There are many ways to get to the capital of Holland from Russia – even by train, even by private car, but the most convenient way is by plane. There are direct flights to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport from both Moscow and St. Petersburg. But from other regions of Russia you will have to fly with a connection, which, however, will also not greatly affect the duration of the trip – there are quite convenient and fast options. According to populationmonster, Amsterdam is one of the largest cities in Netherlands.
Transport Amsterdam
The historical center of the city, that is, the place where the main attractions are concentrated, is not so big, so you can not use public transport here at all. But if you need to get somewhere faster and more conveniently, it’s better to do it by tram (they run according to the schedule that hangs on a pole; on a pink background, the schedule for weekends, on blue for weekdays). Buses do not follow the schedule, but they are very comfortable, they also run at night (from 1:00 to 5:30). You have to raise your hand so that the driver notices; Passes on night routes are not valid.
It is worth taking a ride on a special retro tram that runs only on Sundays from 11:00 to 17:30. Its route starts from the Haarlemmermeer station and takes about 20 minutes to the Amsterdam Forest. Fare 7 EUR, children 4-11 years old – 4.5 EUR.
In addition, the city also has a subway – 3 lines connecting the Central Station with the southern and eastern districts of the city. However, it is not very convenient for a tourist to use the metro – the stations (with the exception of Nieuwmarkt and Waterlooplein) are not located in the most interesting places.
Tickets for all types of transport (tram, bus and metro) are the same. The city is divided into zones; the more zones you need to pass, the more expensive the ticket (almost the entire historical center is one zone). The zone map hangs at stops and inside trams and buses. Tickets can be bought from the driver, as well as from vending machines at metro stations. The fare is 3 EUR, valid for any number of trips within an hour. A convenient option is to buy a disposable D-card for 24 hours.
The fine for ticketless travel in Amsterdam is about 60 EUR.
Taxis
Taxis are not the best way to travel around Amsterdam: the traffic is so-so, the streets are narrow, the fare is quite high. On average, a trip around the center costs 15 EUR – this is 3-4 EUR per landing plus 2 EUR for each kilometer. Catching a taxi on the street is not accepted, parking lots (due to the small size of streets and squares) are not common, it is best to call a “carriage” by phone.
Tourist transport
Fortunately, everything in Amsterdam is thought out for the convenience of tourists, so those travelers who cannot find a “common language” with trams should pay attention to City Center Line minibuses. They go on a circular route through the most touristic places in the city: the Central Station, Waterlooplein Square, the area of the old port of Oosterdok. Such minibuses stop at the request of the passenger and pick up all the voters along the way. The fare is 2 EUR, there is a day pass for 6 EUR, the ticket is bought from the driver. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 18:00, the interval is about once every half an hour.
The second option is Hop-on Hop-off tourist buses, which allow you to board the “excursion liner” as many times as you like during the day and go again to the place you like, as well as enjoy the information from the audio guide (including in Russian). There are several companies in Amsterdam offering similar buses. They differ only in route and price. On average, a ticket for 24 hours costs from 15 EUR for an adult and from 8-10 EUR for a child.
Canal cruises
It would be wrong not to mention such a popular transport in Amsterdam as ferries, boats, cruise liners and the like. Tourists should pay attention to the Canal Bus company, which offers a system similar to tourist buses (get on and off the boat as many times as you like during the day). River trams run on 2 routes and make about 20 stops, the fare is 20-25 EUR per day and from 32 EUR for 48 hours. There are also full-fledged cruises for 1.5 hours (daytime, evening, with dinner or by candlelight), which do not make stops, but sail along the most interesting sights of the capital of Holland.
As an option – book your own boat with a captain for 2-3 hours, the cost is from 90 EUR.
Bicycle for rent
The most enjoyable way to travel around Amsterdam is by bike. It’s a very, very cyclist-friendly city (there are over 500,000 registered two-wheelers here for the locals). For the most part of the city, special lanes and traffic lights are allocated for them, however, in the old center of Amsterdam, cyclists often have to ride in the same lane as a car.
The rental price ranges from 13 to 20 EUR per day (of which 3 EUR is insurance in case of theft). As a rule, the office issues cards and combination locks for parking. Unfortunately, bicycle theft is rampant in Amsterdam, so there is a joke among the locals: “If you shout loudly “Hey, that’s my bike!” in a large crowd of cyclists, at least five will start to run away!”
Good rental offices
- MacBike Bicycle Rental – the whole city knows their red bikes with logos, so they are treated with caution and friendly
- Orangebike, Rentals & Tours are more shabby and less popular bikes. But here they offer sightseeing bicycle tours around the city.
- Frederic Bike – for 10 EURper day they offer insurance, a bag, a lock and a child seat to load the bike
- Damstraat Offer – daily and weekly rentals. In some hotels you can find their discount coupon. Rental price 5 EURfor 24 hours, insurance included.
- Het Zwarte Fietsenplan offers traditional Dutch bicycles for rent, driving which a tourist will never be distinguished from a local.
In addition, bicycles are a great opportunity to get out of the city. Half an hour drive separates the center of the capital from the Amsterdam Forest park or the place where Rembrandt worked on the Amstel River. Or drive further to the picturesque mills and the medieval towns of Weesp, Muiden and Naarden.
Bicycles can be carried on the subway (when purchasing a special ticket).
- Map of Amsterdam
Car rental in Amsterdam
The “capital of bicycles” does not need a car at all. But if you want to look into its picturesque surroundings, visit the North Sea, buy porcelain in Delft or cheese in Edam, you should seriously think about renting a car. The opportunity to do this, fortunately, is great – many rental companies have opened their offices at Schiphol Airport, and some rental-a-car offices can be found in the city. The rental price is generally standard: from 30 EUR per day.
Parking can become a problem, and no small one – either you need to look for a hotel with its own parking lot, or prepare for the fact that there will be no places, and the cost will shock the wallet. There are no free parking lots in the city center at all, and you will even have to look for a paid one. At night, it is better to leave the car in parking lots, which are located 15 minutes from the city center and are marked P + R (park & ride). In this case, a day of downtime for your “iron horse” will cost only 8 EUR, including free travel to the center of the Dutch capital for all passengers (maximum 5 people). All P+R car parks are marked on the map.
