DESTINATIONS netherlands amsterdam getting-around-33

TRAVEL TIPS

Getting Around

The best way to see Amsterdam is by bike (there are bike-rental shops all over town) or on foot, but the city's public transport system, GVB, is also extremely reliable. It operates the buses, trams, metro, and ferries with service 24 hours a day. The ticket system used is the OV-chipkaart, a credit card–size smart card that you use to check in and out of the transport network. There are one-day and multiday GVB cards, though you can also pay cash on board a tram, bus, metro, or ferry—you'll receive a disposable ticket valid for an hour—although it's the least value-for-money option

To tour Amsterdam's famous canals, there are many boats that depart from the piers near the Centraal Station with stops throughout the city.

While the city of Amsterdam remains dedicated to preserving ancient buildings, it's also fundamentally altering the center and the area around Centraal Station with the construction of a new north–south subway line. The new line, which is extremely overbudget, rather controversial, and not due to be completed until 2017, has created chaos in many parts of Amsterdam for the better part of the last decade, but the end is in sight. Check for updates when you visit.

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