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Strippenkaart - Getting Around Amsterdam by Public Transport
Amsterdam has an efficient network of public transport in the form of trams, buses, trains and the metro. If you plan to stay a few days it is well worth buying a blue strippenkaart, literally a 'strip ticket'. The beauty of the strippenkaart system is its flexibility - it is valid on most public transportation throughout the Netherlands except on trains between towns or cities. |
It can be used for multiple journeys and by more than one person, provided you have enough 'strips'.
You can buy either a card with 15 strips (€7.30) or with 45 strips (€21.60) - 2009 prices. Children between 4 and 11 and foreigners over 65 with a passport can travel using a concession 15 strippenkaart (red) for €4.80.
Where to buy: They are on sale at station 'Kiosk' outlets, post offices, the GVB (Amsterdam Transport Company) ticket desk opposite Central Station, supermarkets (ask at the front desk) and newsagents. You can't buy strippenkaarts on buses, trams or trains.
How the Strippenkaart works
Amsterdam is divided into a number of travel zones: Centrum (Central), Oost (East), Zuid (South), Zuid-Oost (South East), West, Noord (North) and Amstelveen. These are indicated by a yellow hexagon on the transport maps you will find at stops and stations.
For travel within a single zone, you only need to stamp 2 strips. Note, you only need to stamp the ticket once so in this case you would stamp the second available strip - so on a new strippenkaart you would stamp strip number 2. If you then subsequently took another single zone trip later on you would stamp strip number 4 and so on until the ticket was used up.
For travel within 2 zones you need 3 strips...and so on. Each additional zone you travel through requires an extra strip.
Always check the route maps displayed to see how many zones you need to travel - if in doubt ask a member of GVB staff.
Most attractions in Amsterdam will be in the Central zone so you will normally need just the 2 strips. With a 15 strippenkaart this means the journey will cost you just under 1 euro. If you bought a single ticket on board instead it would cost you €1.60!
On a tram you stamp the ticket by folding it to the required strip number and inserting it face up in the yellow box machines. Machines are also available at train and Metro stations (stamp before boarding) whilst on the buses the driver will stamp the ticket manually. Some trams have conductors on board and will stamp your ticket.
Once stamped the strippenkaart is generally valid for 60 minutes (2 to 4 strips) or 90 minutes (5 to 7 strips), which includes any transfers or journey breaks. So you can hop from metro to tram to bus etc if you want, as long as you are within the permitted travel zones.
You can use the strippenkaart as a one-day ticket if you stamp 8 strips (equivalent of €3.90)
Travelling with Multiple Passengers - For example, if there are 3 people travelling in a single zone you stamp the strippenkaart 3 x 2 strips for each person (so a total of 3 stamps on 6 strips is needed)
If you make a mistake by stamping too many strips and there is a driver or conductor on board, they can use stickers to correct the fare. If you are running out of strips, you can combine 2 strippenkaarts for a journey.
The strippenkaart is also valid on NS trains (2nd class) between all stations in Amsterdam except Schiphol airport.
The strippenkaart price goes up once a year and the ticket is usable until the end of the year after. So in 2009, the 2008 (€6.90) and 2009 (€7.30) strippenkaarts are valid for travel. At the end of December there is always a rush to buy the previous year's ticket before the price rises on January 1st!
If you plan regular visits to Amsterdam, you may want to take an unfinished or a new one home and use it on your next visit.
Note, the strippenkaart system is due to be slowly replaced in 2009-2010 by a chip based travel card called the OV- this is currently being tested on the Rotterdam and Amsterdam metro.
Getting Around Amsterdam > Strippenkaart