Transport Amsterdam is pretty simple as there are many forms of transport available.

Personally, I think the best and cheapest way to see the city and explore is by walking!  Amsterdam is not a massive city so the centre and all that it has to offer is in walking distance. If you’re not a huge fan of walking, you can hire a bike for 10€ at most bike shops which is really fun!

If you decide to choose one of these two ways, and do not have data on your phone, I recommend you pre-download an app called Maps Me. I have talked about this app before but that is because we use it religiously while we travel.

You pre-download a map of the city/place you are visiting while you have WIFI, then you can use the map offline. It’s perfect when you’re travelling around and have no data package! Click here to read our review of the Maps.Me app.

When you’re in Amsterdam it is very common to get LOST. Ask anyone you know who is there visiting for their first, or even second time. The city is in the shape of a circle, so it is very possible to keep going round and round without even realising it. My brother and his best mate tried to find us one night and ended up walking 2km in the wrong direction. They were so lost they actually paid a guy to bring them to us on his bike!!

Just download the app and save yourself some hassle.

If you aren’t a fan of exercise, the public transport system is very handy. Below I have outined a few tips on which cards to buy depending on your length of stay.

Amsterdam Public Transport

If you are in Amsterdam for more than a week and you’re using public transport a lot, you may want to consider buying a Transport Chip Card (OV-chipkaart). The card can be used on various modes of transport including trams, metros, buses and trains.

The most convenient option for us tourists though, is a disposable one hour card or a day pass. Amsterdam, just like many other big cities, is trying to be cash-free. This means that it is better to buy your tickets at a machine rather than on the actual transport itself.

The best part about tickets in Amsterdam is that they are valid across the whole network from the time of purchase. This allows you to make as many journeys as you choose, on a range of transport, within the one hour.

TIP! The last trams and metros in the city run around 00:00 – 00:30. There are night buses which operate after these hours and you can usually find your way using one of these.

 

Getting to and from the Airport

The train leaves every 7 minutes from platform 1 and 2 to Amsterdam central and takes around 15-20 minutes. Single tickets are €3.70 per person.

Using the train is definitely the cheapest and most convenient way of travelling to/from the airport.