OV-chipkaart

OV-chipkaart
LocationThe Netherlands
Launched2005
Technology
OperatorTrans Link Systems
ManagerNS, Connexxion, GVB, HTM and RET
CurrencyEuro (€4, €10 or €20 depending on travel mode minimum load, €150 maximum load)
Stored-valueTravel on credit ('reizen op saldo') or travel product ('reisproduct')
Auto rechargeAutomatic reload ('automatisch opladen')
Validity
Retailed
  • Online
  • Railway and metro stations
  • On board (bus and tram only)
  • Newsagents, supermarkets
WebsiteOV-chipkaart.nl

The OV-chipkaart (Dutch pronunciation: [oːˈveː ˈtɕɪpkaːrt] , short for openbaar vervoer chipkaart [ˈoːpə(m)baːr vərˈvuːr ˈtɕɪpkaːrt], meaning public transport chipcard) is a contactless smart card and integrated ticketing system used for all public transport in the Netherlands. First introduced in the Rotterdam Metro in April 2005, it has subsequently been rolled out to other areas and travel modes. It fully replaced the national strippenkaart system for buses, trams, and metro trains in 2011, and the paper ticket system for rail travel in July 2014.

The OV-chipkaart is available in disposable form (for occasional passengers, such as tourists) and reusable versions (for frequent travellers, either in anonymous or personalised forms).

In January 2026, Trans Link Systems announced that the OV-chipkaart will be fully discontinued by 2027. It will be replaced by the OV-pas, an updated smart card utilizing the newer OV-pay payment system which has been concurrently in use with the OV-chipkaart since 2022. With a gradual transition period in 2026 for upgrading OV-pay to support new features and travel products, the OV-chipkaart is expected to be fully discontinued by 2027.