ROTTERDAM, 3 October 2026 – RET will switch off many of its ticket sales and OV-chipkaart top-up machines as more passengers move to OVpay and other digital payment options. Machines at metro stations where they are still used frequently will remain in place for now, while RET says more information about which machines will disappear and when will follow later.
More travellers are using OVpay
RET says use of its ticket sales and top-up machines has fallen since the introduction of OVpay, which allows passengers to check in and out using a bank card or other supported payment method.
The transport operator is therefore starting to reduce the number of machines across its network. RET has not yet published a complete list of the stations affected or a timetable for the removals.
Machines at metro stations where demand remains high will continue operating for the time being.
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How to travel without the machines
If you normally travel using stored balance, RET points to two main alternatives. You can check in and out using your bank card or the newer OV-pas.
Single tickets can also be purchased through the RET app, while subscriptions remain available through the RET webshop.
The shift means travellers will increasingly need to use a bank card, OV-pas, app or staffed sales point rather than relying on a station machine.
OV-pas and paper tickets remain available
RET says the new OV-pas and individual tickets can also be bought in person at all RET Service Points and at more than 50 Primera shops in and around Rotterdam.
Three RET barcode tickets are currently available through these locations:
- RET 2 hours
- RET 1 day
- RET 1 day child
The barcode ticket is printed on a till receipt. You can use it to check in and out on RET buses, trams and metro services.
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Which machines are being removed?
RET has not yet announced the full list of machines that will be taken out of service. The operator says more information will follow about the locations affected and the timing.
Until then, machines at busier metro stations may still be available, while other locations could lose theirs as the phase-out continues.
More information about OVpay is available at ret.nl.
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