Overview
- Utrecht set 2026 bus and tram tariffs and will operate all services under the U‑OV brand from December 14, with a 3.86% inflation adjustment to the per‑kilometre rate.
- New Utrecht products include a €10 daily cap (€6.50 for ages 12–18), a €100 monthly cap (€65 youth), a €30 off‑peak unlimited pass, and a flat €5 night fare, with children 4–11 traveling free with an adult.
- The caps apply when using OVpay via bank card or OV‑pass; existing OV‑chipkaart subscriptions remain valid until expiry and U‑OV Sterabonnement sales continue into summer 2026.
- In the north, the OV‑bureau Groningen Drenthe plans a tiered ‘staffelkorting’ from January that reduces fares as riders accumulate monthly spend, available only with OVpay registration and not on the OV‑chipkaart, which is slated to retire by March 2027.
- To fund the discount scheme and shrink a projected €1.7 million shortfall, the OV‑bureau has proposed a €0.026 per‑km surcharge facing political resistance, with Groningen alderman Philip Broeksma backing the measure to avoid service cuts and a board decision due Thursday.