Public Transport costs
Tickets are valid on all forms of public transport in Amsterdam.
g Need to Know g Contents
Amsterdam is known for its excellent public transport system. However, by far the most enjoyable way to explore this vibrant city is on two wheels.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is a major international transport hub for destinations around the globe. Schiphol is extremely well connected to Amsterdam city centre by train, bus and taxi. Car rental facilities are also available, although driving in Amsterdam is not recommended. For journey times between the airport and city centre, see the table opposite.
Schiphol Travel Taxi is a shared taxi service that can be booked online as either a private or, for a lower fare, shared taxi. A shared fare starts at around €24 for a single trip, and €42 for a return. A shared taxi may take a longer time than expected, as it can make several stops before your destination.
Connexxion Schiphol Hotel Shuttle is a privately run mini-bus service that will transport you to and from your hotel. Rates vary depending on how far your hotel is from the airport. Discounts are available for group and family bookings.
Connexxion Schiphol Hotel Shuttle
Schiphol Travel Taxi
International Train Travel
Regular high-speed international trains connect Amsterdam’s Centraal Station to other major cities across Europe. Reservations for these services are essential.
You can buy tickets and passes for multiple international journeys from Eurail or Interrail, however you may still need to pay an additional reservation fee depending on what rail service you travel with. Always check that your pass is valid on the service on which you wish to travel before boarding, as you may be fined for travelling without the correct ticket.
Eurostar runs a reliable and regular service from London to Amsterdam via the Channel Tunnel. However, for the return journey you may need to change in Brussels.
Thalys runs a high-speed rail service between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam ten times a day. Look out for the variety of special offers, package deals and half-price last-minute deals that the company offers.
NS International also runs a high-speed service between Brussels, Antwerp, Breda, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Students and passengers under the age of 26 can benefit from discounted rail travel. For more information on youth fares visit the Eurail or Interrail website.
Eurail
Eurostar
Interrail
NS International
Thalys
Dutch railways are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
The NS Service Centre is located in the western hall of Centraal Station, and provides information on all rail journeys, including live updates and information on delays and changes in the schedule.
If you are venturing further afield, the NS offers a wide range of day trips to a variety of locations across the country. Tickets often include a lunch coupon and reduced entry to many Amsterdam museums and attractions.
Tickets can be bought online, or from the yellow machines at the front and back entrances of Centraal Station.
NS
Centraal Station is the hub for Amsterdam’s integrated public transport system (GVB).
9292 provides information on all public transport within the city and the rest of the Netherlands, but it does not make reservations.
9292
GVB
Tickets
To travel on the metro, trams and buses you will need an OV-chipkaart. There are two kinds: a disposable, one-time use card for either one hour or one to seven days, and a reloadable pass. Both can be bought and topped-up at ticket vending machines at stations, GVB ticket offices, and newsagents operating as OV-chipkaart sales points. Avoid buying your OV-chipkaart at Centraal Station, where queues can be very long.
To validate a journey, hold the OV-chipkaart in front of the grey card readers on entering and leaving a metro or train station, or when getting on and off trams and buses. Don't forget to tap it as you disembark or exit – you will be charged more for your journey if you don't.
On all forms of transport, you will be charged the same distance fee, so no one form of transport is cheaper than another.
Children under 4 travel for free on all forms of public transport. Discounted tickets for seniors and 4–11 year olds can be purchased at a GVB office.
Do bear in mind that Amsterdam’s city centre is compact, and most of the major sights and shopping areas are within close walking distance from one another. You will save money and see more of the city on foot.
Buses
The majority of Amsterdam’s buses depart from Centraal Station, branching out from the city centre with the same stops as the trams.
Bus 22 connects the centre to the eastern and western parts of the city. Take this bus to visit Jordaan and the Western Islands.
Night-buses, numbered 748 to 763, run all night, with services every hour during the week and every half hour at weekends. Fares start at €4.50 per ride.
Long-Distance Bus Travel
Long-distance bus or coach travel can be a cheap option for travellers. Eurolines and Flixbus offer a variety of routes to Amsterdam from other European cities. Fares start from £22, with additional discounts for students and children.
Eurolines
Flixbus
Trams
The most useful routes go south from Centraal Station along Damrak or Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal (2, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 24), diverging after the Singel. Lines 13 and 17 are also useful if you need to travel west into Jordaan.
Trams operate from 6am on weekdays and 7am at weekends, finishing just after midnight, when night buses take over.
Metro
Amsterdam’s underground system comprises five lines, three of which start from and terminate at Centraal Station. There are seven stations in the centre. From Amsterdam CS (Centraal Station) you either take the eastern line (51, 53, 54), stopping at Nieuwmarkt, Waterlooplein and Weesperplein, or you can hop on the Noord/Zuidlijn (52) to travel to Rokin, Vijzelgracht and De Pijp.
Official taxis have a blue number plate and display their registration number on the windscreen. They should always run a meter.Taxis are not hailed, but picked up at official taxi stands (kwaliteitstaxisstandplaatsen) situated at main stations, squares or close to key tourist sights. Taxi apps such as UBER also operate in Amsterdam. The following services can be booked by phone or online:
Amsterdam Taxi Online
Sneltaxi
TCA Taxicentrale
Driving in Amsterdam is not recommended. Small inner city streets, canals, parking shortages and complicated one-way systems all make Amsterdam ill-suited to getting around by car. Public transport is a much more efficient way of travelling around the city.
Driving to Amsterdam
The Netherlands is easily reached by car from most European countries via E-roads, the International European Road Network.
Major roads (N roads) and motorways (A roads) are well maintained. From the A10 ring road, the S-routes (marked by blue signs) will take you to the centre of Amsterdam.
To take your own car into the Netherlands, you will need proof of registration, valid insurance documents, a road safety certificate from the vehicle’s country of origin and an international identification disc. Vehicles may also be transported into the country by international ferry or rail.
Car Rental
To rent a car in the Netherlands you must be 19 or over and have held a valid driver’s licence for at least a year.
EU driving licences issued by any of the EU member states are valid throughout the European Union. If visiting from outside the EU, you may need to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP). Check with your local automobile association before you travel.
Driving in Amsterdam
If you do decide to take to the roads in Amsterdam, it is important to be aware of the many one-way systems in place in the city centre. When driving in the canal area, remember that the water should be to your left.
Park-and-ride facilities, available on the outskirts of the city, are much cheaper and less stressful than parking in the city centre.
The ANWB (the Royal Dutch Touring Club) provides a breakdown service for members of foreign motoring organizations. A non-member can pay for the ANWB’s services, or become a temporary ANWB member for the duration of their stay.
ANWB
Rules of the Road
Drive on the right. Unless otherwise signposted, vehicles coming from the right have right of way. Passing or turning is forbidden on roads with a continuous white line.
At all times, drivers must carry a valid driver’s licence, registration and insurance documents. The wearing of seat belts is compulsory, and the use of a mobile phone while driving is prohibited, with the exception of a hands-free system. Headlights should be dipped in built-up areas. It is prohibited to use sidelights only.
The Dutch strictly enforce speed limits on their roads, and use traffic enforcement cameras in urban areas and radar guns on national roads and motorways. The Netherlands strictly enforces its drink-drive limit.
By far the best way to get around Amsterdam is by bicycle. The city’s traffic system favours cyclists. There is also an excellent network of cycle lanes (fietspaden), dedicated traffic lights and road signs, as well as special routes linking up different parts of the city. There are many bike parking facilities conveniently placed around the city, usually near main stations and busy squares.
Bicycle theft in Amsterdam is rife. Always secure your bike even when parking for just a few minutes to deter potential bike thieves. Hire shops are happy to advise on security matters, and a bike lock will normally be included in the rental price.
Bicycle Hire
Rental costs start at around €10 per day for a basic, single gear, back-pedal brake bike. Since Amsterdam is so flat, gears are not essential. Bikes with gears and other add-ons will be more expensive.
Deposits are usually paid upfront and refunded on return. You may have to leave your passport or ID for the duration of the rental.
MacBike and Orange Bike offer optional extras such as children’s seats, paniers, saddlebags and rain gear.
MacBike
Orange Bike
Bicycle Safety
Ride on the right. If you are unsure or unsteady, practise in one of the inner city parks first.
If in doubt, dismount: many novices cross busy junctions on foot; if you do so, switch to the pedestrian section of the crossing. Beware of tram tracks; cross them at an angle to avoid getting stuck.
Do not walk with your bike in a bike lane or cycle on pavements, on the left side of the road, in pedestrian zones, or at night without lights. If caught doing so you will face a hefty fine. The locals usually don’t bother, but it is a wise precaution to wear a helmet, particularly if you are planning on cycling on the roads.
Bicycle Tours
Guided bicycle tours are a popular way to discover the city and its environs. The following offer popular city and countryside tours:
Joy Ride Tours
Mikes Bike Tours
Yellowbike Tours and Rental
The Dutchflyer is a rail and sail service that runs from London to Amsterdam via Harwich and the Hook of Holland.
P&O Ferries operate an overnight service from Hull to Zeebrugge or Rotterdam where you can transfer to Amsterdam’s Centraal Station.
The Dutchflyer
∑stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland/rail-and-sail
P&O Ferries
Need to know Getting Around
Tickets are valid on all forms of public transport in Amsterdam.
Need to know Getting Around
Need to know Getting Around
| Transport | Journey Time | Average fare |
| Bus (397) | 30 mins | €4 |
| Connexxion Schiphol Hotel Shuttle | from 30 mins | €17 |
| Schiphol Travel Taxi | from 30 mins | €24 |
| Taxi | from 30 mins | €40-60 |
| Train (Sprinter or Intercity) | 15-20 mins | €4.30 |
Need to know Practical Information
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For those who wish to explore the city's canals and waterways by boat, the following services are available: |
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Hop-On-Hop-Off Canal Cruises |
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These flexible tour boats allow you to explore the city's major sights, shopping areas and attractions at your own pace. |
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Canal Tours |
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Many operators offer foreign-language commentaries. Book in advance for lunchtime, evening and dinner cruises. |
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Small Boat Tours |
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These tours take you along narrower canals that large canal boats can’t navigate. Boats depart every 40 minutes (11am–7pm Apr–Oct) from the Prinsengracht boarding point near the Anne Frank House. |
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Water Taxis |
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Exclusive water taxis are much more convenient than canal boats; they are also significantly more expensive. |
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Private Boat Hire |
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A licence is not required to rent a boat. Ensure you are clued up on local boating regulations before your maiden voyage. |
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Canal Bikes |
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These two- or four-seater pedalboats can be hired for around €10 per hour. They can be left at any of the canal bike moorings in the city, but must not enter the harbour or western port. |