Travelling to Utrecht

Dutch trains are fast, safe and easy, and depart frequently until after midnight. Dutch trains don’t have seat reservations, you can board all domestic trains - international trains require a separate supplement.

• You can buy tickets with your debit or credit card at the yellow ticket machines or at ticket desks. The desk takes cash as well, and some machines accept coins. A single ticket Schiphol-Utrecht in 2nd class costs under 10 euros.
• There are 2 types of tickets available for Dutch trains – a single-use ticket, and a pre-paid rechargeable chip card, the 'OV-chipkaart' (to use for all types of public transport).
• It’s important to check in and out at the ticket readers before and after your journey, to validate your ticket.

Helpful websites:

• Dutch Railways (NS) offers a reliable journey planner and more information about train tickets and various discounts.
• 9292.nl (website and app): a door-to-door journey planner and information about public transport at the airports and in the big cities.
• U-OV day ticket is a one, three or five-day ticket for all public transport in the municipality of Utrecht, including Leidsche Rijn and Haarzuilens.
• Visiting Amsterdam first? Get an Amsterdam Travel Ticket, a multiple-day card for unlimited public transport in Amsterdam.

A Schiphol Travel Taxi to Utrecht (when pre-booked online) will cost 80 euro, or 40 euro when shared with other passengers. A regular private taxi will easily cost over 100 euros on the meter.

• On Schiphol, please beware of illegal taxi drivers (often in fluorescent vests) - always go to the official taxi stand yourself, follow the signs.
• Trains are not only cheaper, they also take the same travel time. When carrying heavy luggage, consider taking a train to Utrecht and getting a local taxi in Utrecht to your accommodation.