Getting home at night in Amsterdam: night buses, taxi, ferry and safety
After midnight, Amsterdam's trams and metro stop, but you are not left stranded: GVB night buses leave Centraal Station for the neighbourhoods, a €5.70 ticket lets you take several within 1h30, taxis are capped at official ranks, and the free ferry to Noord runs all night. This guide explains how to choose between bus, taxi, bike or walking, and how to get home without nasty surprises. Fares and times checked in October 2026; check your evening route in the GVB app or on 9292. ## Last trams and metros  The last trams and metros leave the centre around half past midnight, slightly earlier on some lines. If you go out late, don't count on them: check the last departure in your app before ordering a final drink. Tram and metro lines are described in our guide to getting around Amsterdam. ## GVB night buses Eleven night bus lines leave Centraal Station for the different neighbourhoods, about once an hour between 00:30 and 07:30. Some lines run more often on Fridays and Saturdays. Key points: - **Departure from Centraal**: the GVB app shows the exact stop for each line. - **Ticket**: one trip costs €5.70 and is valid for 1h30 on all night buses, transfers included. The GVB one-hour ticket is not valid at night. - **Payment**: tap your contactless bank card, your phone or your OV-chipkaart as you board; the driver does not sell tickets. - **Terminus**: all night buses leave from Centraal. To go from one neighbourhood to another you sometimes have to return to the station and change, hence the 1h30 validity. ## Taxi, Uber and Bolt A taxi taken at an official rank cannot exceed the government maximum fare: €4.31 pick-up, €3.17 per kilometre and €0.52 per minute in 2026. Ranks are at Centraal, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein and the Dam, and on nights out marshals organise the queues. Uber and Bolt show the price before the ride but it varies with demand: compare before confirming. Check the blue plate and the licence plate, and never accept the offer of a driver who approaches you in the street. Everything is detailed in our guide to taxis and Uber in Amsterdam. ## The free ferry to Noord The F3 ferry to Buiksloterweg runs day and night and is free; it leaves from behind Centraal. It is the simplest way to get home from an evening at the A'DAM Lookout or Overhoeks. ## On foot or by bike The centre can be crossed on foot in a quarter of an hour. After a drink, walking is often the safest. If you cycle home: - **Switch on your lights**, front and rear: a bike without lights is illegal and you are less visible to trams. - **Don't ride after drinking too much**: the legal limit also applies to cyclists, and the quays of many canals have no railings. - **Lock your bike** to a fixed point: thefts are common. Our guide to cycling in Amsterdam gives the rules in detail. ## Safety on the way home - **Pickpockets**: more numerous in nightlife areas such as Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein and the Red Light District, and on crowded buses. Keep your phone and wallet in a zipped pocket. - **Red Light District**: some streets are best avoided alone late at night; read the Red Light District rules. - **Don't leave alone with a stranger** and tell someone your route. - **Useful number**: 112 for emergencies. See also our guide to scams and safety in Amsterdam. ## Summary table | Option | Price | Good to know | |---|---|---| | Tram and metro | Usual GVB ticket | Last departures around 00:30 | | GVB night bus | €5.70 for 1h30 | 11 lines from Centraal, about hourly until 07:30 | | Taxi (official rank) | €4.31 + €3.17/km + €0.52/min at most | Capped fare, blue plate | | Uber, Bolt | Dynamic price | Price shown before the ride | | F3 ferry to Noord | Free | Day and night from behind Centraal | | On foot | Free | Often simplest in the centre | ## Going further To decide where to go out before heading home, see Amsterdam at night. To eat before leaving or if you arrive late, see where to eat near Centraal Station.
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