When we arrive in Amsterdam (at 7:30 in the morning!) should we buy 2 strippencarts (one for myself & one for my husband or just one for both of us? <BR> <BR>Do the strippencarts work only on the trams or do they also work on the train?

You can use just one strippencart for both of you. Tell the bus driver you're paying for two. You can use a strippencart on trams but not on the trains. You buy your train ticket at the train station.

Thanks for answering! Is taking the train & then the tram the best/easiest way to go into the city at that time of the morning?

Nancy, When you arrive in Amsterdam by air, I would use the "Connexxion" shuttle bus located right in front of the airport. It's about NLG 30.00 R/T for each of you (depending on destination). Purchase directly from the driver, just telling him what hotel (more than one bus). It works great. <BR> <BR>If you arrive by train, you can purchase the 15 stamp "Strippenkart" at any novelty or tobacco shop for NLG 12.50. It doesn't matter how many people use it, just get on any tram or bus and pop it into the machine, folding over however many spots you need to use. For example, you have two stamps for two people to get on and then one stamp each for every zone you pass through. Trams queue right outside of the station all day long. For info go to the www.ov-info.nl website. <BR> <BR>The trains use their own tickets. Good luck.

The ticket windows for trains in the airport sells 35 stamps Strippencart, it is better value.

Is it just me, or is the whole strippenkart thing very confusing? In Toronto we have tokens (looks like a dime) which is good for one way, as many transfers as you like for as long as it takes to get where you're going. We also have day passes - you scratch off the date and away you go. So, I went to the website mentioned earlier in this thread and am still confused. It states that you can buy an 8-strippenkart which can be used as a day pass in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag, or two 8-strippenkarts for all of the Netherlands. Does this mean local transportation only or can you actually travel TO Den Haag, for example, on the strippenkart and then around the city and then back to Amsterdam all on two 8-strippenkart?? <BR>Someone please help?!?!

If you buy the strippencart at a machine, make sure you push the right button. Friends of our made the mistake of buying the reduced tariff one and were scolded on the tram for trying to use children's tickets. We all had a good laugh about it later, but they were embarassed.

Thanks for all the great replys. That web site will go a long way in explaining things!

First, the proper name is "strippenkaart". You can use one strippenkaart for more than one person. They are valid in buses, trams, metro and *some* trains all over the Netherlands. And yes, they are valid for travel from Amsterdam to The Hague for example, but NOT on the trains from Amsterdam to The Hague. Theoretically, it is possible to travel from North to South and West to East on the strippenkaart day pass, but you need to take buses, not trains. They are valid on trains within metropolitan areas, for example from Amsterdam to Amsterdam Muiderpoort or to Diemen, but not further than that on trains.

For the least hassle/confusion, I recommend going to the VVV office right outside Central Station and buy a dagkaart (day ticket). You stamp it on the tram the first time you use it and it's good for 24 hours from then. You can buy them for as many days as you need. It's a bit more expensive (I rememmber a 2-day costing only about 15 nlg though), but it allows you unlimited travel within the city centre (incl. the circle tram 20).