Chipkaart

Chipkaart is a Dutch term for a smart card—an identification, authentication, or payment card with an embedded microchip. In the Netherlands, the best-known example is the OV-chipkaart, a national public-transport smart card used on buses, trams, metros, and trains. Travellers tap the card at readers to enter and exit and funds or travel products are deducted accordingly.

Two main variants exist: anonymous cards, which hold a prepaid balance or travel products, and personalized cards linked to the holder’s identity. Personalised cards may offer additional protections and services, such as refunds or card replacement with identity verification. The OV-chipkaart is used across multiple operators and transport modes, replacing many paper tickets.

History and scope: The OV-chipkaart project began in the 2000s to modernize ticketing and gradually replaced traditional systems like the strippenkaart. The rollout extended to most Dutch public transport networks, and by the early 2010s the system achieved nationwide uptake. The term chipkaart is also applied to other Dutch smart cards, such as student IDs, library cards, and employee badges.

Technology and operation: The OV-chipkaart uses contactless smart-card technology based on ISO/IEC 14443, commonly employing MIFARE DESFire EV1 hardware. Each card stores a unique identifier, a monetary balance or travel product entitlements, and, for personalized cards, identity data. Readers at stations and vehicles verify entitlements, with central systems managing balances and tickets. Privacy and data usage have been subjects of ongoing discussion.

Governance and usage: OV-chipkaart BV, owned by participating transport operators, manages the national card system. The architecture combines centralized back-end management with offline verification at certain points, aiming to balance efficiency, interoperability, and privacy across the Dutch public-transport network.