Amsterdam is an excellent city to do completely on foot, but there are some occasions when you’ll want to use their efficient and confusing public transportation network. If you packed the wrong shoes or if you packed way too much stuff and you are staying in the cool area near Leidseplein, you’ll be thankful that the tram system is there.
There are four main types of public transportation:
General rules for all of them
(all prices updated for 2008)
You can pay in cash on board a bus or tram, but it costs much more doing it this way. Amsterdam has a zone system, and fortunately everything a tourist normally cares about is within one zone. For any ride in the city center you’ll need to stamp 2 strip tickets for that 1-zone trip.
Full fare for one journey (two strips) - €1.60
If you’ll be taking multiple journeys on the public transportation system there are other options. The most common and most confusing is the Strippen Kaart, which is Dutch for Strip Ticket. These are sold with 15 “strips” on them, and you cancel two for each journey. Either have the driver/conductor cancel the strips for you, or fold them just right so the yellow machines stamp on the strip furthest down that you’ll need. You don’t need to stamp each strip, just the last one you are using for that journey.
15-strip ticket - €6.90
This works out to about half the price of paying full fare, so a single journey is under €1. You CAN have more than one person riding with the same Strip Ticket as long as you cancel two strips for each person.
If you really plan on using the trams a lot you can buy a pass for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours. These aren’t cheap, but at least they save you the hassle of dealing with all those pesky strips, and they are even good on the night buses, which you’ll unlikely use.
24-hour pass - €7.00
48-hour pass - €11.50
72-hour pass - €14.50
96-hour pass - €17.50
Where to buy the tickets
You can buy full-fare tickets on board everything but the Metro, but don’t be a sucker. Get a Strip Ticket before you use the system. You can buy them from tobacco shops, magazine shops, Albert Heijn supermarkets, the VVV offices, and several other places. Ask at your hotel or just ask any local and they’ll tell you of a nearby place.
Boarding trams
One of the most intimidating things about the system is it’s not obvious how and where to board. You can either board in the front near the driver or in the middle or rear where the conductor sits in a little booth. You can buy a 2-strip ticket from the conductor, have him or her cancel 2 strips per passenger from your Strip Ticket, or show them your Day Pass.
To be honest, most locals don’t bother with any of that since they have weekly and monthly passes so you won’t stand out if you just walk on board a tram and stand there like a local. You can cancel strips on your own Strip Ticket in the little yellow machines every few meters in the carriages. This craziness always makes me just want to walk instead of dealing with it, but once you try it you’ll see that it’s not tough, and after the first time you’ll know exactly what to do.
Boarding buses
Always board in the front. The driver also acts as conductor on these, so you can buy your ticket from or show your ticket to him.
Using the Metro
You can buy tickets from machines in the stations, and you have to cancel the strips yourself. You have to do this on the platform before you board, as there are no machines on the carriages.
Honor the honor system
Particularly with trams, it’s pretty easy to ride for free. I actually did it many times before I decided to play by the rules. The drawback is they do have control agents who randomly board all cars and ask for proof of fare payment. If you don’t have it you’ll be publicly humiliated and forced to pay a fine of €37.40 on the spot. Feeling lucky, punk?
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share             
|
