Can I pay by Debit or Credit card?

You can check in and out with: contactless payment cards from ABN AMRO, ASN Bank, Bunq, Knab, ING, Rabobank, Regiobank or SNS; a Mastercard or Visa contactless credit card (a.o. issued by ICS); a mobile phone that is linked to one of the aforementioned debit and credit cards for contactless payment. Also with Apple Pay and Google Wallet. a foreign contactless debit or credit card from Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard or Visa. [icon name="exclamation" prefix="fas"] Keep in mind that using your credit card may significantly increase the cost of each bus- or trams trip. That is because your will have to pay exchange rate fees, as well as any additional fees your bank may charge for each foreign transaction.

Amsterdam Public Transport Guide: Metro, Bus and Tram Tickets

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Chart: Decide which tickets options are best for you

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Tram or streetcar in the center of Amsterdam — Amsterdam’s public transport system includes 15 tram lines

Public transport in Amsterdam consists of an extensive and reliable network of bus, metro, and streetcar lines, as well as ferries. According to an April, 2023 Time Out ranking, Amsterdam has the 10th-best public transport system in the world.¹

Public transportation tickets are easy to obtain and use. They must be bought in advance.

How to Choose: Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket Options

The most popular option for tourists is the first one listed in the table below: Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket (1-7 days), plus Amsterdam Airport Express (Bus 397). This is a good deal, since it provides you with:

comfortable bus transfer between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and the city center, and
carefree, unlimited travel on all GVB trams, buses and metro lines throughout Amsterdam

Meanwhile, the Amsterdam Travel Ticket (1-3 days) has the added benefit of unlimited travel on all trains between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Amsterdam Central Station (plus any other train stations in the city). Central Station is the city’s main public transport hub.

The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (1-3 days) is the only other ticket that includes the use of trains.

Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket Options
Tickets	Includes	Note
DutchAmsterdam.nl, 2022 Amsterdam Tickets, Tours, Excursions
*Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket (1-7 days), plus* Amsterdam Airport Express (Bus 397)** Most Popular	Unlimited GVB Bus, Tram, Metro travel in Amsterdam, plus roundtrip bus from and to Schiphol Airport. No trains.	Bus 397 has stops close to many popular hotels.
Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket (1-7 days) Very Popular	Unlimited GVB Bus, Tram, Metro travel in Amsterdam. No trains.	Note: only Schiphol Airport option is Bus 369 between Sloterdijk station (Amsterdam West) and the airport. Not ideal unless you stay near Sloterdijk.
Amsterdam Airport Express Good if you only want Schiphol Airport to and from City. Want transfer to or from Central Station? Take the train instead.	Roundtrip Airport City center Airport. Operated by Connexxion.	Ticket valid up to 14 days
Amsterdam Travel Ticket (1-3 days) Great for short city break. [Details] More than 3 days? Choose plus bus 397 instead (top choice above). Also want museums, excursions, et cetera? Consider I amsterdam City Card (below)	Unlimited GVB Bus, Tram, Metro travel in Amsterdam + unlimited travel on NS trains between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and all train stations in Amsterdam. Not valid on buses operated by other transport companies such as EBS, Arriva and Connexxion (Except Connexxion buses 397 and N97).	Includes transfer between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Central Station, by train or Amsterdam Airport Express bus.
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (1-3 days) Excellent choice, especially in combo with the I amsterdam card (below)	Travel without limits across Amsterdam and region. Valid on all trams, buses, night buses, metros and ferries run by the Amsterdam Transport company GVB, EBS and Connexxion in Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Region including the Amsterdam Airport Express Bus 397 and N97, as well as trains operated by NS.	Also valid for transfer from and to Schiphol Airport (train or bus). Many excursion destinations, e.g. Zandvoort beach, Muiderslot castle, Edam & Volendam fishing villages, windmills at Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof, and much more
I amsterdam City Card Discount city pass details. Excellent value!	Unlimited GVB Bus, Tram, Metro in Amsterdam. No trains. Airport only via Bus 369 from Sloterdijk.	Includes free museums, free canal boat tour, free bike rental, and other discounts in Amsterdam and region

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How to use Amsterdam public transport tickets

How to buy and use Amsterdam bus-, metro-, and tram tickets

Buy your ticket
There is a confusing array of ticket options that cater mostly to citizens of Amsterdam and beyond.

Most tourists buy 1-7 day(s) ticket for travel on Amsterdam’s primary public transport network. This ticket gives you unlimited access to all buses, metros, and trams operated by GVB.

Consider these other ticket options as well.
Check-in each time you travel
Your ticket, referred to as an OV-chipkaart, has an embedded smart chip. Hold your ticket against the screen on a card reader (bus or tram) or a gate (at metro or train stations). A ‘beep’ tone confirms that you did so correctly.

The card readers are found at the entrances and exits inside buses and trams, or at the entrances and exits of metro- and train stations.

The ferries are always free, so you do not need to check-in or check-out.
Check-out at the end of your journey, or if you intend to transfer
Again touch the card reader with your ticket at the end of your journey. Listen for the ‘beep’ tone.

If you are transferring to another bus-, tram, or metro line you first check-out from the current vehicle, and then check-in at the new one.

Note: If you forget to check in or out, your ticket may no longer function the next time you need it. In that case you need to make your way to the GVB service desk in front of Central Station.

All About Public Transport Services in Amsterdam

GVB

Amsterdam Essentials

Amsterdam’s primary public transport service is the GVB — Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (Municipal Transportation Company). It is an independent corporation owned by the city of Amsterdam.

All trams (trolleys), metros (underground or subway trains), and most buses you see in Amsterdam are owned and operated by GVB. So are the free ferries that sail across the river IJ.

District bus lines

District bus lines Connexxion, EBS and Syntus also operate in Amsterdam, but to a much lesser extent.

GVB tickets are not accepted on these bus lines. Exceptions are noted in the Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket Options table.

Trains

There are 11 train stations in Amsterdam. But except where noted, travel on trains is not included in your GVB public transport tickets.

public transport trams in Amsterdam — Trams at Amsterdam Central Station.

OV-chipkaart: Public Transport Smart Card

Use of the GVB ferries connecting Amsterdam-North with the rest of the city is free.

For all other public transport, an OV-chipkaart is required (OV stands for ‘Openbaar Vervoer’ = public transport. Chipkaart = smart card, includes a RFID memory chip). The OV-chipkaart is an electronic payment system similar to Oyster in London, Passe Navigo in Paris, Pass Roma in Rome, or Hola Barcelona.

The OV-chipkaart consists of a credit card-sized paper or plastic credit card-size ticket with an embedded memory chip that can be read by ticket readers on board public transport vehicles.

The card must be swiped across the front of the ticket reader both when boarding and when disembarking.

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

Note: you can now also use a debit- or credit card (Mastercard, Visa) to check in and check out. But travelers tend to forget that they usually incur extra charges when doing so (disadvantageous exchange rates and extra bank fees).

For tourists, it is better to use one of these Amsterdam Public Transport ticket options.

Most expensive option: Single Use, 1-Hour Ticket

A single-use ticket is available in the tram or bus at a cost of €3.40. It is valid for up to one hour, during which you can change to another GVB bus or streetcar line.

Single Use Tickets are not valid for travel on Arriva, Connexxion, or EBS buses. In most cases, tourists will not need to use buses of these companies anyway. Not valid on night buses (after midnight and before daybreak).

This is the most expensive way to travel by bus, tram (streetcar), or metro in Amsterdam.

Note: as of June 20, 2023, it is no longer possible to buy a single use, 1-hour ticket from the driver. This ticket will only be available on trams, and then only on those trams that have a conductor.

Public Transport in Amsterdam: Cash-free Only

All public transport in Amsterdam is cash-free. That means you cannot buy a ticket on board using cash.

If you still want to purchase a single ticket on board, you can pay with a debit- or credit card (as long at it has the Maestro emblem).

Buy your GVB Day- or Multiple Day passes online

GVB Day Ticket Child

Children up to — and including — age 3 travel free. Children age 4 through 11 can travel on a 24-hour child ticket, which costs € 4.50.

These tickets are not sold on board buses and trams. They can be bought only at the GVB Tickets & Info kiosk across at Amsterdam Central Station, at GVB service points, or at tobacconists such as Primera or Techador. You can also buy them at the service desk of the Albert Heijn supermarket. You can also buy them online — but only if you buy an adult’s ticket at the same time.

Major inconvenience: available in the 1-day version only.

Alternative: I amsterdam City Card

The I amsterdam City Card provides free or discounted access to many of the city’s museums and attractions.

Conveniently, this popular 1-5 days pass also allows you to freely travel on all of Amsterdam’s GVB-operated trams, buses, and metros.

A free, one-hour canal cruise by boat is included as well. So is a free, 24-hour bicycle rental. There are countless other benefits as well.

Tourists who intend to visit museums and other attractions consider the I amsterdam City Card an excellent choice.

Amsterdam Travel Ticket

The Amsterdam Travel Ticket provides unlimited travel across Amsterdam — including 2nd class travel by train to and from Schiphol Amsterdam Airport to and from any railway station in the city.

Alternatively you can travel to and from the airport by bus, using the Amsterdam Airport Express (bus 197) or Niteliner (bus N97), operated by Connexxion.

The ticket allows for

unlimited travel in all buses, trams, metros and ferries operated by GVB. (Most buses, as well as all trams, metros and ferries you see in Amsterdam are operated by GVB).
unlimited travel in all trains operated by NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, the main public transport railway company in the Netherlands) from and to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and any of the following stations in Amsterdam: Amstel, Bijlmer Arena, Central Station, Holendrecht, Lelylaan, Muiderpoort, RAI, Sciencepark, Sloterdijk, Zuid and Duivendrecht.

Note: If your will visit museums, attractions, and other tourist activities, consider the I amsterdam City Pass instead.

Amsterdam Travel Ticket
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1 day	Buy ticket: € 18
2 days	Buy ticket: € 24
3 days	Buy ticket: €30

Amsterdam Public Transport Tickets FAQ

In our experience, for a 1-3 day city trip you can’t go wrong with the Amsterdam Travel Ticket for 1-3 Days

Purchase one ticket valid on all public transport within Amsterdam and to Schiphol Airport. Valid on buses, ferries, metro, train and tram.
Perfect for 1-3 day city trips

If you also plan to go sightseeing in the area surrounding Amsterdam, the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket for 1-3 Days is ideal:

Purchase one pass to travel without limits across the region of Amsterdam. Valid on all public transportation within the region of Amsterdam, including buses, ferries, subway, trains and trams.
This gives you access to such great excursion favorites as
- “Amsterdam Beach Resort” Zandvoort at the North Sea coast,
- The city of Haarlem (capital of the province of North Holland)
- Naarden — a great example of a star fort, complete with fortified walls and a moat
- The ancient, picturesque fishing villages of Monnickendam and Volendam
- Edam (yes, the original source of the cheese with the same name)
- Zaanse Schans: open air museum with working windmills you can visit
- Castles, such as Muiderslot
- And much more

You can check in and out with:

contactless payment cards from ABN AMRO, ASN Bank, Bunq, Knab, ING, Rabobank, Regiobank or SNS;
a Mastercard or Visa contactless credit card (a.o. issued by ICS);
a mobile phone that is linked to one of the aforementioned debit and credit cards for contactless payment. Also with Apple Pay and Google Wallet.
a foreign contactless debit or credit card from Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard or Visa.

Keep in mind that using your credit card may significantly increase the cost of each bus- or trams trip. That is because your will have to pay exchange rate fees, as well as any additional fees your bank may charge for each foreign transaction.

You can use the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, or the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket: Details

Alternatively, travel to and from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol by train. (Single or return trip)

More Amsterdam Tourist Information

Notes:

19 cities with the best public transport in the world – according to locals, Time Out, April 3, 2023. The company surveyed more than 20,000 city-dwellers around the world, in more than 50 cities. In the featured cities, at least four out of five locals had good things to say about their city’s public transportation network. ↩

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Amsterdam Public Transport Guide and Tickets