Overview
The Amsterdam Metro (Dutch: Amsterdamse Metro) is the rapid transit system serving Amsterdam, Netherlands, and reaching into the surrounding municipalities of Diemen and Ouder-Amstel. The network is owned by the City of Amsterdam and operated by GVB, the municipal public transport company that also runs the city's trams, buses and ferries. The metro is one part of Amsterdam's rail-based public transport network, alongside the extensive tram system and the frequent regional and intercity trains operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
Service began in October 1977, making the metro a relatively recent addition to the city's transport. Today the system comprises five lines and 39 stations, spanning 42.7 kilometres (26.5 mi).
Riding it end to end as a visitor is straightforward. You enter a station, tap in with a valid ticket or contactless card at the gate, ride to your destination and tap out at the end of your metro journey. If you are transferring between metro lines, you do not need to check out and back in again — you only check out once, when your metro journey is finished. If your trip continues onto a tram or bus, you check in and out on each vehicle you board.
The network
Amsterdam's public transport is a mix of metro, tram, bus and ferry services, most of them run by GVB, with regional buses and NS trains covering longer distances.
Metro. The metro has five routes:
- Line 51 — a circular route between Isolatorweg and Centraal Station. Until 2019 this line ran as a hybrid metro/tram route to Amstelveen, but that southern section was closed and replaced by a dedicated tram line, the Amsteltram.
- Line 52 — the North–South Line (Dutch: Noord/Zuidlijn), opened on 21 July 2018. It runs from Amsterdam-Noord to Amsterdam-Zuid via Centraal Station, mostly through deep-bored tunnels beneath the IJ and the city centre, and does not share tracks with other lines.
- Line 53 — runs from Centraal Station southeast to Gaasperplas, using the Oostlijn (East Line) infrastructure completed in 1977.
- Line 54 — runs from Centraal Station southeast to Gein, also on the Oostlijn infrastructure.
- Line 50 — the Ring Line (Dutch: Ringlijn), completed in 1997. It is the only route that bypasses the city centre, connecting Zuidoost to western districts between Isolatorweg and Gein.
Lines 51, 53 and 54 originate at Centraal Station; Lines 53 and 54 run southeast to Zuidoost, while Line 51 heads south before turning west.
Trams and light rail. Amsterdam has an extensive tram network, and the Amsteltram is a more conventional tram service that retains some express characteristics, terminating at Zuid station, where passengers transfer to continue on the metro network. The conversion of the old sneltram corridor involved a €300 million reconstruction.
Buses. GVB operates city buses by day and night. Regional buses are run by other operators such as Connexxion and EBS, and GVB tickets are not valid on them.
Ferries. GVB also operates the free IJ ferries across the Noordzeekanaal, which carry foot passengers and cyclists and connect the city centre with Amsterdam-Noord.
Trains. Regional and intercity trains run by NS serve Amsterdam's main stations, including Centraal, Amstel, Bijlmer ArenA, Sloterdijk and Zuid.
Tickets & fares
GVB tickets are valid only within the Amsterdam city area. They are not valid on regional buses (Connexxion, EBS) or on NS trains. All fares below are approximate and change from year to year.
OV-chipkaart (pay-per-distance). This is a reusable prepaid smart card. The fare is a base price plus a per-kilometre rate, measured to 50-metre accuracy, so there is no flat single-ticket price. The standard fare is €1.16 base per trip plus €0.217/km; for children aged 4–11 it is €0.77 base plus €0.143/km. An anonymous rechargeable card costs €7.50 with no credit loaded, and there is a €2.50 fee to refund a remaining balance. You need at least €4 credit before each trip, and every passenger over 4 needs their own card. Ticket machines are being removed across the city, and GVB recommends e-tickets or OVpay instead.
OVpay (since 2023). You can pay directly with a contactless debit or credit card: tap in on boarding and tap out on exit, and the fare is automatically debited by distance. You must use the same card for check-in and check-out, or a higher incorrect fare is charged. One card per passenger, and no child or age discount is available. There is a daily cap of €10.50, which is higher than a GVB day ticket, and the cap only works if you use the same card throughout.
GVB day and multi-day tickets. These give unlimited travel on all GVB trams, buses and metro (day and night) within Amsterdam, with the clock starting at first use. They are valid for 24 to 168 hours (1–7 days). Approximate 2026 prices: 1 day €10; 2 days €16; 3 days €21.50; 4 days €27.50; 5 days €34; 6 days €39; 7 days €43 (about €6.15 per day). Children aged 0–3 travel free, and children aged 4–11 can buy a reduced single-day ticket for €5 — there is no child multi-day pass, so buy multiple day tickets if you need them. These tickets are not valid on regional buses or NS trains.
Hour tickets. A paper 1-hour ticket valid on all tram, bus and metro lines costs about €3.40. Note that the Bus Tram Metro (BTM) 1.5-hour ticket was discontinued as of 1 January 2026.
Tourist and combination passes. The Amsterdam Travel Ticket combines a GVB day pass with a Schiphol Airport transfer (express bus or train), since a regular GVB day pass does not cover the airport transfer. The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is for destinations outside the city, such as Haarlem or Zandvoort, which a regular GVB day ticket does not cover. The I amsterdam Card is the official city sightseeing pass, combining unlimited GVB metro, bus and tram travel (ferries are generally free) with free entry to more than 50 museums and sights, including the Rijksmuseum, Artis Zoo, NEMO Science Museum and the Tulip Museum, plus roughly 25% discount on selected events, attractions, bike rental and participating restaurants.
Where and how to buy. Tickets cannot be bought from tram or bus drivers. One-hour and 24-hour tickets are available on trams and buses and from ticket vending machines at all metro stations. Multi-day tickets, child tickets and OV-chipkaarts are sold at GVB Service Points, GVB Service & Tickets desks, Amsterdam Tourist Offices (VVV) and the GVB webshop. Many tickets can be bought online in advance as smartphone tickets.
Check-in and check-out. You must check in and out on every vehicle, including transfers. Card readers are at all tram and bus entrance and exit doors. In the metro, you tap your card at the gate to enter, and you do not need to check out when transferring between metro lines — only at the end of your metro journey.
From the airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is the main airport, about 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the city, and among the five busiest in Europe for passenger traffic, serving over 66 million passengers in 2024.
To reach the centre by public transport, you can use the train or the express bus into Amsterdam. A regular GVB day pass does not cover the airport transfer, so if you want a combined ticket, look at the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, which pairs a GVB day pass with a Schiphol Airport transfer by express bus or train. Eurostar high-speed services also stop at Schiphol Airport.
If you are flying into a different airport, Eindhoven Airport and Rotterdam The Hague Airport are alternatives, though both require a bus and then a train to reach Amsterdam. From Eindhoven Airport, take a local bus (Bravo/Hermes bus 400 or 401) to Eindhoven Centraal, then a train to Amsterdam Centraal. From Rotterdam The Hague Airport, take the RET airport shuttle bus 33 to Rotterdam Centraal, then a train to Amsterdam Centraal. Taxis between these cities and Amsterdam are not advisable, as a ride from Rotterdam costs about €120 and from Eindhoven around €200.
Etiquette & customs
- Check in and out every time. On trams and buses you must tap in and out at the doors on every vehicle, including transfers. On the metro, tap at the gate to enter and only tap out at the end of your metro journey.
- Use the same card. With OVpay, always use the same card or device for check-in and check-out, or you will be charged a higher incorrect fare.
- One card per person. Every passenger over 4 needs their own card or ticket; you cannot tap one card for a group.
- Buy before you board. Tickets cannot be bought from tram or bus drivers, so have your ticket, card or phone ready before boarding.
- Keep the aisle clear. Stand clear of doors and let passengers off before you get on.
- Rush hour. Amsterdam's trams, buses and metro get busy at peak times; travel light and be ready to move down the carriage.
- Quiet and priority seating. Priority seating is intended for older passengers, pregnant travellers and those with reduced mobility, so give up your seat when needed.
- Eating and drinking. Keep food and drink consumption modest and tidy on board, and take your rubbish with you.
- Cyclists and bikes. Bikes are only allowed where a bike supplement or bike ticket applies, so check before bringing one on board.
Official links
Survival terms
- metro / subway — metro (metro)
- ticket — kaartje (kaartje)
- line / route — lijn (lijn)
- entrance — ingang (ingang)
- exit — uitgang (uitgang)
- transfer — overstappen (overstappen)
- single fare — enkele reis (enkele reis)
- day pass — dagkaart (dagkaart)
Before you travel, download the GVB app or check the GVB website so you can buy your ticket in advance and avoid the queues at station machines.