Arranging an NS Business Card via TC&O Mobydesk

Radboud University is affiliated with the transport agency TC&O Mobydesk. If you are a Radboud University employee who travels by public transport and lives more than 10 km from the campus, you can apply for an NS Business Card via TC&O Mobydesk.

You use the NS Business Card for your commute and the costs are billed directly to Radboud University by NS. This means you do not have to pay anything yourself or submit a claim.

Arrange your NS Business Card via TC&O Mobydesk. You can log in via SURFconext.

Points to note

Bear in mind that it takes two to three weeks for you to receive the NS Business Card at home. Make sure you apply for the NS Business Card in good time;
If you do not yet have an NS-Business Card on your first day at work, you can claim the travel expenses incurred on your personal public transport card in the meantime. To do so, please contact HRSC [at] ru.nl by email;
If your NS-Business Card is lost or stolen, apply for a new one immediately via TC&O Mobydesk. It will take two to three weeks before you receive your new NS Business Card at home. In the meantime, you can claim the travel expenses incurred on your personal public transport card. To do so, please contact HRSC [at] ru.nl (HRSC[at]ru[dot]nl) by email;
You should pay for business trips yourself using your personal public transport card and then claim the costs in BASS. If you do make a business trip with your NS Business Card, the costs will be deducted from your net salary. You can then claim the costs in the usual way in BASS;
You are not permitted to use the NS-Business Card for private travel. Please use your own public transport pass for this purpose. This may also be cheaper, depending on your season ticket. If you do make a private journey using your NS-Business Card, this will be flagged and subsequently deducted from your net salary;
If you wish to travel first class at your own expense, you can notify TC&O Mobydesk, who will ensure that Radboud University deducts the additional costs from your net salary.

Explanation

Can I still claim my public transport (OV) costs incurred before 1 July using the old method?

Yes, you can. Expenses incurred on public transport up to and including 30 June 2026 can be claimed via the claims system. This is possible up to and including the end of October 2026.

Can I add a different season ticket to my NS-Business Card than the one recommended by TC&O?

That is not possible; at your own request, only an upgrade from 2nd to 1st class is permitted, and the additional costs will be deducted from your net salary.

What is meant by the travel area of the NS-Business Card?

The travel area of the NS-Business Card covers the whole of the Netherlands plus bus route SB58 (bus route SB58 from Emmerich via Kleve to Nijmegen). You can travel not only with NS, but also with all other public transport operators such as Breng, Arriva, ATM, Bravo, etc.

Is it possible to top up the NS-Business Card (as with a standard OV-chipkaart) and use the card in this way also outside the home-to-work route?

You should not top up the NS-Business Card. Technically, it is possible, but this money cannot be used for travel and cannot be withdrawn either. You cannot subsequently claim that money back from RU either.

I don’t want an NS-Business Card; is that possible?

The only way to have public transport costs fully or partly reimbursed from 1 July 2026 is by using the NS-Business Card (with the exception of employees working abroad). You will no longer be able to claim travel expenses incurred from 1 July 2026 onwards. So if you do not apply for an NS-Business Card, you will not receive any public transport travel allowance from the RU.

I work at multiple locations; can I use the NS-Business Card at all of them?

Yes, you can; in the TC&O portal, you can indicate that you have multiple fixed workplaces.

I am due to leave the university soon; what should I do with the Business Card?

You must return the Business Card to TC&O.

My travel pattern is going to change permanently; do I need to do anything?

Please contact TC&O to find out whether your season ticket type needs to be adjusted.

I currently have an unlimited travel pass. Do I need to take any further action?

If you already have an NS-Business Card, you do not need to do anything. If you have your own public transport card with the season ticket on it, you will need to apply for an NS-Business Card. TC&O will then assess whether this season ticket is the most suitable for you, or whether another season ticket might be more appropriate. Don’t forget to deactivate your own season ticket on your own public transport card if you don’t use it for private travel.

I travel by public transport for two days and by car for two days — is that possible under the new scheme?

That is possible, but you must choose one option for which reimbursement you want: public transport or car. You cannot combine reimbursements.

I want to switch modes of transport during the year; is that possible?

You can switch modes of transport to a limited extent. For example, you can travel by public transport in winter and by bicycle in summer (a maximum of one change from car/bicycle to public transport per calendar year).

Can I claim additional travel expenses under the Selection Model?

Yes, you can. BASS calculates the difference between the maximum tax-deductible allowance you are entitled to and the costs (public transport costs paid by the RU or the allowance you receive for cycling/driving). You can top up this difference in the Selection Model.

The days on which I work from home and travel vary; what should I do?

In BASS, you can specify a two-week schedule showing how much you travel and work from home in week A and week B. If your pattern does not fit into a two-week period, calculate the average and enter this.

I live abroad and travel by public transport; how can I get my costs reimbursed?

If you live abroad and are unable to use the NS-Business Card, you can claim the costs incurred. The claim option will then be available to you in BASS.

If you use bus route SB58 from Emmerich via Kleve to Nijmegen, please apply for the NS-Business Card, which you can use on that route.

I have a Breng bus pass; can I use the NS-Business Card?

Please contact TC&O to discuss the options.

Can I also use the NS-Business Card to travel on routes outside the NS network?

Yes, you can; you may not be able to use a season ticket, but you can still check in and out. The NS-Business Card can be used on all public transport in the Netherlands. If you have any questions, please contact TC&O.

Will the cost of an OV-fiets also be reimbursed if I have an NS-Business Card?

You can also use the OV-fiets for the final leg of your journey (station to campus) with the NS-Business Card; these costs are paid by the RU.

Can I have a parking pass at the RU in addition to my public transport season ticket?

Yes, that is possible.

Do I also need to provide the average number of days to TC&O if my travel pattern changes?

If your travel pattern changes permanently, you must notify TC&O. If you travel two days one week and four days the next, for example, please provide the average.