Routes and stations
Trams fan out from Centraal station to Dam Square, the Museum Quarter, Leidseplein and the Jordaan area. The metro is faster for outer districts. The North–South line (52) runs under the centre from Noord through Centraal and Rokin to Zuid.
Free ferries cross the IJ river from behind Centraal station to Amsterdam Noord.
Tickets and fares
With OVpay you tap a contactless bank card or phone when you board and again when you get off. You pay a boarding fee plus a price per kilometre, and GVB caps your spending at about €10 to €10.50 a day.
A GVB 1-hour ticket costs €3.40. Multi-day GVB tickets cost €10 for 1 day, €16 for 2 days, €21.50 for 3 days and €43 for 7 days, counted from the first check-in.
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket and the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket also cover the train to Schiphol. Prices change, so check gvb.nl.
How to buy
Use your own contactless card with OVpay, or buy GVB tickets in the GVB app, at machines in metro stations and at Centraal, or at GVB service points. Tram drivers or conductors sell a limited range of tickets.
Always check in and check out. If you forget to check out with OVpay, you may be charged extra. You can correct trips online within 60 days.
Tips for travellers
From Schiphol, NS trains run to Amsterdam Centraal in about 15–17 minutes. A single trip costs about €5.50 in 2nd class with OVpay; paper tickets cost more. Trains also run hourly through the night.
Bus 397 runs from Schiphol Plaza to Museumplein and Elandsgracht, not Centraal, in about 30 minutes. Night bus N97 links Schiphol and Centraal.
Watch out for cyclists. Bike lanes are often between the pavement and the tram stop, and bikes come fast.
Last checked: October 2026. Fares and timetables change, so confirm on the official website before you travel.
