Destination Guides > Europe > Netherlands > North Holland (Noord-Holland) > Amsterdam > Local transport
Amsterdam
Local transport
Amsterdam's transport network consists of trams, trains, buses and a metro, although it is a small city and you should be able to walk everywhere. If you are staying further from the centre (near Vondelpark, for instance) then if may be a good idea to buy a travel pass such as a strippenkaart or dagkaart.
Although it is relatively easy to travel around Amsterdam without a ticket, you risk an on the spot fine if you get caught by one of the uniformed ticket inspectors. Playing the dumb tourist doesn't work with these guys - they've heard every story about not knowing the system and are unlikely to let you off. The fine is around €45.
TRAMS
Trams are the most useful form of transport in Amsterdam with the majority of the 17 tram routes running past Centraal Station. The Circle Tram (line 20) is the most useful line, operating a circular route taking in Centraal Station and many of Amsterdam's major attractions.
METRO & SNELTRAM
Amsterdam's metro system is mainly used to get to the suburbs and is of limited use to most travellers. However the metro is the best way to get between Centraal and Amstel stations.
The metro consists of both regular metro trains (on lines 53 and 54) and the sneltram (operating on lines 50 and 51). The sneltram is like an express tram which runs on a dedicated track before entering the metro system and stopping at metro stations.
All metro lines run on the same track between Centraal and Amstel Stations. So you can hop on any train if you need to get to Amstel Station.
A new north-south metro line connecting Buikslotermeerplein in north Amsterdam with Centraal Station and Amsterdam Zuid/WTC (shown in blue on the map below) is under construction and should be completed by 2017.
FERRY
Amsterdam has a couple of ferry lines connecting the city centre with the suburbs in North Amsterdam. There is a free ferry across the IJ which departs from just behind Centraal Station - this ferry runs around every ten minutes and is a good free alternative to the more expensive and touristy canal cruises.
BUS
Buses are mainly used to get to suburbs that aren't served by trams or the metro. These are especially useful in North Amsterdam. Local buses are operated by GVB (Gemeentevervoerbedrijf Amsterdam) which also runs the city's tram, metro and ferry services. If you're heading to surrounding towns and cities in the Randstad region you might use the regional buses operated by Connexxion.
TRAIN
There are several suburban and urban train stations that can be used with your day ticket or strippenkaart. The most useful stations are Amsterdam Zuid/WTC, RAI and Amstel (although Amstel station is more frequently served by the metro).
FARES & TICKETS
There are a number of ticket options available, which include the strippenkaart and OV-chipkaart as well as day tickets. The best option for you depends a lot on how long you intend staying in Amsterdam and how far you will be staying from the centre. Because many of the hostels are conveniently located you may find that you don't even need to take public transport during your stay.
Strippenkaart
Although it is in the process of being replaced by the OV-chipkaart, the national strippenkaart is a handy option if you're planning to visit other cities in the Netherlands while making infrequent use of public transport. Most public transport such as buses and trams in the Netherlands accept the national strippenkaart, which means that you can use your strippenkaarten to travel on local buses in other cities such as the Hague and Utrecht.
The strippenkaart is being phased out in favour of the OV-chipkaart and strippenkaarts are no longer valid on the Rotterdam metro and will not be valid on Amsterdam's metro and sneltram lines from 27 August 2009.
These tickets work by validating the appropriate number of strips for your journey. This is done by folding the card and stamping it by inserting it in the validating machine. You can ask the bus or tram driver to do this for you, although you will have to do this yourself on trains, the metro and sneltrams. If validating it yourself ensure that the right zones are stamped by calculating the zones to be travelled in or through and adding one more to the total. For instance you need to cancel two strips for one hour of travel in one zone, three strips for two zones, four strips for three zones and so on. You can make as many transfers as you like within the validity of your strippenkaart as long as you stay within your zone. The number of strips which need to be cancelled is shown on the following table:
| Strips | Zones | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
2-4 |
1-3 |
1 hour |
5-7 |
4-6 |
1½ hours |
8-10 |
7-9 |
2 hours |
11-16 |
10-15 |
3 hours |
17-20 |
16 or more |
3½ hours |
These tickets are available almost everywhere including on the bus and trams, post offices, VVV tourist information centres and train and metro stations. Several people can be share the same strippenkaart as long as you stamp the card as many times as there are people.
Strippenkaarten can be kept and used until 12 months after the next fare increase.
The following table shows strippenkaart prices:
| Strips | Price |
|---|---|
8 |
€6.40 |
15 |
€7.30 |
45 |
€21.60 |
OV-chipkaart
The strippenkaart is being replaced by the OV-chipkaart, which is a national travel ticket system similar to London's Oystercard.
There are several options for buying the OV-chipkaart, such as buying an OV-chipkaart and adding up to €30 of credit to calculate the fare based on the distance you travel. Alternatively you can also buy disposable OV-chipkaarts that are preloaded with just the credit for a single journey.
The anonymous OV-chipkaart costs €7.50 (€3 during the introduction period) plus the value of any added credit. There is also a personalised version of the card, which is aimed mostly at Dutch residents who are eligible for discounted travel. You can use one of these OV-chipkaarten to pay for travel at a base rate of 75c plus 10c per km.
However for most visitors to Amsterdam, a disposable OV-chipkaart is an easier option and often works out cheaper as you avoid the added expense of buying the card.
Disposable OV-chipkaarten are available for the following fares:
| Travel product | Fare |
|---|---|
GVB 1-hour ticket |
€2.60 |
GVB 2 x 1-hour ticket |
€5 |
GVB 24-hour ticket |
€7 |
GVB 48-hour ticket |
€11.50 |
GVB 72-hour ticket |
€15 |
GVB 96-hour ticket |
€18 |
1 x night bus ticket |
€3.50 |
12 x night bus ticket |
€25 |
