RET tickets: how to buy and use them

Are you travelling in and around Rotterdam and do you plan to use public transport? Then you will probably travel by RET bus, tram or metro. You can easily buy your ticket via the glimble app. This is how it works and how you use your ticket.  

Where can I travel with RET?

RET mainly operates in Rotterdam, but also in neighbouring cities and villages. You can travel with RET by bus, tram and metro. There are 5 metro lines, which link different parts of the cities, but also other places. For example, by traveling on metro line E, you can travel all the way to The Hague, while metro line B brings you all the way to the beaches of Hoek van Holland. Next to metro lines, there are 9 tram lines and over 60 bus lines to bring you everywhere around Rotterdam.   Don’t worry about finding which one is best for your trip. Glimble helps you plan your trip and you can immediately buy your tickets in the app. 

Good to know

When you buy an RET ticket with glimble, you buy an RET 2 hour ticket, which costs €4,50. This means that you can travel unlimited with RET for 2 hours. There is no limit to the number of transfers you make within these 2 hours. So if you have made a trip and want to travel further within 2 hours, you won’t need to buy a new ticket. 

How to buy RET tickets with glimble

Plan your trip and tap ‘Buy’

Download the glimble app, enter your start and end destinations and select the trip you want. On the next screen, tap ‘Buy’. 

Check and buy your ticket

On the ‘Confirm purchase’ screen, check the details of your trip and tap ‘Purchase’ to buy your ticket directly from the operator.

View and use your ticket

Your ticket will be in the ‘My rides’ section of the app. You will see ‘My rides’ on your start screen or in the menu. Tap ‘View ticket’ to view your ticket.

How do RET 2 hour tickets work?

How does the ticket/QR-code work?  On most buses and trams, you scan your QR code when boarding. If this is not possible, you can just hop on You do not need to scan the QR code when leaving the tram or bus. When travelling by metro, you sometimes have to open gates. You can use your QR-code to do so.  How long is the ticket valid?  Your ticket becomes valid in the app 15 minutes before departure and remains valid for 2 hours. If your trip will take more than 2 hours, there will be 2 tickets in the app.  Can I travel the same route on another RET service?  Yes, you can do this on RET bus, tram and metro services. 

Buy RET tickets

Download the glimble app and easily buy tickets for all RET buses, trams and metros.