Amsterdam ferry services on the IJ river are run by the municipal transport company GVB. Linking the city centre to Amsterdam Noord (North), they are totally free to use for passengers.
A number of services operate from the back of Amsterdam Central station where you can connect onto other forms of transport. You can buy GVB 1-7 day tickets here
Amsterdam Ferry Map
Below is our Amsterdam GVB ferry map showing the inner harbour network and some places of interest:
Amsterdam Ferries – introduction
GVB has a fleet of 21 ferries in use in the Amsterdam area. The latest series of ferries (IJveer 60-66, delivered between 2016 and 2021) use hybrid electric power.
The older series ferries are being converted to hybrid power. The first all-electric ferry (without requirement of the hybrid diesel back-up engine) is expected to be in service sometime in 2026.
The GVB IJveer 60-series ferries can take up to 310 foot passengers and bikes or 400 foot passengers only.
Motor scooters and invalid ‘micro-cars’ are also allowed on board. Each ferry has open decks at either end with a covered section in the middle.
A number of ferries operate from the northern side of Amsterdam Central station.
This main GVB ferry terminal at Amsterdam Central is on De Ruijterkade. You can reach this from within the station by taking the northern IJ-side (‘IJzijde’) exit. There is also the eastern foot/cycle tunnel which practically arrives directly in front of the ferries.
Do I need a ticket for the Amsterdam ferry?
No! The ferries are FREE and you can simply hop on board as soon as the arriving passengers have come off.
Note, that smoking is prohibited on all Amsterdam ferries.
GVB Amsterdam Ferry services (IJ harbour)
Here is a listing of the 7 ferry services which operate around the IJ harbour area of Amsterdam – 3 of the lines run from Central.
There are also ferries running north from the Western Islands area (Pontsteiger) and from both Java/KNSM Island (Azartplein) and Zeeburgereiland (Sluisbuurt).
GVB Amsterdam Ferry Routes
| Route | Line | Journey Time | Frequency |
| Centraal Station to Buiksloterweg | F3 | 5 mins | 5-15x hourly |
| Centraal Station to IJplein | F2 | 5 mins | 3-10x hourly |
| Centraal Station to NDSM-wharf | F4 | 14 mins | 2-6x hourly |
| Pontsteiger to Distelweg | F6 | 6 mins | 2-8x hourly |
| Pontsteiger to NDSM-wharf | F7 | 6 mins | 2x hourly |
| Azartplein to Zamenhofstraat | F1 | 6 mins | 2-3x hourly |
| Sporenburg to Sluisbuurt | F9 | 8 mins | 3x hourly |
GVB Ferry Routes: Hours of Operation
| Line No. | Runs |
| F3 | 24 hours |
| F2 | 06:30-00:00 Mon-Sat, 09:00-00:00 Sun |
| F4 | 07:00-0200 Sun-Thu, 07:00-03:30 Fri-Sat |
| F6 | 06:30-22:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-22:30 Sat-Sun |
| F7 | 07:00-22:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-23:30 Sat-Sun |
| F1 | 06:30-22:30 Mon-Fri, 08:30-22:30 Sat-Sun |
| F9 | 07:00-18:30 Mon-Fri |
Most Useful Amsterdam Ferry Lines for Visitors
F3 to Buiksloterweg – points of interest:
- EYE Film
- A’DAM Lookout
- This Is Holland
- NXT Museum
- IJpromenade walk
F4 to NDSM-wharf – points of interest:
GVB also operates other ferry services across various points of the Nordzeekanaal (North Sea canal) although these are of less interest to city visitors.
| Route | Line | Journey Time | Frequency |
| Hempontplein to Zaandam | F20 | 7 mins | 3x hourly |
| Spaarndam to Assendelft | F21 | 7 mins | 3x hourly |
| Velsen Zuid to Velsen Noord | F22 | 7 mins | 3x hourly |
In short, the GVB ferries in Amsterdam provide a good opportunity to get out on the water and see the city from a different perspective. And you can’t beat a free ride!
If you are looking for multi-day transport ticket options for Amsterdam trams/buses/metro then consider the following:
GVB multiday tickets
There are 2 other multi-day tickets available which are essentially an upgraded version of the GVB ticket.
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket (GVB day ticket + airport journey) and the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (GVB day ticket + all regional transport). This table summarises the features:
| Good for AMS airport | Best for Excursions |
 |  |
| Amsterdam Travel Ticket | Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket |
| 1/2/3 days | 1/2/3 days |
| €20/€27/€34 | €23/€34/€44 |
| Valid on all GVB transport (trams/metro/buses) in Amsterdam | Valid on all GVB transport (trams/metro/buses) in Amsterdam |
| Valid between airport and city – train or 397 bus | Valid between airport and city – train or 397 bus |
| Valid on trains between any Amsterdam stations | Valid on regional NS trains + EBS/Connexxion/allGo buses in region |
| Calendar day basis | Calendar day basis |
| Card only (not digital) | Card only (not digital) |
| Order here | Order here |
This map and article was originally published in 2010. Last checked and updated 31 December 2025.
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