The price for the use of three ferries in De Fryske Marren will increase. Anyone who crosses the water with this will pay a maximum of 1.50 euros instead of 1. “This price was no longer suitable for us.”
The fare for her ferries has been 1 euro for sixteen years, says Froukje van Keimpema. It operates one of the three ferries that may increase prices from April 2025. In addition to its Nije Skou ferry, this concerns the one at Boornzwaag and the Noarder Alde Wei.
The intention is for operators to generate income through transfers, but that has become increasingly difficult in recent years, she says. “Name me something that hasn’t been raised in sixteen years.” Fuel, personnel; everything became more expensive. “This prize was no longer possible for us.”
The Van Keimpema family also owns Theeschenkerij Nije Skou, from where the ferry departs. “If we didn’t have any catering facilities, it would really be too little.”
Suprised
And so Van Keimpema and the other operators in the municipality and neighboring municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân lobbied for a price increase. They are not allowed to charge more than a maximum rate set by the municipality.
The municipality acknowledges that inflation is taking its toll on operators. “This is starting to get out of line,” the municipality writes. ‘In the meantime, many other prices have risen due to inflation.’
Van Keimpema is surprised that De Fryske Marren has now decided to increase prices. “I didn’t know this yet. A letter is ready in which we write that we no longer want to continue sailing like this.”
In addition to De Fryske Marren, the letter is intended for the province, the local tourist office and the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân. According to her, operators there face the same problems.
Unpleasant
According to De Fryske Marren, the increase has been coordinated with Súdwest. ‘This consultation has resulted in the ferry fares in Súdwest-Fryslân also increasing to 1.50.’
De Fryske Maren even uses it as an argument to defend the increase, which can be ‘unpleasant’ for tourists. ‘It is not expected that the new rates will deter tourists, especially since it is in coordination with Súdwest-Fryslân.’
But a spokesperson for Súdwest-Fryslân says that nothing has been decided yet. “It is true that we collaborate well and a lot in the field of tourism, but nothing is known about this yet.”
Meanwhile, the Nije Skou website states that the price for the ferry is already 1.50. Operator Van Keimpema says that despite everything, she had assumed that it would come into effect on April 1 this year. She says that in reality 1 euro is still charged and that the website is being adjusted.
