On Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:29:08 +0000, Graeme
wrote:
[snip Hansen "fine" lingo]
I'm currently trying to establish whether the Dutch Chipkart operates the
same way so that I can get one for use around Amsterdam and then retrieve my
deposit and any balance when I leave. And believe me it won't be the last
thing that occurrs to me when I get to Schipol.

If you register the card, it becomes "personal" and you can submit it
with a form to get a balance above EUR5 put on your bank account... oh
dear, that assumes an NL account. Minus 2.50 "administratekosten".

If it's not registered, aka "anonieme", no such luck. Mine's not
(yet?) registered. No, there's not a lot you can do in Schiphol Plaza
to return for refund. The NS would, unless I read ov-chipkaart.nl
incorrectly, do little on the spot.

TBH, it makes Oyster's pain points look good. No reason why they can't
put a "return me" machine in place to suck in the card, spit out
coins, and send you on your merry way. Same applies to Oyster - which
also needs "correct mistakes" machines instead of the call centre
IMHO.

Topping up the OV is also painful for us visitors. The system's geared
towards direct debits from bank accounts - suspicion amongst the
population it helps sneak in price increases of the "hissing goose"
variety.

21st century web sites: less use friendly and offer less than bloke at
counter.

Anyway - to get one, the best places are the GVB metro stations of Ams
CS or Waterlooplein. The GVB machines can spit new cards out on the
spot (no NS ones can do this, see why later). The staff that used to
grab miscreants off the metro now hang around the machines helping
users, cos the machines, as per 21st century automation policy, are
not very user friendly. They take CCs! Both the GVB and RET go against
the flow and accept CCs. Pay EUR57 for a card with EUR50 credit "op
saldo". For train travel, the NS has to enable it so they know if you
use 1st or 2nd class travel (which is why many people seem to carry
two..) Go to a station counter and fill in a form for that. Min 20 on
the card for trains, IIRC 4 for RET, HTM and GVB services. For the NS
you can also play a "where is the damn checkin/uit thing" game: gates
at many stations, platform validators in Eindhoven, end of the north
corridor ungated validators in AmsCS.
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