As Amsterdam is Holland’s capital and biggest city, its infrastructure is well managed. The city is easily accessible by train, bus, plane or car. Compared to other capitals around in Europe, Amsterdam is very small. Compared to Amsterdam, London is eight times larger and over ten times more populous. This results in a city where you can easily move around by public transport (trams, subway, and buses), by bicycle, or even on foot. From Dam Square, 90% of the city’s highlights are within a 30-minute walk or a 15-minute bike ride. Thus, public transport in Amsterdam is easy and accessible.
As stated before, moving around in Amsterdam is as simple as distances are fairly short. Most highlights are within walking distance, at least when you consider a fifteen-minute walk walking distance. If you don’t feel like walking, there’s usually a tram stop within reach. Most trams leave on a regular base, so we recommend using trams for travelling in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Public Transport
If you plan to stay in the city centre, the tram will be your first choice for transportation. Scattered across the city are many tram stops, with trams leaving regularly. If you have some more distance to cover, the subway and buses will come in handy as well. If you plan on using public transport a lot, keep in mind that:
Buying a loose ticket every time you get on the bus or in the tram is expensive. The tram will cost you €2,90 regardless of the distance, and the bus up to €5,-. If you take a tram more than twice a day, there are cheaper options, such as buying a day ticket or an anonymous card that you can charge with a credit card.
If you have internet on your smartphone, remember 9292. Bookmark the website or download the app to get real-time travel advice for public transport.
Just like any other big city, public transport is popular with pickpockets. They have an extra eye out for unaware tourists.
In Amsterdam, you’ll find plenty of taxis on the streets. You can simply walk up to them at a taxi stand or wave to stop them. The regular taxi tariffs, however, are among the highest in Europe. If you can’t find a taxi, we can recommend using an on-demand taxi app such as Uber or BOLT, which is usually also a slightly cheaper.
Bike
Amsterdam is known for its many bikes. In fact, the city counts more bikes than residents. Cycling in Amsterdam can be a practical and enjoyable experience. But please be aware that the bicycle lanes are crowded, as they are the locals’ first mode of transport. For locals in their daily grind, inexperienced tourists on rental bikes can be a nuisance. So please take notice of the rules before getting on a bike. If you have never ridden a bike before, Amsterdam is just not the right city to learn. If you will rent a bike in Amsterdam, please take notice of the following tips and beware that you are vulnerable on a bike:
Obey the rules and watch out for traffic that doesn’t
Sign when turning left or right
Look behind your back before you make a stop
Make way for other traffic, don’t block the streets
Use the bicycle lanes
Cross the streets at designated areas
Watch out for tram tracks, they’ll easily make you fall when crossed at an angle less than 90 degrees
Use the lights on your bike as soon as the sun sets
Don’t rush, you’re on holiday
Do not DUI (drive under the influence), it’s illegal and dangerous, especially on a bike
Lock your bike properly, even if it’s just for a few minutes
Make sure you have a city map in case you get lost
Keep these tips in mind and drive safely! For more info, also see our bike rental Amsterdam page.
Getting to/from Amsterdam
Amsterdam is easy to reach by any means of transportation. Amsterdam has good connections with other major European cities and capitals. Are you looking for more detailed information on how to get from/to Amsterdam to a specific destination? Check out our following extensive guides;
Amsterdam’s main (and only) airport is ‘Amsterdam Schiphol Airport‘. It is the fifth-largest airport in Europe with multiple daily flights to all major airports worldwide. Besides the major (expensive) airlines that fly from Amsterdam, there are also multiple low-cost airlines such as Easyjet and Transavia that fly to and from Amsterdam. A flight with to another capital in Europe is usually available for a within a price range of €50,- to €100,- when choosing a low-cost airline. If you prefer a major airline the same flight will cost you between €100,- to €250,-.
To reach Amsterdam you could also consider flying to:
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (NL)
Maastricht Airport (NL)
Eindhoven Airport (NL)
Depending on which airport you choose it will take you between 1.5 to 3 hours to reach Amsterdam. Although these flights might cheaper, do keep in mind that you will need to spend between €35 to €80,- to get to Amsterdam and back to one of these airports.
To/from Amsterdam by train
Amsterdam Central Station is an impressive building to see dating from 1889 and has recently been restored. From Amsterdam Central Station there are trains to all cities in the Netherlands, but also international trains to for instance Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels. As the station is big and is being used by nearly 200.000 passengers daily, it is advisable to be there at least 15 minutes before departure. We also recommend checking your route upfront on the NS website, make sure to remember both departure time and the platform the train leaves from. Whenever using the train make sure to buy a ticket and checking in before getting on the train. Checking in is easily done by holding your ticket against one of the “check-in poles”. Check out more detailed information;
From Central Station there are connections to other forms of public transport:
Trams
Buses
Subways
Ferries
Taxis
Other train stations in Amsterdam are:
Amstel
RAI
Bijlmer ArenA
Duivendrecht
Zuid
Sloterdijk
Holendrecht
Lelylaan
Muiderpoort
Sciencepark
To/from Amsterdam by bus
From Amsterdam, there are international buses to all major cities across Europe. It’s a cheap way of travelling within Europe, but compared to flying fairly time-consuming. For instance, a bus ticket to Paris can be purchased for a fare as low as €20,- or under. There are several bus companies that offer these tickets, such as:
Eurolines
OUIbus
Megabus
Flixbus
The buses depart from multiple locations outside the city centre but can be easily reached by either train, subway or tram. Find out more about;
The roads in the Netherlands are very well maintained, and there are many highways that will lead you to Amsterdam. The city ring is the A10, which connects to any part of the city. The A10 does have a lot of traffic jams during rush hour so it’s best to avoid it between 8-10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Parking in Amsterdam inside the city ring can also be an issue as it is expensive (between €3,- and €9,- per hour) and it can be hard to find an appropriate parking spot. We strongly advise using a park-and-ride location, either in or outside Amsterdam.
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