Getting Around Amsterdam

Amsterdam offers a variety of transportation options.
The city has some of the best public transit available.































It is relatively easy to travel from place to place within the city of Amsterdam.

The best way to get around most of the city center is by foot. Amsterdam is a small, compact city. Many popular museums, shopping areas and attractions are only a short walk from just about anywhere in the central part of Amsterdam.

Dam Square (photo right) is the historical center of Amsterdam. The Dam is about 3/4 km south of Amsterdam Centraal, the hub of public transportation for the city.

The Dutch Royal Palace sits on the west end of the square.


Dam Square (The Dam)

The Dam is also home to the 15th-century Gothic Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The famous de Wallen Red Light District is a few blocks northeast of Dam Square.

The city center is surounded by a ring of canals, many of which have water taxis and tour boats.




Amsterdam Centraal Station

For €7 per day or less, one can purchase a pass for unlimited rides on the Metro light rail (pictured on left). The same pass is also good for use of the GVB bus and tram services.

This is a great way to get around the city when plans include several stops on opposite ends of town.

The complicated arrangement of fares used in the past has recently been simplified.

The "I Am Amsterdam Card" is easy to use and offers additional savings.


Bicycles are the preferred mode of transporation for most Amsterdam residents and a good number of toursist as well. Rain or shine, the streets are packed with cyclists of all ages. The Dutch regularly use bicycles for daily commuting and shopping. They seem to be in large numbers everywhere one looks. There are an estimated 12 million bicycles in The Netherlands.

Bicycles are available for rental hourly, daily, and weekly rates. One of the most common bicycle types in use in the Netherlands is still the classic upright Dutch bike with coaster brake and no additional gears.

Mountain bike crossover types are becoming more common. Locking bicycles is highly recommended. Most of Holland is quite flat, so single speed bikes are adequate for most riders.

Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. Driving autos in the city is discouraged.

Bicycles can be rented at over 100 train stations throughout the country and many private shops too.

Rental rates vary, but are generally around 6 Euro per day. Weekly rentals are typically about €25. Tandems, mountain bikes, children's bikes and bikes with child seats can also be rented.







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