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Tram Travel in Amsterdam
Travelling by tram in Amsterdam is a good value and fun way to get around. Whilst Amsterdam centre is easily explored on foot the tram can provide a nice rest when you're tired and will also get you to the outer areas of the city. Trams are operated by GVB (Gemeente Vervoer Bedrijf), the public transport company of Amsterdam which is run by the city council. GVB has 236 trams on 16 tram lines with a total track length of 80km. |
Some trams have driver only whilst others also have a conductor at the back. You can buy tickets on board - disposable OV chipkaart singles cost €2.60 (or 2 for €5) and a 24 hour ticket costs €7. Cheaper fares based on distance travelled can be had if you use the e-purse on an anonymous or personal OV chipkaart. You have to check-in and check-out of your journey using the special card readers. Note, the old "strippenkaart" tickets are no longer valid in Amsterdam.
Don't be tempted to travel without a valid ticket as there are agents on the network doing regular checks - on-the-spot fines of €37.50 apply!
The trams make frequent stops and have to cut through traffic and stop lights - so they are not always the quickest way of getting around town. The Amsterdam metro is faster but has limited stops in the centre.
You can find tram line timetables at any tram stop - and with frequency being around 5 to 10 services per hour, you should not have to wait long for the next tram. During the week trams generally run from just before 6am to just after midnight. At rush hour the trams can be busy and you may have to stand. If you need transport during the night there are some night bus lines in Amsterdam.
11 of the 16 trams operate from Central Station. Here is a full listing of the tram lines in Amsterdam:
1 Osdorp De Aker to Central Station (via Leidseplein)
2 Nieuw Sloten to Central Station
3 Muiderpoort Station to Zoutkeetsgracht
4 Station RAI to Central Station
5 Amstelveen Binnenhof to Central Station (via Leidseplein and Zuid Station; the city's busiest tram line with over 40,000 passengers per day)
7 Flevopark to Slotermeer
9 Diemen (Sniep) to Central Station
10 Van Hallstraat to Azartplein
12 Amstel Station to Station Sloterdijk
13 Geuzenveld to Centraal Station
14 Flevopark to Slotermeer (well known Dutch darts player Co 'The Matchstick' Stompe used to drive the 14 tram)
16 VU Medisch Centrum to Central Station
17 Osdorp Dijkgraafplein to Central Station
24 VU Medisch Centrum to Central Station
25 President Kennedylaan to Central Station - Passenger
Terminal Amsterdam
26 IJburg to Central Station (Amsterdam's
newest tram line opened in 2005 serving IJburg, a new island suburb built on reclaimed
land)
For network maps check out GVB's
website: