Translink Systems

Translink is a service partner working for OV-chipkaart. We are happy to tell you about our organisation and its aims. We will also explain who our stakeholders and partners are. Finally, we will give you a brief summary of our short history.

Organisation

Translink is the connecting force behind the OV-chipkaart. What does that mean? Processing 2 billion transactions per year, for example. But much more besides. As we have now built up a wealth of experience, data and knowledge on contactless payment in public transport. So we are developing a variety of innovative, well thought-out services for customers and passengers, with a clear vision of the future.

Stakeholders

TLS operates in a dynamic environment with a lot of stakeholders. Firstly, the national and regional public transport companies involved in the OV-chipkaart system. Of course passengers are also an important target group for us, represented by a range of advocacy groups. Public authorities and supervisory bodies are also important to us. Finally, we work with many different suppliers to ensure the OV-chipkaart system functions effectively.

Partners

We work with a wide range of companies. Public transport companies, distribution partners, mobility providers and service partners are all Participants in the OV-chipkaart system. But scientists, international schemes and financial institutions are also among our partners.

Thirteen years of Translink

Trans Link Systems (TLS) was established to introduce and maintain the national OV-chipkaart system in the Netherlands. The principle was for all public transport companies in the Netherlands to be connected to the new system. The five largest public transport companies took the initiative to set up TLS.

Solutions

• Mass Transit Ticketing
• Payment

Transaction processing

Use of the OV-chipkaart accounts for millions of transactions every day and billions of transactions every year. There are check-ins and check-outs, details are changed, products are sold and credit is spent. Processing all of these transactions is an important daily activity for TLS.

Scheme provider

The complete regulations and agreements between parties who use the OV-chipkaart system (Participants) are known as the Scheme. The regulations and agreements ensure that the OV-chipkaart system works in the same way throughout the Netherlands. It makes no difference if the passenger gets on a train in Groningen or the metro in Rotterdam. TLS manages this Scheme and fulfils the role of Scheme Provider.

Card production

We produce and deliver OV-chipkaarts to our customers or directly to cardholders. There are millions of cards in circulation.

Consumers

User convenience is central. We provide services to consumers that relate directly to the convenience of using an OV-chipkaart, on behalf of the public transport companies. This includes Customer Services that can be contacted easily by phone and the www.ov-chipkaart.nl website.