My
personal preference for long distances in Amsterdam is
TRAMS:
cheap, efficient, and nobody steals them !
-but
beware of pickpockets !
Trams are not generally disabled friendly. But this is
changing. Amsterdam now has
a few
very modern trams with low, 1-step entrances and very wide
central door. Looking more like high-speed trains, these
Blue
&
White
trams
were working on routes 13 & 17 when I was there last.
(Sept
2002) I
tried to get more info from the Tram Office, its not clear,
but it seems these new trams also work on other routes
frequently.
(Pic
courtesy Lemming, 3/03)
Amsterdam
operates a strip ticket and zone system, its one space on
the ticket for each zone + 1 extra space for each journey,
there are
yellow
machines on each tram for stamping your ticket. A map of the
zones is on each tram. Tickets come in a variety of sizes
& prices.
Central
Station
is
also a major tram and bus station. If you have to use the
trams to commute between your accom and the centre then
think about getting a Pass
for
the duration of your stay -1 day, 2 days, 3, or 4 days
-passes up to 9 days are available Good
for
Day buses, Night buses and
Metro/Underground ("Sneltram")
too.
Big
savings
when it costs you at
least
€1,40 a trip (return journey is free if you travel back
within an hour).
Passes
only available from Tram office -NOT
on Trams
!
However,you
can also by an
8 strip ticket
and ask the driver or seller to stamp it as
a
"Day Pass",
("Dagkaart")
- which is also useable in other cities such as Rotterdam
& Den Hague as well as Amsterdam ! Instead of one of the
boxes
being
stamped,
it will be stamped along the right hand side to
differentiate it from an ordinary 8 strip ticket.
Day
Pass
Sept
2002 :
2
strip or 1 Zone journey ticket: €1,40 (return journey
included if you travel back within an hour)
3
strip or 2 Zone ticket: €2,10 (return journey included if
you travel back within an hour)
8
strip ticket: €5,60.
Some
Tobacconists and Souvenir shops also sell tram tickets,-
"Strippenkaartje"
in Dutch
- as do Post Offices and Book stores.
These
are
cheaper
than those bought off a driver on a tram, as are tickets
bought at the Tram Office
The
Tram Office
is situated next door to the VVV on the forecourt of Central
Station. If you come out of the main entrance of Central
Station and look
to your left and across the tram tracks at aprox 30
degrees
you will see 2 old and ornate white-painted
buildings,
these are the "VVV" and the Tram Office respectively. (see
pic, top of page)
Board
trams only by middle and rear
doors
unless
you want to buy a ticket, in which case use the front
door,
the driver will direct you to the rear if there is a
conductor on board (rare on many routes).
You
must show passes to the conductor when you board.
Passes
are a lot less hassle as you only stamp them once when you
start to use and you can use them on the "Sneltram"
Underground/Subway and Night Buses -
and
the more you use them, the more money you save .
These Passes
are essential
if you are staying at one of the out laying hotels or the
camping sites due to the extra cost of long, and, possibly,
multi-zone, tram/Sneltram/Night Bus journeys.
If,
however, you have a Hotel within 1/2 mile/1 KM of
Damrak,
you will probably not use the trams very much
unless
you
wish to visit places likethe Museums: Rijks
(if
only for Rembrandt`s "The Night Watch", it has got to be
seen, TV & photos can never do it justice !
&
Van Gogh
(pronounced (aprox)"Fan Hock" incidentally, and I highly
recommend this museum, which was purposely designed to
exhibit his striking pictures in the best possible manner !)
to
name but 2 of the many interesting museums in the City, or
the
"Leidesplein"
Club & Restaurant area nearby, or attractions of similar
distance from your Hotel.
A
1 day pass may just about pay for itself in these
circumstances, otherwise, just buy ordinary tram tickets
when you need them.
Trams are not generally disabled friendly. But this is
changing. Amsterdam now has
a few
very modern trams with low, 1-step entrances and very wide
central door. Looking more like high-speed trains, these
Blue
&
White
trams
were working on routes 13 & 17 when I was there last.
(Sept
2002) I
tried to get more info from the Tram Office, its not clear,
but it seems these new trams also work on other routes
frequently.
