The OV-chipkaart is easy to use. The system is fast: Registration and control is virtually instantaneous. It will, moreover, be built in such a way that the passenger will find it easy to pay for his or her journey. Safety is also an important issue.

Ease of payment
The new payment system for the Dutch public transport system will make things easy for passengers: Change is not required and passengers will no longer have to queue to buy their tickets. Regardless of whether travel by train, metro, tram or bus is involved: The OV-chipkaart is valid! Passengers for whom public transport is currently not always convenient should also be able to use it easily.

Fast
The new system brings speed to public transport. The passenger can register and pay in no time at all. This also applies to the physically disabled: The new payment system will not present any new problems to them.

Safe
Many train and metro stations will be provided with gates and will only be accessible to passengers with a OV-chipkaart once the new payment system is in place. The electronic chip is a key that can be used to open the gate and gain access to the station and/or platform. Most cases involving aggression with regard to public transport are due to fare evasion. It will be very difficult to travel without a valid ticket because the OV-chipkaart operates with gates and card readers. This will contribute to the general safety and security of the public transport system.

The system also offers numerous secondary application possibilities. The public transport companies will, after all, compile a wealth of transport data. The details and format of the data will be suitable for most standard applications. Public transport companies can process the data with their own software programs. Thus, they themselves can optimise their customer management, control access to their systems and utilise their rolling stock and personnel in a more targeted manner.

Everyone in the Netherlands, of course, has the right to travel anonymously by using an anonymous public transport smart card. If the passenger chooses to travel using a personal public transport smart card his or her personal data will be processed according to the Wet Bescherming Persoonsgegevens (Dutch Personal Data Protection Act). The passenger will be informed on the object of the processing of his or her personal data.