When you come to the Netherlands it will be very easy to get around. It might seem intimidating if you want to use the public transport, but it is very simple and the entire country is more or less well connected and timely. There are, of course, private cabs, uber and so on. But the easiest and cheapest way to get around quickly is the public transport. You can avail trains, busses, trams, and even ferries, as per your convenience.
In this post you will find some helpful tips on how to get around the country using the public transport system. The cool thing is, once you reach Amsterdam, or anywhere in the Netherlands, with full HiveFest valor, you can approach any public transport worker and they'd be more than happy to help you and you can expect them to speak fluent English.
The Travel Ticket
After a short chat with an NS employee today, I was recommended the travel tickets as the most reliable, economic, and fastest option for travelling with Amsterdam or throughout the Netherlands for the HiveFest period.
There are 3 types of Travel Tickets:
- Blue - Amsterdan Travel Ticket
- Red - Amsterdam and Region Travel Ticket
- Orange - Holland Travel Ticket
As the titles state, each has a different function. If you plan on spending time only within Amsterdam then it'd be best to take the Blue ticket, if Amsterdam and its region then the Red, and if the country then the Orange ticket.
The blue and red travel tickets can be bought for a validity of 1, 2 or 3 days. The orange ticket is valid for 1 day only.
Note: New day is counted from 4 AM!!
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket (blue)
Here is a map of all the places you can travel using the blue ticket. This map is available at the help desks, and so are the tickets for purchase. This ticket can be used for trains, buses, metros, trams, and ferries within the designated areas and with specidic routes as shown on the map and the top left corner of it. See "THIS TICKET IS VALID FOR:".
Prices for 1, 2, and 3 day passes are €17, €22.50, and €28 respectively.
The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (red)
Here is the map of Amsterdam & the region around you can travel in using the red ticket. It is especially useful if you plan on going a little further than just the central area of Amsterdam and explore the surroundings. Just like the blue, this ticket can be used in trains, buses, trams, and ferries.
Prices for 1, 2, and 3 day passes are €19.50, €28, and €36.50 respectively.
The Holland Travel Ticket (orange)
This ticket is probably going to be the least popular one since during your stay for HiveFest I highly doubt there will be enough time or energy to truly appreciate the other places. Nonetheless, it is still a valid option. This ticket is valid for a single day and the price is different depending on wehter you use it during "peak" or "non-peak" hours.
One-time passes
You will definitely come across these beautiful yellow machines or something similar during your HiveFest stay in Amsterdam. You can purchase "One time passes" on these machines or from a service counter/ ticket counter (whichever is available). One time passes are usually used for train rides.
The travel tickets are much better than one-time passes but it is still good to know your options. The machines accept almost all sort of cards for payments. They have 2 language options you can toggle between: Dutch and Enlish.
You can easily choose your final destination on the machine and it will print out a card. You can also choose to buy a return ticket if you want to come back from your destination to your current station. You can select either 1st or 2nd class tickets, although I'd recommend just taking the cheaper option. You may also buy extra features like pet or bicycle pass. Please keep in mind that one-time passes cost an extra Euro.
There are also daily passes for both trains and local metro/buses. Priyan and I used the one-time pass when we were denied our free daily pass for Ukrainians to come from the Hague to Amsterdam Red Cross. It was only later when Britt came to meet us she spoke to a NS worker and got us our rightful free daily pass...on the last day of its validity. But, if you are planning to buy daily passes or a one-time pass then I'd tell to look at the other options since these can be comparitively very expensive.
OV-Chipkaart
The OV-Chipkaart are the bread and butter for public transport in the Netherlands. I have left it for the last since I believe it'd be best just to get the Travel Tickets if you are coming and staying for the few days for HiveFest. The OV card is a more long term solution. Nevertheless, good to know what is available, if you want it.
There are 2 cards: anyonymous (blue) and personal (yellow). These cards can be purchased online or in any train station. They can be used in trains, trams, buses, ferries, and metros. The blue one can be bought immediately (I believe for around 7 or 7.50 Euros). The yellow one is a personal card and has your picture and details in the back and can only purchased online and takes a few days to arrive. The biggest difference between the two is that you can activate subscriptions on the yellow card which give you amazing discounts.
Also, you need a minimum of 20 euros on your card, as a general rule, to travel on trains.
Check-in and Check-out
It is very important that you always check-in and out, no matter what kind of pass you possess. Before getting on your mode of public transport and getting off, you must tap your pass on the reader.
You may see such barricades with card readers on train stations. You tap your pass where the arrow points and the screen will give you a message as well as show your balance or relative details. In some places there will be no such barricades. Especially on small train stations, buses, trams, etc. You might find a short pole with a card reader, and if not, there will be a card reader inside the vehicle.
If you are confused you can just ask around. Trust me, the Dutch people are super friendly and will appreciate your initiative. The country has a strong "trust" system and everyone trusts each other to do the right thing...but you can still expect regular checkings where an official asks to check your card to see if you have checked-in.
The same thing when getting off or checking out. Always tap your pass on the card reader. Either inside the vehicle before getting off or on the card reader outside the vehicle after you get off. Really depends where the card reader is.
If you have a pass that can be topped-up, this can be done on the machine I showed you earlier. You can choose to to top up with or to top up to. The machine accepts almost all sorts of cards for payments, but when it comes to cash it accepts coins only. If you have notes, you can go to the counter and do it. Oh, don't bring big notes. Many places are reluctant to accept 100s and above.
Overall, have fun! It is HiveFest Amsterdam!!!
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