Guides Amsterdam Getting around · Mokum

Getting around Amsterdam

Tap your contactless bank card at the yellow OVpay gate and you are on. No separate transit card, no ticket queue. The decisions that matter, with current facts.

Last checked - June 2026
In short

Tap a card and go.

Since 2023 you tap in and out with a contactless bank card or phone on most trams, metros and buses - no special card needed. From the airport, the train to Centraal is the right call for almost every arrival.

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Schiphol to the cityTrain vs bus vs taxi
Check before you go

Fares and timetables on these pages are what we found when we last checked (June 2026). Operators nudge prices and rejig schedules, so for live departures and the current fare, go to the source:

  • NS - national rail: live times and fares, including Schiphol to Centraal.
  • GVB - Amsterdam trams, the metro, buses and the night-bus network.
  • 9292 - door-to-door journey planner across every operator.
  • Schiphol - airport transport, including bus 397.
  • OVpay - how tapping in with a bank card works, and checking what you were charged.