Amsterdam Transport Guide — How to Get Around Without Looking Lost

Here's the deal: Amsterdam is one of the easiest cities in Europe to navigate, but tourists still manage to overcomplicate it. You don't need a rental car. You probably don't need a taxi. The whole system runs on trams, bikes, ferries, and your own two feet. Let me break it down.

Schiphol to the City

Your plane lands at Schiphol. You're tired. You want to get to your hotel. Here are your options, ranked by a local:

Train (best option). Follow the signs to the train platforms below the airport. Buy a ticket from the yellow NS machines (they take cards) or tap in with an OV-chipkaart if you have one. The train to Amsterdam Centraal takes 15 minutes and costs about €6. Trains run 24/7 (less frequent at night). This is what everyone who lives here does.

Taxi (expensive option). About €40-50 to central Amsterdam. Fine if you're arriving at 3 AM with heavy bags and splitting the cost. Otherwise, take the train.

Bus (slow option). Cheaper than a taxi, slower than the train. No reason to take this unless you're going somewhere specific that the train doesn't serve.

Rental car (worst option). Amsterdam actively discourages driving. Parking is €5-7/hour in the center. Streets are narrow. Bike lanes are everywhere. Canals are unforgiving. Don't do this to yourself.

The Tram System

GVB runs the trams, buses, and metro. The tram is your main tool.

How it works: Tap your OV-chipkaart or day pass at the reader when you board. Tap out when you leave. Forgetting to tap out means you get charged the maximum fare. Don't forget.

Key lines:

• Line 2: Centraal Station to Rijksmuseum area. The tourist express, but useful.
• Line 5: Centraal through Leidseplein to Amstelveen. Good for Vondelpark access.
• Line 12: Centraal to De Pijp. Gets you to Albert Cuyp Market and the whole south side.
• Line 13/17: West toward Jordaan and Westerpark.

Tickets and passes:

• Single ride: about €3.50. Not worth it if you're taking more than two rides.
• Day pass: €9. Unlimited trams, buses, metro. Worth it.
• Multi-day pass: even better value if you're here 2-5 days.
• OV-chipkaart: €7.50 for the card, then load credit. Best if you're staying a week or coming back.

Buy from the GVB machines at Centraal Station or larger tram stops. The GVB app works too.

Pro tips:

• Board at the back doors, not the front (unless you need to buy a ticket from the driver, which costs more).
• Night buses (N-lines) run after midnight. Useful on weekends.
• Google Maps has real-time GVB schedules. Use it.

Biking

This is a bike city. There are more bikes than people. The infrastructure is built for cycling — separated bike lanes, bike traffic lights, bike parking everywhere.

Renting a bike: Skip the tourist rental shops near Centraal Station. They charge €15-20/day for mediocre bikes. Go to a neighborhood shop instead — €8-12/day for a better ride. Ask your hotel, they'll know a place. MacBike is the well-known tourist brand; it's fine but overpriced.

Bike rules you need to know:

• Stay in the bike lane (red-colored pavement). Walking in the bike lane will get you yelled at. Deservedly.
• Signal your turns. Left arm out for left, right arm out for right. Look over your shoulder.
• Don't stop suddenly in the bike lane. Pull to the side.
• Lock your bike. Always. Use the back wheel lock AND a chain lock through the frame to something fixed. Bike theft is an Amsterdam tradition.
• Lights at night are legally required. Most rental bikes have them built in.

I'd suggest walking for your first 2-3 days and biking after that. You need to understand the flow before you join it. Jumping on a bike on day one without knowing the lane system is how people end up in canals.

The Free Ferry

Behind Centraal Station, GVB runs free ferries across the IJ river to Noord. They leave every few minutes, take 5-10 minutes, and are one of the best free experiences in the city. You can bring your bike on board.

Three ferry routes:

• Buiksloterweg: Quick crossing, most frequent. Gets you to the A'DAM Tower area.
• NDSM: Takes you to the NDSM wharf — street art, creative spaces, waterfront bars.
• IJplein: Residential Noord. Good for exploring local neighborhoods.

Walking

Amsterdam's center is tiny. Centraal Station to Rijksmuseum: 25-minute walk. Jordaan to De Pijp: 30 minutes. You can cover the entire canal ring on foot in an afternoon.

Walking is genuinely the best way to discover Amsterdam. The tiny streets, the canal-side views, the random courtyards (hofjes) you stumble into — you miss all of this on a bike or tram.

One warning: watch for bike lanes when crossing streets. Bikes will not stop for you. They will ring their bell aggressively and expect you to move. Look both ways — and then look for bikes.

What About Uber?

It exists here. It works. It's expensive compared to transit and unnecessary for most trips. Use it if you're going to a restaurant outside the center late at night or hauling luggage. Otherwise, tram/bike/walk covers everything.

Day Trips

Thinking about visiting windmills, Haarlem, or the coast? Trains from Centraal Station go everywhere. Check day trip ideas on our Things to Do guide. For Zaanse Schans (windmills), it's 20 minutes by train. Haarlem is 15 minutes. The beach at Zandvoort is 30 minutes. All cheaper and easier than renting a car.

If you do want a car for a day trip further out — maybe Kinderdijk or the Veluwe — rent through Carla and pick it up for just the day you need it. Don't drive it in the city.

The Summary

Train from Schiphol. Trams + walking in the city. Bike after day 2-3. Free ferry to Noord. Skip taxis and cars. That's it. Amsterdam made it easy — let it be easy.

Places mentioned in this guide

Every spot here is personally vetted — no sponsored placements.

€€€

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The Hoxton Amsterdam

Local Favorite

jordaan·boutique hotel

If you want a hotel that feels like a stylish apartment with a great lobby bar, The Hoxton is it. Book early—especially in summer.

€€

O'Donnell's Irish Pub

Local Favorite

de pijp

My buddy watches every Premier League game here with a Guinness in hand. Proper Irish pub, proper pints, and the pub grub hits different when you are homesick for comfort food.

€€

Gollem's Proeflokaal

Local Favorite

oud west

My neighbor calls this beer heaven and he is not exaggerating. Over 200 beers, staff who actually know what they are talking about, and the coziest little bar you will find.