Amsterdam Public Transport Tickets

Amsterdam has an extensive, reliable public transport system that includes buses, trams (trolleys), metro (underground), and ferries.

The main provider in Amsterdam is the GVB — Gemeentelijk Vervoers Bedrijf (Municipal Transportation Company). [1] District bus lines Arriva and Connexxion also operate in Amsterdam, but to a much lesser extend.

Use of the ferries, which connect Amsterdam-North with the rest of the city, is free of charge.

Trams at Amsterdam Central Station

All other forms of public transport require the use of an OV-Chipkaart [2] — an electronic payment system similar to Oyster in London or Passe Navigo in Paris.

The OV-Chipkaart consists of a paper or plastic credit card-size ticket with en embedded memory chip designed to be read by ticket readers on board public transport vehicles.

The card must be swiped across the face of the ticket reader both upon entering and exiting the vehicle.

There are three types of cards: anonymous, personalized, or disposable. Each traveler needs his or her own card.

Tourist are generally better off with disposable cards. Here we highlight several ticket offers specifically aimed at tourists and other short-term visitors.

Tourists have several options:

Single Use Tickets
Best Amsterdam Public Transport Deal For Tourists
Amsterdam All In 1 Travel Ticket
Anonymous OV-Chipcard
Personalized OV-Chipcard

Single Use Ticket

A single-use ticket is available in the tram or bus at a cost of €2.60. [3] It is valid for up to one hour, during which you may transfer to other GVB bus- or tram lines. [4]

This is the most expensive way to use Amsterdam’s public transport system.

Best deal Amsterdam Public Transport Day Tickets: 24 — 168 Hours

For most tourists, day- or multiple day tickets are the best deal. They entitle you to unlimited travel through Amsterdam – day and night – by tram, bus and metro.

The 24 hour ticket is available in bus or tram. Multiple-day tickets are available at:

• GVB Tickets & Info service outlets — including the main one opposite Central Station (next to the Amsterdam Tourist Information Office)
• VVV Amsterdam Tourist Offices, including the one opposite Central Station
• Ticket Vending Machines in the metro stations
• at various hotels, camping sites, AKO bookstores and other institutions

Amsterdam All in 1 Travel Ticket

[This ticket option was dropped after January 31, 2011.]

Anonymous OV-Chipcard

The anonymous OV-Chipcard is a plastic card which can be bought for a one-time fee of €7.50. The so-called ‘E-purse’ on the card must then be loaded with credit. You can do so at so-called Add Value Machines, which can be found throughout the city. They are typically situated inside supermarkets, tobacco shops, and at train stations.

The card can be loaded with up to €150.00 credit. Keep in mind that each person in your party needs his or her own card. Even though this is not a personalized card, you can still not use it to pay the fare for more than one person at a time. However, you are allowed to share this card with others.

Benefits

• When you use this card (which is valid for a period of 5 years) you pay €0,10 per kilometer plus a base fee of €0,78. If you transfer within 35 minutes the base fee is not charged again.
• Additional travel products — such as day or multiple-day tickets and nightbus tickets — can be added to this card
• Anonymity: if you think ‘they’ are following you, at least your public transport ticket won’t tell them where you’ve been and where you’re going…

Disadvantages

• If you lose an anonymous OV-Chipcard it will be much like losing cash. Since the card is not personalized, the amount of credit on it can not be blocked.
• Since the card does not include any personal information, you can not take advantage of personalized travel products like season tickets, or discounts such as those for senior citizens.

This card may make sense for you if you intend to stay in Amsterdam for longer than a week.

The anonymous OV-chipkaart can be bought at GVB Tickets & Info and at the GVB Ticket Vending and Add Value Machines.

Personalized OV-Chipcard

The personal OV-Chipcard has all the benefits of the Anonymous OV-Chipcard — except for the anonymous part.

You can elect to auto-reload your personal card with a fixed amount (€10, €20, or €50) from your Dutch bank or giro account.

In the event the card is lost you can have it blocked.

This card may make sense if you will be in Amsterdam for more than 2 months and plan to make extensive use of public transport. You can apply for the Personalized OV-Chipcard online, but only if you have a digital photograph available, are able to pay using iDEAL and can provide a Dutch (postal) address.

More information about public transport in Amsterdam

Can’t get enough of this topic? Check these news items and articles about Amsterdam’s public transport system

Footnotes

1. The Gemeentelijk Vervoersbedrijf (GVB) is the primary municipal transport service of Amsterdam. It is a independent corporation wholly owned by the city of Amsterdam. All trams and most buses you see in Amsterdam are owned and operated by GVB.
2. OV-Chipkaart:
   OV stands for ‘Openbaar Vervoer‘ = Public Transport.
   Chipkaart = Chip card, in reference to the RFID memory chip used in the cards.
3. Under the pre-chipcard ‘zone’ system tickets for travel within one or two zones were €1.60 and €2.40 respectively. One of many controversies surrounding the introduction of the OV-chipkaart is that single-ticket users who normally travel short distances have been hit with a big rate increase.
4. Single Use Tickets are not valid for transfer to buses operated by Arriva or Connexxion. Under most circumstances tourists will not need to use buses from these companies.

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