OV-chipkaart

James came to join me at the festival on Friday evening. Though I had seen him the day before I was so glad he was there again. It seems that I have difficulties to be with out him. We saw two movies together (later more about those), and then I could use my OV-chipcard (a chipped credit card format plastic card to travel in Public transport in The Netherlands) for the first time. I'd uploaded € 30,- on my card and bought a new card for James. I must say that it was very unreal to travel with the card. You have to check in and you have to check out, without knowing exactly what the ride will cost, since you do not know how many kilometers you are travelling. When you check in you pay € 0,75 start fee, each kilometer you travel costs € 0,115. That might be more expensive then the old “strippenkaart” (a paper card that we use for paying for public transport right now). When you change busses or trams you have to check out first from the public transport you came from and you have to check in again in the new mode of transportation. Rotterdam was the pilot area to kick off the OV-chipcard a few years ago, so it is the first city that kicks out the strippenkaart in the subway now completely.