Amsterdam Tickets
Public transport & city cards in Amsterdam

Public transport & city cards in Amsterdam

GVB tickets, the Amsterdam Travel Ticket and city cards – day passes for tram, bus and metro compared.

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Public transport & city cards price comparison

What to know about public transport & city cards in Amsterdam

Amsterdam's public transport is run by GVB: trams, buses, the metro and the ferries across the IJ. Visitors can choose GVB passes valid for 1 to 7 days, the Amsterdam Travel Ticket that includes the transfer from Schiphol Airport, and the I amsterdam City Card that bundles transport with museum entry. This page compares the starting prices the portals charge for those passes.

The maths is simple: a single GVB ticket costs about 3.40 euros and is valid for 60 minutes. From the fourth ride of the day onwards, a 24-hour pass is cheaper. From two full days with museum visits, the City Card often wins because Rijksmuseum entry, a canal cruise and transport are bundled.

Mind the validity: GVB passes run by the hour from first use, not by calendar day. A 48-hour ticket first validated on Friday at 2 pm is valid until Sunday at 2 pm – a real advantage when you arrive late in the day.

The ferries behind Amsterdam Centraal to Amsterdam-Noord are free and need no ticket. GVB tickets are not valid to or from Schiphol, though: for that you need an NS train ticket or the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, which includes the transfer.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is a GVB ticket in Amsterdam?
A single ticket is around 3.40 euros for 60 minutes. Time passes for 24, 48, 72 hours up to 7 days work out much cheaper per day; the current starting prices from the portals are listed with each offer on this page.
Is the GVB ticket valid to Schiphol Airport?
No. GVB tickets cover trams, buses, the metro and GVB ferries inside Amsterdam. For Schiphol you need an NS train ticket, the Airport Express bus 397 or the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, which includes the transfer.
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it?
It pays off if you visit at least two paid museums a day and use public transport as well. For a pure sightseeing day without museums, a GVB time pass is usually cheaper.
Do I need an OV-chipkaart?
Not necessarily. In Amsterdam you can check in and out contactlessly with a bank card or phone on trams, buses and the metro. A GVB time pass does not replace checking in and out – you still tap on every vehicle.