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NS Conducts Surprise Mass Fare Checks at Voorburg, Issuing 59 Fines

The rail operator plans to repeat the police-backed tactic to boost deterrence.

Overview

  • With police support, NS stopped nearly all passing trains at Voorburg and checked about 4,400 passengers from roughly 70 services.
  • Inspectors issued 59 fines, police arrested one person who still owed 22 days in jail, and fourteen travellers lacked valid identification.
  • NS described it as the first time it checked almost all trains within a set window and said it will use this approach more often.
  • Timetables were adjusted to allow 2–4 minutes per train for checks, and some trains near Gouda were left uninspected to recover delays after a track trespass.
  • Fare-evasion enforcement has intensified with fines rising to €70 in October and nearly 400,000 penalties issued in 2025, guided by increasingly predictive targeting.