Can you take a fatbike on the train?

Yes, outside peak hours, with a Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak and if a bicycle space is available. According to the Dutch government, a fatbike is an electric bicycle, and it is allowed on NS trains. On weekdays before 6:30 a.m., from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and after 6:30 p.m. At weekends, on public holidays (except King's Day) and throughout July and August, all day.

Below, you can read what NS says about taking an electric bicycle on the train, which ticket you need, where your fatbike goes on the train and when it is not allowed. At the bottom, you will find fatbikes to compare.

What does NS say about fatbikes?

Nothing about the fatbike itself: the word does not appear in NS's bicycle rules and conditions. NS works with different types of bicycles. A Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak allows ordinary and electric bicycles, racing bikes and mountain bikes, disassembled bicycles and folding bicycles larger than 45 x 86 x 80 centimetres.

A fatbike is therefore considered an electric bicycle, because 'a fatbike is also an electric bicycle', according to the Dutch government. NS says nothing about wide tyres, weight or the battery. Each passenger may take one bicycle.

When can you take your fatbike with you?

Only during off-peak hours. On weekdays, this means before 6:30 a.m., between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and after 6:30 p.m. At weekends, on public holidays and throughout July and August, you may take your bicycle with you all day. King's Day is the exception: the all-day rule does not apply then.

If you depart before peak hours, you still may not take your fatbike with you during peak hours. According to NS's conditions, the only exception is if your train is delayed and you cannot complete your journey during off-peak hours as a result. You are also not allowed to remain on the train with your bicycle after off-peak hours.

Which ticket do you need?

A Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak, always in addition to your own travel ticket. This also applies at weekends and in July and August. You can buy it online, in the NS app or at a ticket machine or service desk at the station; the current price is shown there. It is valid on the travel date until 4:00 a.m. the following day.

At the ticket gates, you only check in with your own travel ticket; you do not need to scan the Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak. According to NS's conditions, it is valid with all domestic train operators in the Netherlands.

Where do you put your fatbike on the train?

Board through a door with a bicycle symbol. That is where the bicycle spaces are, and you can also see how many bicycles can be taken on board at most. Your bicycle must be placed in one of these spaces. Remove your luggage and keep an eye on your bicycle yourself.

If the bicycle spaces are full, your fatbike may not come aboard and you must wait for the next train. The conductor decides whether there is enough space and may refuse a bicycle for safety reasons, even if the bicycle spaces are not yet full.

You put your bicycle in its space yourself. According to ADAC, a motor in the rear wheel makes it more difficult to lift an e-bike onto the train. And charging your battery on the way? According to NS's conditions, the power sockets on the train are intended for small mobile devices such as phones, tablets and laptops.

When can you not take your fatbike with you?

During peak hours, when the bicycle spaces are full or when the conductor says no. Bicycles are not allowed on the NS bus, and a cargo bike is not allowed on the train either.

Also pay attention to the bicycle itself. If your fatbike can go faster than 6 kilometres per hour using a throttle without pedalling, or faster than 25 kilometres per hour when pedalling, the Dutch government says it must be approved as, for example, a moped. NS's conditions state: 'Mopeds are also not permitted.'

Other operators sometimes have different rules

Not every train belongs to NS. Arriva does mention fatbikes by name: they are allowed on the train as long as there is enough space, but not on the bus or replacement transport. A bicycle that does not fold may be taken on Arriva trains only outside peak hours, and you usually need a bicycle ticket. If you travel with Arriva and other operators, Arriva says you should buy the NS Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak.

On Qbuzz's MerwedeLingelijn, bicycles and fatbikes are temporarily not allowed on the train from 18 July 2026 through 21 April 2027; a folded folding bicycle smaller than 45 x 86 x 80 centimetres is allowed. With Keolis Blauwnet, bicycles are not allowed all day on King's Day.

A folding bicycle can travel for free

A folding bicycle can travel for free all day, including during peak hours, without a Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak. The condition is that it remains completely folded for the entire journey, including when boarding and getting off, and is then no more than 45 centimetres wide, 86 centimetres long and 80 centimetres high. Preferably place it in a luggage area, not in a bicycle space.

Whether a folded electric folding bicycle stays within these dimensions varies by model. If you are choosing between a fatbike and an electric folding bicycle for train journeys, first check its folded dimensions. If a folding bicycle is larger, it may only be taken on board like an ordinary bicycle: with a Bicycle Ticket Off-Peak, during off-peak hours.