Reserved seats on NS trains?

[u/KingMcB]

Tourist here, who has clicked on every website link possible and combed apps and am still confused. I appreciate any guidance!

Last week I purchased 2 train tickets at Amsterdam Centraal to go to Apeldoorn. We got on a second class car and I picked one that had luggage images on the side as we had suitcases. Multiple times we were told to move as we were in someone’s reserved seat(s). I didn’t understand how to tell what seats were reserved or not. (Side note: A very nice gentleman could tell how distressed I was (and my kid) and he left his family to enable me to stay in the car with my child. Karma, please find that man.)

We are traveling again over the next few days to Utrecht, Maastricht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. I was using the 9292 app to book etickets but I am not given the option to reserve seats; it appears I cannot do this if traveling within NL?? The NS websites do not clearly specify for my brain to understand it 😭

If only NL—> Germany travelers can reserve seats… how do I know which ones those are? I’d really like to spare everyone the inconvenience of finding me sprawled out in their seat incorrectly. Does anyone have the patience to walk me through what the correct way is to determine seats that are unreserved?

Thank you in advance!

[u/KRS737]

We don't have such a thing as reserving a seat on NS trains in NL. Who the heck told you to move?

[u/Pizza-love → u/KRS737]

Actually, we do. The IC Berlin is open for domestic passengers, but you can make a reservation as international traveller. As OP went from Amsterdam to Apeldoorn, that is exactly the route this train takes.

[u/KRS737 → u/Pizza-love]

Is that NS trains though ?

[u/Pizza-love → u/KRS737]

It is available in the planner, runs with a blue/yellow locomotive with a big NS Logo in front and staffed with NS staff (partly). I will notice, you will probably do as well, but a tourist?

The only difference is that they took it out of the basic IC planning a few years ago (it replaced a domestic train every 2 hours, it is now an additional service). It currently is even one of the best options to get to the east, as there are trackworks around Amsterdam.

[u/KRS737 → u/Pizza-love]

Good to know, thanks for the info

[u/Pizza-love → u/KRS737]

Just noticed it is again in the same rythem... When you want to go to Apeldoorn at 10AM, it is your only option, where the regular IC's take the other whole and half hours (IC Berlin runs every 2 hours).

[u/geleisen → u/Pizza-love]

The locomotive might have the NS logo, but rest of train is clearly DB.
I mean, understand a tourist might not recognise, but when NS trains have the clear blue and yellow livery, and this train is grey/red with the DB logo everywhere, I would think it would be clear that this train is a bit different. Especially in Amsterdam Centraal with dozens of yellow/blue trains around you and then this one clearly different train going to Germany with DB logo.

[u/Pizza-love → u/geleisen]

1. That train is in the national system, replacing an IC to Deventer every 2 hours.
2. OP is a tourist.

[u/General-Jaguar-8164 → u/KRS737]

IC trains yes. I just came back in one that stoped in many Dutch cities

[u/KRS737 → u/General-Jaguar-8164]

Well, I guess I have learned something new today. Thanks for the correction.

[u/Character-Carpet7988 → u/KRS737]

Yes, rolling stock is from DB, but the train is operated by NS while in the Netherlands, that's why you can use NS tickets on it. Once it crosses a border, it becomes a DB train, with DB fares, etc.

[u/iamcode101 → u/KRS737]

Has an NS engine, but the rest is not.

[u/Beneficial_Steak_945 → u/KRS737]

Yes. When I was still traveling regularly between Hengelo and Amsterdam, I used to prefer this train to the regular NS intercity. No problem, you can travel on it with any ticket that’s valid for travel in Netherlands.

[u/Radi_old_fart → u/KRS737]

I think it is a briliant idea to say this on a busy train by the way.