The GVB network: tram, metro, bus and ferries
The tram is the most practical way to get around the historic centre and to the museums. Around ten lines leave from Stationsplein, in front of Central Station; line 2 runs through the centre and the canal ring to Museumplein. On the tram, you tap the reader on board, both when you get on and when you get off.
The bus fills in the network in the outer districts. At night, GVB night buses take over from the tram and the metro; they have their own fare (see below).
The metro and line 52 Noord/Zuid
The metro has five lines (50 to 54). For visitors, the most useful is line 52 Noord/Zuid, which crosses the city from north to south, passing under the IJ: Noord, Noorderpark, Centraal Station, Rokin, Vijzelgracht, De Pijp, Europaplein and Station Zuid. Within a few minutes it takes you to Rokin (near Dam Square), De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp market, as well as Amsterdam Zuid station. Lines 51, 53 and 54 also leave Centraal Station heading east and south-east, notably to Nieuwmarkt and Waterlooplein. In the metro, you check in and out at the station gates.
The free IJ ferries
Behind Central Station, on the IJ side, GVB ferries cross the river to Amsterdam-Noord. They are free for pedestrians and cyclists, with no check-in. Three lines are of interest to visitors:
- F3 Buiksloterweg: the shortest crossing, running day and night, to the EYE Filmmuseum and A'DAM Lookout.
- F4 NDSM: a longer crossing to the former NDSM shipyard, with its studios and restaurants.
- F2 IJplein: to the residential IJplein district, east of Noord.
The trip is quick and gives a fine view of the station and the harbour; at rush hour the decks fill with bikes, so let them go first when you get off.
Paying: OVpay, check-in and check-out
The Dutch system works on a simple principle: you hold your card against the reader when you get on (check-in) and when you get off (check-out). On trams and buses the readers are on board; in the metro and on trains they are on the station gates or poles.
- Contactless bank card (OVpay): a contactless bank card, or a phone or watch set up for mobile payment, is all you need. The fare is charged to your account afterwards. Always use the same card to check in and check out, and one card per person.
- OV-pas: the new stored-value card replacing the OV-chipkaart, sold for €6 by GVB and valid for 5 years, mostly useful for residents.
- Anonymous OV-chipkaart: sales stopped on 1 July 2026, but a card you already own remains valid until the end of 2027.
On the GVB network, pay-as-you-go travel costs in 2026 a base fare of €1.16 plus €0.217 per kilometre. You cannot pay cash on the trams: the conductor sells paper tickets, paid by card.
Tickets for visitors
If you use public transport several times a day, a travel pass is often cheaper than paying per trip. GVB tickets are sold in the GVB app, at GVB machines and sales points, and some of them from the tram conductor.
- GVB 1 hour: unlimited travel on the whole GVB network for one hour from your first check-in, transfers included (not valid on night buses).
- GVB Dagkaart and Meerdagenkaart: from 1 to 7 days (24 to 168 hours) on GVB trams, metro and buses.
- Amsterdam Travel Ticket: the GVB network plus the train between Schiphol and Amsterdam, handy if you arrive by plane.
- Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket: bus, tram, metro and train in Amsterdam and the surrounding region, for example to Zaanse Schans, Volendam or Haarlem.
| Ticket | Validity | Price (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| GVB pay-as-you-go (OVpay) | one trip | €1.16 + €0.217 per km |
| GVB 1 hour | 1 hour | €3.40 |
| GVB Dagkaart | 24 hours | €10.00 (child €5.00) |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 2 days | €16.00 |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 3 days | €21.50 |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 4 days | €27.50 |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 5 days | €34.00 |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 6 days | €39.00 |
| GVB Meerdagenkaart | 7 days | €43.00 |
| Amsterdam Travel Ticket | 1, 2 or 3 days | €20.00, €27.00 or €34.00 |
| Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket | 1, 2 or 3 days | €23.00, €34.00 or €44.00 |
| GVB Nachtbus 1 rit (night bus) | one trip | €5.70 |
| IJ ferries (pedestrians, bikes) | one crossing | free |
Prices found in October 2026 on the GVB website. The 24-hour GVB Dagkaart costs roughly the same as three 1-hour tickets.
Cycling: bike rental and rules to know
The bike is the locals' main means of transport, and rental shops are plentiful around Central Station and in the centre. Always ask for two locks and lock the bike to a fixed object: bike theft is common.
A few rules to follow:
- Ride on the cycle paths (often red) and never on the pavement; pedestrians have no business on the cycle path either.
- Switch on your front and rear lights at night and in poor visibility.
- Holding a phone in your hand while cycling is prohibited.
- Watch out for tram rails: cross them at a right angle, as a trapped wheel causes falls.
- Stick out your arm before turning and never stop in the middle of the cycle path to take a photo.
To take a bike on the metro, GVB sells a bike supplement for €2.30; on the IJ ferries, bikes travel free.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis wait at taxi ranks, notably in front of Central Station. Taxis taken from a rank or hailed in the street charge a maximum fare set by the government: in 2026, €4.31 pick-up fee, €3.17 per kilometre and €0.52 per minute for a car carrying up to 4 passengers. Uber and Bolt also operate in the city, with dynamic pricing. In the centre, with its narrow canals and pedestrian streets, a taxi is rarely faster than the tram.
Boats
Canal cruises leave notably from Damrak, Central Station and the museum district; they are more of a sightseeing activity than a means of transport (see our page on the Amsterdam canals). To cross the IJ, the free GVB ferries are all you need.
Further reading
To get into town from the airport, read our guide Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam city centre. Day trips to Zaanse Schans and to Volendam and Marken are easy with the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket.
