Yes, and it's free — including during peak hours. NS states this directly: "An e-step counts as hand luggage. You may take it with you if it meets the hand luggage requirements in the AVR-NS." This makes the e-step on the train better regulated than a bicycle on one important point: outside off-peak hours, a bicycle requires a ticket costing €8.50. There is one condition you need to know, and for trams and metros the rules vary by city.
Last updated: July 2026. Carrier conditions may change; if in doubt, check the current general terms and conditions of the carrier.
The train: hand luggage, so free of charge
This is the entire mechanism, and it is surprisingly simple. NS has two categories: bicycles, for which a separate arrangement with a Bicycle Ticket applies, and hand luggage, for which you pay nothing extra. An e-step falls into the second category.
In practice that means:
- No Bicycle Ticket needed
- No off-peak restriction — you may board at eight o'clock in the morning
- No extra charge
- No limit of one per traveller as with bicycles
Compare that with a regular bicycle on the train: outside off-peak hours it requires a Dal Bicycle Ticket costing €8.50, may only travel between approximately 09:00 and 16:00 and after 18:30, and is limited to one bicycle per traveller. At weekends, on public holidays, and in July and August, bicycles may travel all day.
For a commuter travelling four or five days a week, that difference adds up to a significant amount over the course of a year — the full calculation is in what does an e-step cost per year.
The condition you need to know: 85 centimetres
This is the nuance that is almost never mentioned. The NS general terms and conditions state that NS may refuse hand luggage that exceeds 85 centimetres in any direction. A folded e-step is typically 110 to 120 centimetres long. That puts it over that limit.
Pay close attention to the word may. It is a power of the carrier, not an automatic prohibition. In practice, refusals are rare — a folded e-step takes up less space than a suitcase and stands upright against a vestibule wall. But it does mean you have no unconditional right, and that a conductor on a packed intercity train formally has grounds to say no.
What you do with that is behavioural: actually fold it, keep it with you, stand in the vestibule or near the luggage racks, and don't block any aisle or door. Nine out of ten disputes are not about the rule but about where the thing is standing.
An e-step is not a folding bicycle
A common misconception. The arrangement for folding bicycles — which fold to within approximately 45 × 86 × 80 centimetres and may travel free all day — does not apply to e-steps. The list of bicycle categories in the conditions is exhaustive: what is not on it is not covered.
For the e-step, this is actually good news, because the hand luggage route is more favourable than the bicycle route. There is no need to try to present your e-step as a folding bicycle; that would only weaken your position.
Charging on the train is not allowed
The power outlets at the seats are there for laptops and phones. The NS terms and conditions prohibit charging vehicles on board. Plan your battery so that you can complete the journey without recharging.
Tram, metro, and bus: different rules per city
This is where national clarity ends. Each regional carrier has its own house rules, and not all of them are published.
| Carrier | Area | Current situation |
|---|---|---|
| NS | national | Permitted as hand luggage, free, no time restriction |
| U-OV | Utrecht | Explicitly prohibits electric e-steps |
| RET | Rotterdam | No explicit e-step ban; fat bikes have been fully barred |
| GVB | Amsterdam | No specific rule published — assessed on the spot |
| HTM | The Hague | No specific rule published — assessed on the spot |
U-OV in Utrecht is the exception and the only carrier that explicitly bars electric e-steps. If you're travelling by bus or tram in the Utrecht region, the e-step is not an option there.
With GVB and HTM the situation is less clear: they have not published a specific rule about e-steps. You then fall back on the general terms and conditions for urban and regional transport, which give the driver the authority to refuse luggage that causes nuisance or danger. That is an on-the-spot assessment, and it will go differently on a packed tram than on an empty one.
What is not the case
Two persistent claims that we regularly encounter and that are incorrect:
- There is no general ban on lithium-ion batteries in Dutch public transport. That story has drifted over from countries that did introduce measures after battery fires — the London Underground is the best-known example. No such ban exists in the Netherlands.
- The RET ban is about fat bikes, not e-steps. The two are often lumped together in discussions, but they are different vehicles with different treatment. Whether NS bars fat bikes is something we could not establish with certainty; they fall under the bicycle arrangement rather than hand luggage in any case.
Practical tips for the door-to-door journey
- Fold it on the platform, not in the aisle. Boarding with an unfolded e-step costs you goodwill you may need later.
- Stand in the vestibule. There is space at the doors and luggage racks; not between the seats.
- In peak hours, take the e-step, not the bicycle. This is exactly where the hand luggage rule works in your favour.
- Expect more resistance on trams and metros than on trains. If your whole journey depends on a tram leg, check in advance.
- Keep your e-step clean and dry in wet weather. A dripping, muddy e-step is the fastest route to a dispute with the conductor.
- Don't ride on the station. Riding on platforms and in station concourses is not permitted. Walking with the e-step in hand is fine.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay when the conductor comes round?
No. Hand luggage is free and no ticket exists for it. If something is asked of you, calmly refer to the hand luggage provision in the AVR-NS.
Can I take my e-step during peak hours?
Yes. The off-peak restriction applies to the bicycle arrangement and does not apply to hand luggage.
What if the conductor refuses anyway?
They are entitled to, on the basis of the dimensions provision. Don't argue in the doorway — step off or stand where asked, and file a complaint afterwards if you wish. In practice it rarely happens and usually only at times of extreme crowding.
Does this also apply to non-foldable models?
The less it folds, the greater the chance the dimensions provision works against you. The four mopeds on the RDW list are bicycle-sized and don't really fold; those fall under the bicycle arrangement in practice. The difference between those models and a compact stand-up e-step is covered in our comparison of all approved e-steps.
What about internationally?
Different conditions per carrier, and across the border different traffic rules also apply to the e-step itself. See taking your Dutch e-step abroad.
Conclusion
On the train, the e-step is the best-regulated form of micromobility there is: free, at all times, no ticket needed, and no off-peak restriction. The only limitation is a dimensions provision that gives the conductor grounds to refuse, and which in practice is rarely invoked as long as your e-step is folded and out of the way.
On trams and metros the picture is messier — and in Utrecht the answer is no.
This is precisely what makes the train-plus-e-step combination so strong for commuting: no renting a public bike, no buying a bicycle ticket, no second bike at the station.
Check out the SELANA Alpha or plan a test ride.
Practical: e-stepping in daily life
- What does an e-step cost per year? The complete breakdown
- E-step or shared scooter: when does buying become cheaper?
- E-step as an alternative to the mobility scooter
- E-step and alcohol: what is the legal limit?
- Taking your Dutch e-step abroad
More on the rules: electric scooter rules 2026, all RDW-approved models, and buying a legal e-step.
