ssander

Hello…

The GVB website is somewhat confusing to me about the transport cards that are available. We will be in Amsterdam for 5 days, so the following cards seem applicable…but one seems so much cheaper than the other, I can’t figure out why anyone would buy the first one:

(1) Anonymous OV chipkaart with 120 hours loaded for 30.50€ (23€ + 7.50€ for the card).

(2) Weekly “Season ticket” for 1-zone for 12.75€ (or even a 2-star-value ticket for 21.20€ that I could buy for a zone adjacent to Centrum and would cover four or five zones).

I am assuming that nearly all the normal sights I would want to see are in the Centrum zone.

Is there something I am missing here?

Thanks.
SS

hetismij

The anonymous chipkaart can also be used on trains and on buses from other companies - like Connexxion. The "Season Ticket" can only be use on GVB buses trams and metro.

The anonymous chipkaart is only really worthwhile if you are planning on visiting the Netherlands again, or are travelling outside of Amsterdam, by bus. Otherwise buy a normal train ticket for train travel and a GVB weekly ticket for Amsterdam. It is probably worth paying extra for the extra zones - the zones are not all that logical in my experience and you could inadvertently cross a zone.

Do remember to check out when you leave the bus/tram as well as checking in if you go for the anonymous card. I assume that that also applies for the season ticket too.

ssander

Thanks for the info, hetismij...

I think we'll each buy a 1-week single zone card plus a 15-ticket stripkaart to share in case we need to cross a zone. (The zone map seems to indicate that we'll hardly ever leave Centrum during our 5-day stay except for a side-trip to Haarlem, and that will be by train.)

We can share the tickets on a stripkaart, right?

That seems to be the most economical approach. 33.10€ for the two of us with some flexibility to cross to an adjacent zone now and then.

SS

hetismij

When are you visiting? There is talk of Amsterdam abandoning the Strippenkaart in April already, following Rotterdam which dropped them last week.
I am not sure you can combine a strippenkaart with the season ticket, you would need to check on that at the GVB office by Centraal station.

Remember too that for every trip with a strippenkaart you must stamp the number of zones plus one - so for a two zone trip that is three strips, or 6 for the two of you, if you can't combine them with your season tickets.

You won't be able to use your season tickets in Haarlem, as the buses there are Connexxion buses, not GVB. But Haarlem, like Amsterdam, is very walkable.

ssander

Thanks, hetismij (I understood the "1-extra ticket" process)...

Another question...We'll be arriving at Centraal, but I'd rather not wait in a long line to get the 1-week pass. Is there a place within a few blocks where we could buy the 1-week pass without the lines?

We don't carry a lot of luggage, only two wheeled carry-ons, so walking isn't a problem. We'll be walking toward the Hotel Brouwer on Singel, so anything in that direction would be great.

Thanks for all your help.

SS

hetismij

The easiest place to buy it is at the GVB office across from Centraal. You may have to wait a short while but the queue probably won't be very long there.

Otherwise the metro station at Centraal also sells them. They are only available at "Ticket and Info" offices, not on buses or from the machines.

If you are on a sneltrain from Schiphol, rather than an intercity then you could get off at Amsterdam Lelylaan and buy from the GVB T&I there. But that seems a lot of hassle to me. The office just across from Centraal is the easiest to get them and they will be able to answer any questions you have there.

It is a bit of a struggle to get there at the moment with all the work going on in and around Centraal, but very doable, especially if you don't have a lot of luggage.

Celticharper

You haven't mentioned the IAmsterdam pass. We used this a few years ago and found it to be a great value. It includes public tranportation and museum entrances. You might want to consider this.

http://www.iamsterdamcard.com/

hetismij

For five days I suspect the week season ticket with the museumjaarkaart are cheaper.

It can be a good deal if you are staying less time and planning on seeing a lot, but you have to do some careful sums to see if it really is worth the money.