card. Do you have an NS season ticket, a student travel product or an NS Business Card? Then wait for word from your transport operator. Those products don't work on the OV-pas yet, so for now nothing changes for you.
You can buy the OV-pas online through the OVpay app, the OVpay website or in a shop. It's now also stocked at more than 550 Primera shops, where you can top up your balance straight away, by card or in cash. Still have an old OV-chipkaart with a balance on it? Don't forget to claim that money back or travel it off before the card expires.
What happens to your balance?
Your balance doesn't move automatically from your OV-chipkaart to OVpay. You either claim it back or travel it off before your card expires. And good news with the new OV-pas: from now on you can claim your balance back yourself through the app or the website. That one trip to a service desk is a thing of the past.
And your money back for a train delay: does that change too?
And your right to money back when your train is delayed? That doesn't change. Whether you travel with the OV-pas, your debit card or your phone: if a delay makes you arrive late, you're still entitled to compensation. Only the way you apply for it adapts to the new system.
Your rights as a passenger are set out in European rules and simply remain in place. You can read more about that in the official EU information on rail passenger rights.
The nice thing is: you don't have to keep track of those rules. We follow the switch to OVpay closely, so that even after the OV-chipkaart you keep getting your money back when your train is delayed. Still travelling with an OV-chipkaart? Then we already handle your claims automatically. Link your card, and we'll do the rest.