Complain about the rules of NS Flex Unlimited Travels on the Weekend

@Lorena NS You may want to check which text on the Weekend Vrij page clearly says that only train travel is included. IMO no text on that page makes it clear and @raphamou has a valid point.

The Dutch page is not much clearer by the way.

Hint: what any expat probably knows or should know: use google translate to check what is in the proper dutch version of the site, the best and most elaborate. You cannot reasonably expect and will also find to your detriment that in about any officialdom some essential things are only in the legal own language.

I think it’s not fair that the mistake of your page will cost me a lot of money that I wouldn’t have spent if the site was organized properly. And I see that NS changed the page after my comment, which means that the company aknowledged the mistake they had, and I have the screenshots of how it was before. I think that the best option is to make an agreement of payback that is good for both parts.

The dutch version should be reliable as the site indicates that it should be used for non-dutch speakers

NS Flex (an NS service) means travel without balance and monthly payment afterwards for any public transport.

Weekend Vrij (an NS subscription) is for trains only (also non-NS trains, except Thalys and Eurostar) but it does not apply to bus, tram and metro. This has always been the case and has not changed.

Your Mijn NS travel history (Reishistorie) will show the right price for any ride.

An NS ticket machine or OV-chip account does not, because it cannot see which subscription is active, only that you have NS Flex (Reizen op Rekening NS, travel with afterwards payment to NS), hence there will be no price shown. This doesn't mean any ride is free, so if € 0,00 is shown that is wrong.

Please send me a contact to send a message because i have prove that there was no information about the limitation and NS Flex changed this information today. The NS Machine don’t say what i spend, the website dont say that i would spend. So how am i suppose to know that i was paying the tickets? I just want my money back or an agreement, the mistake of this was from NS Flex part.

I don’t have any contact info except the page for NS Customer Service (phone, chat, Twitter or Facebook). The Community is not a service channel, although moderators also work for Customer Service.

If you check your Mijn NS account (Reishistorie), all your travels should be shown with the right price. Beware that some bus rides may take a day or two before they appear in there.

Also, from this page:

And further down that page:

The issue here is that NS does not make it clear on its page that only train travel is included. And that is misleading for anyone new to the concept.

Yikes, I see now. Big mistake not to say ‘for trains only’ there! 

I understand it is not clear on the page of the product itself. I must add that it is really clear in the Terms and Conditions though, which you agree to when you purchase a product. As far as I understand my colleague Lorena already messaged the right department so hopefully the product page can be updated.

1. NS Flex season tickets for the train and the Intercity direct supplement
An NS Flex season ticket is an agreement between you and NS Reizigers B.V. (NS). Every NS Flex season ticket is a separate agreement that allows you to travel with a discount in public transport by train.

I Have read the conditions and the line marked red now three times, but for me that is not clear at all.

If they want to say that weekend free is only for trains and not BTM why does it refer to ‘not yet available’ and ‘however’.    If I read this it only states that there are other subscriptions available before NS-flex (like supplements) which are not yet included in the NS Flex.   But it does not state that ‘weekend free’ (including all travel in the weekends) only applies to trains...

Undoubtedly. But that is not relevant when you do not clearly mention such an important limitation on "product” page itself, thereby implying that there is no such limitation. Imagine you don't know anything yet about public transport in the Netherlands, you find this page and then pace an order.

IMO @raphamou should be offered a compensation, since NS failed to provide clear information on what they were buying.

I think it is more clear further down in the terms & conditions document. See article 5:

and article 7 is about BTM Flex Season tickets:

So NS Flex season tickets for the train and BTM Flex season tickets for bus, tram and metro, where BTM Flex is not yet available.

But on the English pages for buying NS Flex season tickets there is no link to the term & conditions page. On the Dutch pages there is a link to this page, at the bottom of the season tickets page.

Compare the Dutch and the English page:

Denice NS schreef:

I understand it is not clear on the page of the product itself. I must add that it is really clear in the Terms and Conditions though, which you agree to when you purchase a product. As far as I understand my colleague Lorena already messaged the right department so hopefully the product page can be updated.

 

1. NS Flex season tickets for the train and the Intercity direct supplement
An NS Flex season ticket is an agreement between you and NS Reizigers B.V. (NS). Every NS Flex season ticket is a separate agreement that allows you to travel with a discount in public transport by train.

It was not clear at all, there was no direct page to the terms and conditions, it`s not fair such a big company as NS just treat the costumer like that. I’m not looking for anything more than a compensation or agreement for the incident

I can understand your error and it is a honest mistake.

Nevertheless, if you go to the site of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen and this site speaks of ‘free travel',  then it is very likely that Nederlandse Spoorwegen talks about the trein.

Free travel on bus, tram and metro not included.

Free travel on taxi, limousine service and aeroplanes not included.

Free travel on Space X not included.

Ah, the joys of an expat in a foreign country. Sometimes you must just conclude “Ai… stupid mistake from my side” and pay up.

NS is a professional organisation with many employees. That kind of organisations must not make such stupid mistakes. So NS has to compensate Raphamou and needs to update her website.

We are a train company. Despite what we say we understand, of course we sell season tickets for the train. Conversely, you cannot buy season tickets for the train from a bus, tram or metro company either. I don't understand your reasoning that we should reimburse this, Macklobell.

Because the "product” page is not clear at all. I repeat: Imagine you don't know anything yet about public transport in the Netherlands, you find this page and then place an order.

@raphamou, if NS customer service does not offer you anything, you could consider sending your complaint to the OV Ombudsman and/or the Mediation Committee for public transport.

The offer on the website was not at all clear, as confirmed by NS. The relevant information was subsequently also removed. Compensentation is required in such a situation.

We indicate that we understand. This does not mean that it is our fault. When you purchase, you agree to the terms and conditions that do state it clearly. In addition, it seems pretty understandable to me that you can't travel for free on the bus. Compensation will not be offered in this case.

I repeat again: “But that is not relevant when you do not clearly mention such an important limitation on "product” page itself, thereby implying that there is no such limitation.”

Maybe it's understandable to you but now think again what people will read this information, especially the English information.

To be honest, I think most people have figured out that since we are a train company, you can only buy a season ticket for the train from us. 

@Erryt NS 

Understanding is admitting. Why else was this page removed ?