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I was traveling from Maastricht to Utrecht on 15th December 2024 by the 17:58 train from Maastricht. I had a personal OV chipkart with a “weekend free” subscription on the second-class fare. I sat in the first-class compartment because the second class was quite full. An NS ticket conductor woman came to check my OV chipkart before station Sittard. She found out that my ticket was second class and she started yelling at me in front of everyone. She asked me to show her my Dutch ID card or passport and I showed her a digital copy of my Dutch ID card on my phone. She asked for my name and address and asked me to leave the train when it stopped at Sittard. She refused to give my OV chipkart back to me and tried to pull me out of the train. She yelled in front of everyone in the train that she wants to hand me to the police. I kept asking her what was the reason for calling the police but she refused to reply. The train was stopped at Sittard because she wanted to drag me out and take me to the police. She made an announcement in the train through the train driver that there's a person of my name in the train that the police is looking for and the train cannot move until the police finds me. She said if I don't go out of the train, the police will come in and arrest me. Everyone in the train was looking at me as if I am a criminal. The police did not come and, ten minutes later, the train started moving. I arrived at Utrecht Centraal where I had to transfer to another train to Rotterdam. My OV chipkart had been taken away so I went to the information desk at the station. They helped me call the customer service of NS. The customer service agent told me that he would send me a discount code to buy a new ticket to go to Rotterdam from Utrecht. He also told me to block my OV chipkart and order a replacement one. The replacement OV chipkart costs €11. I don't want to pay for it since it is not my fault that my card was taken from me by that woman for no valid reason. I requested NS customer service to refund me for the lost card but they refused. I also requested them for financial compensation for the disgrace and disrespect that was shown to me in public by their employee but they refused. Furthermore, since I was delayed from reaching my home in Rotterdam by one hour because of the fuss created by their employee, I asked them to pay me compensation for the delay but they refused. I believe this was a racist attack on my the employee of NS and I want justice.

Hi siddiqua102,

That sounds like a very unpleasant experience. It's not possible for me to judge the situation, since I wasn't there.

But first of all it's not allowed to travel 1st class with a 2nd class-ticket, regardless of how crowded it is. Secondly, when asked to show your ID, a digital copy is not sufficient. You're obliged to show the original document.
Did you have your own personal chipcard? Or was it registered to someone else? In the latter case, employees are allowed to confiscate the card.

However, if you want to file a formal complaint: https://www.ns.nl/en/customer-service/other-items/complaints.html

I'm so sorry that tis has happen to you. I had already seen your message via social media channels. If you are asked for identification, you must show it. Otherwise it cannot be checked whether the OV chip card is yours. If this cannot be checked, the OV-chipcard will be confiscated because otherwise it could be misused. Your complaint has been transferred this afternoon and will be processed.

The conductor has the authority to remove you from the train if they believe you are causing a disturbance or do not possess a valid ticket.

The conductor could have handled the situation better, but you were also in the wrong for sitting in first class without a valid ticket.

She (...) tried to pull me out of the train. (...) The train was stopped at Sittard because she wanted to drag me out

Was this actually a conductor (blue uniform, not allowed to use force) or a member of a security team (black and yellow jacket, with an emblem shaped like a fist to display their right to use force)?

Everyone in the train was looking at me as if I am a criminal.

They were right about that if you refused to comply with legal instructions from a crew member.

I believe this was a racist attack

What makes you believe an employee enforcing rules against you when you don't comply willingly would be doing something racist?

The conductor has the authority to remove you from the train

They do not (anymore). A conductor can only tell you to leave, confiscate the card and fine you. Physically removing you from the train is violence and only properly licensed enforcement officers (such as the police or security personnel from NS) can use force legally. Conductors lost this status because the unions were scared people would lose their jobs if they failed the yearly examination required for this status.

The conductor has the authority to remove you from the train

They do not (anymore). A conductor can only tell you to leave, confiscate the card and fine you. Physically removing you from the train is violence and only properly licensed enforcement officers (such as the police or security personnel from NS) can use force legally. Conductors lost this status because the unions were scared people would lose their jobs if they failed the yearly examination required for this status.

Well I meant that, I just worded it wrong.

She asked the passenger to leave the train, but when they refused to cooperate, the conductor resorted to physical force. The conductor was right up until that point.

Why would she ask for a physical ID if you have a personal card with your name and photo on it (and Weekend Vrij)?

She could have fined you for 50 euro plus the difference between 1st and 2nd class for your trip (to Utrecht) or if you have NS Flex Weekend Vrij, register a 20 euro correction with one tap on her machine. Either way, you may stay in 1st class after that.

Taking the card from you means they suspect fraud. In that case proof of ID is mandatory.

1. Travelling in first class with a second class ticket is not allowed.

2. A picture of an ID-card is not a valid identification document.

3. You refused to leave the train when asked. 

4. You could not provide proof that you were not using someone else's subscription.

5. You racism accusation is false. Your treatment is caused by your multiple offences, not by your skin colour.

6. You are actually displaying racist behaviour here, because you are drawing conclusions from the conductor's skin colour. If the conductor had been of the same race as you are, you wouldn't have complained about racism.

Why would she ask for a physical ID if you have a personal card with your name and photo on it (and Weekend Vrij)?

Because NS doesn't accept a personal ov chipcard as prove of the identity of the owner of that card and a subscription on it and terms and conditions require you to show legal identification when requested so your identity can be checked against that of the owner of the card and subscription.

Yesterday there was a long disruption at Maastricht CS. From 15:28 till 17:28 no trains were running to Utrecht.There were also various events in Maastricht last weekend, including the Christmas market. So it must have been very busy in the 17:28 and 17:58 trains.

 

 

Why would she ask for a physical ID if you have a personal card with your name and photo on it (and Weekend Vrij)?

Because NS doesn't accept a personal ov chipcard as prove of the identity of the owner of that card and a subscription on it and terms and conditions require you to show legal identification when requested so your identity can be checked against that of the owner of the card and subscription.

Well… because of the photo on a card.

If they don’t trust me when travelling with my girlfriend's card… I just need show her ID (having both her ov-chipcard and her ID with me is a match!)

Wait…  something is wrong with that photo Roberta! No, it's really me, today I look and dress like Roberto!

Then go ahead, call the police but please don’t think you can use any physical force on me to remove me from your train without them present! 😅
Shouting/yelling my name to all passengers will not help, either. I am totally calm and will cooperate within reason… 

Oh, and my personal ov-chipcard back please 😅

If they don’t trust me when travelling with my girlfriend's card… I just need show her ID (having both her ov-chipcard and her ID with me is a match!)

You don't just have to show the ID off course, you also have to be that person and a conductor can compare the photos on both cards and your actual face. Also, borrowing an id document or handing yours to someone else to use are both crimes (Artikel 231b Wetboek van Strafrecht).

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