Transportation
Schedules and fares are subject to change.
Airport to City Access
Train, bus, taxi, and other options to the city center
From Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), the fastest way into the city is the train, which runs from the station directly beneath the terminal to Amsterdam Centraal in about 15 to 20 minutes. Trains are frequent and cheap. Taxis and Uber are available but pricier, and there are also direct buses. Tap in and out with OVpay or buy a ticket at the machines.
- Fastest
- Train
- To Centraal
- ~15-20 min
- Also
- Taxi, Uber, bus
- The station is beneath the terminal
- Tap OVpay or buy a ticket to ride
Public Transportation
Metro, bus, tram, and how to use them
Public transport is excellent and integrated. NS runs a dense, punctual national rail network, while cities add trams, buses and metros; in Amsterdam these are run by GVB. Services are clean, frequent and English-friendly. You can tap on and off almost everywhere with a contactless card or phone via OVpay, or use an OV-chipkaart.
- Trains
- NS national rail
- Cities
- Trams, buses, metro
- Pay
- OVpay / OV-chipkaart
- NS trains are frequent and punctual
- GVB runs Amsterdam trams, buses and metro
IC Cards & Travel Passes
Discount passes and rechargeable transit cards
The easiest way to pay for transport is OVpay: just tap a contactless bank card or phone when boarding and leaving, and you are charged the correct fare. Alternatively, buy an anonymous OV-chipkaart and top it up. Both work on trains, trams, buses, metro and ferries nationwide. Always remember to check out, or you may be overcharged.
- Easiest
- OVpay tap
- Alt
- OV-chipkaart
- Remember
- Check out too
- Works across all transport nationwide
- Forgetting to check out can overcharge you
Car Rental & Driving
License requirements and traffic rules
Renting a car suits day trips and the countryside, but it is unnecessary and often a hindrance in cities, where parking is scarce and expensive and public transport is superb. Driving is on the right, roads are excellent and signs are clear. Watch constantly for cyclists, who have many dedicated lanes and priority. Check that your licence is valid and consider an IDP if needed.
- Drive on
- Right
- Cities
- Parking hard
- Watch
- Cyclists
- Great for countryside, not city centres
- Cyclists have dedicated lanes and priority
Intercity Travel
Long-distance buses, trains, and ferries
The country is compact, so intercity travel is fast by train. NS Intercity services link Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht in well under an hour, and Keukenhof and the coast are easy day trips. For neighbouring countries, high-speed trains reach Brussels, Paris and German cities quickly. Buses like FlixBus are a cheaper, slower alternative.
- Best
- NS Intercity trains
- City to city
- Under an hour
- Abroad
- High-speed rail
- Amsterdam-Rotterdam is quick by train
- FlixBus is cheaper but slower
Domestic Flights
Budget airlines and booking tips
Domestic flights are essentially not a thing in the Netherlands. The country is so small and the train network so fast that flying between cities makes no sense, and there are no scheduled point-to-point domestic passenger routes worth taking. Schiphol is a major hub for international flights only. For getting around, always use the train.
- Domestic flights
- Not used
- Instead
- Take the train
- Schiphol
- International hub
- The country is too small for domestic flights
- Trains are faster city to city
Transportation Tips
Advice for safe and efficient travel
Cycling is central to Dutch life, so respect the rules: bike lanes are for bikes, not pedestrians, and cyclists usually have priority, so always look both ways before crossing one. Renting a bike is a great way to explore. On public transport, remember to check out with your card, and buy a day or multi-day travel pass if you plan many trips.
- Bike lanes
- Not for walking
- Cyclists
- Often have priority
- Passes
- Good for many trips
- Look both ways before crossing a bike lane
- Renting a bike is a great way to explore