On Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:34:54 +0100, Paul Corfield
wrote:
....
The Dutch system appears to have gone somewhat
further than London in that every journey has to be logged in and out.
I guess this is because of the mileage based charging system which I
understand the operators wanted.

From colleagues there, it's more an impression of presumed dishonesty
inverting the old policy. The modal change in some Amsterdam stations
(e.g. Duivendrecht) - same platform, 2 co-sited validators (e.g
GVB-NS) to do an out-of-one into-the-other move strike me as
seriously badly thought out. The root problem there too is that it is
a common card shared across vested interests, each operator guarding
its own, no "leakage" or shared revenue.
...
I am genuinely surprised that "in zone" season ticket use attracts a
penalty in the Netherlands for non validation. Given that NS is
heavily promoting new forms of season ticket plus very affordable
national public transport add on tickets I am surprised that penalties
would be part of that deal! I understand, but may be wrong, that
Netherland Railways is not yet fully gated or even fully validator
equipped and that paper tickets can still be used freely.
Not.. not .. not fully gated?!! It's a mismatch of inconsistency (the
NS at least, the local metros are much better). Amsterdam CS: gated
all around the south & north entrances but permanently locked open.
Getting an early or late train? Staff will do a platform check if you
have touched in. Schiphol: open, no gates, validators on the platforms
strategically located far from the stairs (profit from peeps in a
hurry?) Rotterdam CS: no gates, validators near the entrances to the
ped tunnel and some platforms for transfers to/off international
trains (but woe is you if the train is replatformed to a no-val one,
got to leg it out to touch in or out and then climb back in). Den Haag
CS: hidden behind pillars for some platforms, no gates.

Buses and trams are good: for trams board where signed (A'dam at the
front [driver] or middle [immobile conductor], DH RR: board any door
cos they're more honest?!. For buses board and touch in at the front,
touch out and exit in the middle. But one forgets when tuned in
London-bus mode.

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