Amsterdam transport

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.

If you need a day or several-day ticket for all trams, buses, ferries, or the metro, our advice is to get a day ticket. GetYourGuide.com offers all the official GVB tickets online.

Travelling within Amsterdam

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:

• Always remember to check in and check out when travelling on public transport. You can do this by holding any bankcard, credit card, or payment app on your smartphone. Also, when you’re travelling with a pre-purchased ticket, make sure to follow the same procedure by holding your card against the designated machines. Checking out when you get off is essential for calculating the correct price of your travel. If you forget to check out, you will be charged the maximum possible tariff.
• If you’re planning to use public transport a lot, you can get a day or multiple-day ticket that allows unlimited use on those days.
• If you have internet on your smartphone, remember 9292.nl for the latest travel advice. Bookmark the website or download the app to get real-time travel advice for public transport.
• GVB is the company behind most public transport within Amsterdam; if you’re travelling outside of Amsterdam, you might be using a different company, and your GVB ticket may not be valid. In such cases make sure to use a bankcard, creditcard or payment app to check in.
• Just like any other big city, public transport is popular with pickpockets. They have an extra eye out for unaware tourists.

Looking for GVB tickets right now? Get your GVB tickets for 1 – 7 days via getyourguide.com.

Tram

Trams offer a convenient way of travelling within Amsterdam, for both short and longer distances between neighbourhoods. The advantage the tram offers over subways is that there are many more stops along its route, enabling travellers to get off close to their destination.

Good to know for travelling by tram:

• Checking in and checking out must be done in the tram before getting off
• At night, there’s no service. The last departure is typically between 0:00 and 0:30 A.M., and the service restarts around 06:00 A.M. Check 9292.nl for the most up-to-date information.
• All trams are operated by GVB and are included in the GVB ticket

Subway

The subway system in Amsterdam is fairly simple compared to other cities. Subways are a convenient and fast way to cover mid-range distances between neighbourhoods. They depart frequently, depending on the time of day, every 7,5-15 minutes.

Good to know:

• Checking in and checking out must be done at the ticket gates when entering or exiting the station.
• At night, there’s no service. The last departure is typically between 0:00 and 0:30 A.M., and the service restarts around 06:00 A.M. Check 9292.nl for the most up-to-date information.
• All subways are operated by GVB and are included in the GVB ticket

Buses

Buses can be used for both city travel and travel to surrounding areas.

Good to know:

• Checking in and checking out must be done on the bus before getting off
• Buses within Amsterdam are operated by GVB and included with the GVB ticket.
• At night, typically between 0:30 A.M. and 6:30 A.M., bus services stop and are limited to specific night lines. There’s an extra fee for these buses, and not all stops can be reached.
• Buses that travel outside of Amsterdam are typically operated by different companies and are not included in the GVB ticket. You can use your bankcard, credit card or payment app to pay for your travel.

Ferries

Ferries sail across the IJ-river connecting Amsterdam Noord to Amsterdam Central Station as well as Ponsteiger (West) and Azartplein (East). The ferries are free and can be used by pedestrians and cyclists.

Good to know:

• The ferries are free, thus there’s no checking in or checking out.
• The ferries don’t operate all night; depending on the line, they stop service between 22:00 P.M. and 02:00 A.M. Service typically restarts at 6:30 A.M. Make sure to check the timetable of your specific ferry line.

Trains

Trains can be used to travel mid-range to long distances, both in and outside Amsterdam. Trains are the go-to option for travelling to other cities.

Good to know:

• Travelling by train requires you to check in before boarding and check out at your destination, using a bankcard, credit card, or payment app. If you change trains, you do not need to check out. Alternatively, you can buy a train ticket from the vending machines, but you still need to check in and out with it.
• Most train stations have ticket gates; however, not all do, e.g., Schiphol Airport. Yet you must check out, or you will be charged the maximum tariff.
• Trains are not operated by the GVB; your GVB ticket is not valid on the trains.

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 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.

Taxi

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 get their attention. 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 slightly cheaper. Taxis are a good alternative for travelling at night (between 02:00 a.m. and 06:00 a.m.), when the regular public transport service is limited.

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 to or from Amsterdam to a specific destination? Check out our following extensive guides;

• Travelling between Amsterdam and Paris
• Travelling between Amsterdam and Berlin
• Travelling between Amsterdam and London

To/from Amsterdam by plane

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, several low-cost airlines, such as EasyJet and Transavia, also fly to and from Amsterdam. A flight to another European capital is usually available for €50 to €100 with 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 the following alternative airports in the Netherlands:

• Rotterdam The Hague Airport (NL) – IATA code: RTM – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 1 and 2 hours
• Eindhoven Airport (NL) – IATA code: EIN – Travel time to Amsterdam: 2 hours
• Groningen Airport (NL) – IATA code: GRQ – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 2 and 3 hours
• Maastricht Airport (NL)- IATA code: MST – Travel time to Amsterdam: 3 hours

Or alternatively, one of the following airports in Belgium:

• Antwerp (BE) – IATA code: ANR – Travel time to Amsterdam: 2 hours
• Brussels (BE) – IATA code: BRU – Travel time to Amsterdam: 2 hours
• Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BE) – IATA code: CRL – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 3 and 4 hours

Or alternatively, one of the following airports in Germany:

• Düsseldorf Airport (DE) – IATA code: DUS – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 2 and 3 hours
• Weeze (DE) – IATA code: NRN – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 3 and 4 hours
• Frankfurt Airport (DE) – IATA code: FRA – Travel time to Amsterdam: between 3 and 4 hours

Depending on which airport you choose, it will take you between 1.5 and 4 hours to reach Amsterdam. Although these flights might be cheaper, keep in mind that you will need to spend between €35 and €80 to get to Amsterdam and back from one of these airports.

To/from Amsterdam by train

Amsterdam Central Station is an impressive building to see, dating from 1889, and it has recently been restored. From Amsterdam Central Station, there are trains to all cities in the Netherlands, as well as international trains to, for instance, Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels. As the station is large and used by nearly 200.000 passengers daily, it is advisable to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. We also recommend checking your route on the NS website in advance and remembering both the departure time and the platform the train leaves from. Whenever using the train, make sure to buy a ticket and check in before boarding. Checking in is easily done by holding your ticket against one of the “check-in poles”. Check out more detailed information;

• Book international train tickets at NSinternational.com
• Book tickets for the international Eurostar train, travelling to Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London
• Amsterdam to Berlin by train
• Amsterdam to London by train

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, international buses run 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;

• Travelling between Amsterdam and Berlin by bus
• Travelling between Amsterdam and London by bus

To/from Amsterdam by car

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.

Also read our related articles:

• Amsterdam to Berlin by car