On Dec 16, 6:54*pm, Mizter T wrote:
On 16 Dec, 18:26, Arthur Figgis wrote:

Rupert Candy wrote:
Surely it's a tentative (and arguably over-optimistic) step towards
what the Netherlands has - a national smart card which is valid for
local transport anywhere in the country,

Is it not more a case of "what the Netherlands might have one day, if
they can get it to work, if Connexxion brings its ball back, if they
(=the colonial imperialist aggressors) can install ticket gates or
similar everywhere they will be needed, and if students don't make their
own knock-offs"?

I've similarly heard rumblings about the trouble that's being
experienced.

I have absolutely no idea how the Dutch system works, as I haven't
been there for a while - is there a 'touch-in/ touch-out' pay-as-you-
go system? If so what happens about unresolved journeys? And is it
also based on the MiFare Classic technology?

I know very little about the technicalities, but like Oyster, the
cards can hold both season tickets and stored value, and there is a
'touch in and touch out' regime on all modes of transport (including
bus and tram - validators on either side of each set of doors).
Interestingly, if you don't want to store long-term season tickets,
you can opt for an 'anonymous' version of the card which just holds
stored value and is completely transferable - I suppose the equivalent
of an unregistered Oyster, but presented as an explicit choice.

One thing that threw me back in October (when the Metro-only trial was
still running) was the lack of signs on the card vending machines at
stations. The only way I discovered my mistake was when I tried to
touch in on a tram. I got a green light, but the 'guard' in the little
booth wasn't having any of it...

http://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/hoe/ has lots of information if anyone's
interested (English version available, natuurlijk)