I amsterdam City Card. Is it worth it? - Holland Explorer (2024)

I amsterdam Card – is it worth it? If you are an active and curious traveller, the I amsterdam city card can save you lots of money. The official tourist pass gives free access to 70+ museums, top attractions, free public transport in Amsterdam and 24 hours bike rental. Moreover there are a few not widely known tips that will make the I amsterdam City Card totally worth buying it.

A complete guide to the I amsterdam City Card in 2024:

• What is included in I amsterdam City Card in 2024?
• I amsterdam City Card prices in 2024
• Where to buy the I amsterdam card?
• I amsterdam City Card: how it works
• I amsterdam City Card digital app
• Which canal cruises are free with I amsterdam City Card?
• I amsterdam City Card tips
• Public transport with I amsterdam City Card
• Is travelling from Schiphol to Amsterdam included into I amsterdam City Card?
• I amsterdam City Card and travelling by train
• I amsterdam City Card pick-up location

What is included in the I amsterdam City Card?

Download the City Card booklet with all included locations >>

• free admission to 70 museums and attractions in Amsterdam, including the Rijksmuseum (see a full list of free museums here)
• free canal cruise in Amsterdam, as well as in Haarlem and Volendam
• unlimited use of the GVB public transport in Amsterdam (bus, tram & metro)
• free bike rental for 24 hours
• free entrance to This is Holland, one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions
• free admission or discounts in Haarlem, Zaanse Schans, Volendam.

The Anne Frank house in not included in the I amsterdam card.

From July 2022 the Van Gogh museum is also no longer included in the I amsterdam City Card. Make sure you book the Van Gogh museum tickets separately >>

Check it out:

• Amsterdam 3 days itinerary with I amsterdam city card >>
• Best free things to do with I amsterdam card outside Amsterdam >>

I amsterdam City Card prices in 2024

I amsterdam City Card is available in five options: for 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours.

Order I amsterdam Card online >>

Are there discounts on I amsterdam City Card for students, children or seniors?

No, there are no discounts on I amsterdam City Card for students, children or seniors. But there are sometimes general discounts on I amsterdam card at the card’s official website.

I amsterdam City Card: how it works

1. Order your card online. You can pick it up at I amsterdam Visitor Center at Amsterdam Centraal train station.

NEW! You can also download the I amsterdam app and choose to use the city card digitally on your phone.

2. Activate your I amsterdam City Card. It works automatically, you don’t need to do anything special. The card has two components:

• public transport
• museums and attractions.

Each component is activated separately at the moment of first use (the first time you check-in at public transport or enter a museum or attraction).

3. Use your I amsterdam City Card.

• for traveling by public transport with the City Card you just need to scan your card when entering and leaving a bus, tram or metro (do check-in and check-out). Learn more about using public transport in Amsterdam.
• you are required to book time slots before visiting most museums and attractions. Find out how to book your time slots.

Which canal cruises are free with I amsterdam City Card?

Here is an official full list of participating cruise companies in Amsterdam. You can also take a free cruise in Haarlem and Volendam.

Is Amsterdam Light Festival canal cruise free with I amsterdam card? No, for this cruise you need to buy a separate ticket.

I amsterdam City Card tips

On I amsterdam official website you can find out what’s included in I amsterdam city card. This is an example of what you can save by using the card instead of buying separate tickets:

And here are some extra tips that will make I amsterdam City Card totally worth the money.

So, what is good to know to make I amsterdam City Card absolutely worth it?

1. You can use your card for one extra day

Though some travellers mistakenly think that I amsterdam City Card is valid for 1 – 5 days, in fact it’s valid for 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours.

So if you activate your card on your first day at 11:00, it will still be valid till 11:00 on the day after the last one. So you can enter a large museum or attraction – for example the Artis Royal Zoo or the Rijksmuseum – at 10:30 and spend half of the day there (even though by that time your I amsterdam card will have expired).

2. The card’s transport and museum components are activated separately

The City Card has two elements – one for the GVB public transport, the other one for museums, attractions and a canal cruise. They are both activated automatically: the transport element at the moment you first use tram, bus or metro. The museum element – the first time you visit a museum, attraction or take a canal cruise.

Keeping this in mind, you can plan your itinenary correspondingly to get the best out of your 24 – 120 hours in museums and in public transport.

3. You can get free compliments and gifts

They include free walking tour guide in Volendam and Enkhuizen, free brochure in Haarlem tourist information office, free cup of coffee or tea in a museum cafe in Naarden (the list of gifts and free extras is subject to change).

Public transport with I amsterdam City Card

The I amsterdam city card gives an unlimited access to public transport in Amsterdam – the GVB bus, tram, and metro. The card is also valid on night buses.

Please note: the card is only valid in the municipal GVB bus, tram and metro lines in Amsterdam. Connexxion, R-net and other regional buses, as well as train service, are not included.

How to use your I amsterdam city card in public transport:

• when you enter a tram, bus or metro station, you need to check-in. Just tap your card against the card reader – and that’s it. Using your card to check in will activate it. After activation the card is valid for 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours (depending on the duration of your card).
• before you exit, you have to check-out. To do so, just tap the card against the card reader once again.

Is travelling from Schiphol to Amsterdam included into I amsterdam City Card?

Generally speaking, no, train and direct Airport Express bus from Schiphol to Amsterdam are not included into I amsterdam city card. But there is still one way to travel from the airport to the center with I amsterdam city card.

The I amsterdam city card is only valid in GVB public transport. So you can:

• buy I amsterdam digital pass, so that you can use it directly
• take GVB bus line 369 from Schiphol to Station Sloterdijk
• from Station Sloterdijk take GVB bus line 22, direction Muiderpoortstation, which will take you to Amsterdam Central station.

If you follow this route, it will take you around 1 hour to get from Schiphol to Amsterdam with your I amsterdam city card, which is not that fast and easy. We recommend to download a free Glimble door-to-door travel planner, which will help you to find directions:

• Download Glimble for iOS >>
• Download Glimble for Android >>

It the app, check for the possible travel options. You can use I amsterdam city card in buses, trams, metro marked with the white and blue GVB logo.

I amsterdam City Card and travelling by train

Train service is not included in the City Card. If you are planning to explore the Netherlands, we recommend buying a public transport Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket.

Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (ARTT) is valid for 1 – 3 days of unlimited travel by train, bus, tram and metro in Amsterdam and surrounding areas (including Schiphol airport, Volendam, Edam, Marken, Zaanse Schans, Haarlem, Zandvoort and Keukenhof).

Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket map in 2024. You can find a full-size image at Iamsterdam.com official website. Learn more about ARTT >>

Prices in 2024:

• 1 day – € 21,00
• 2 days – € 31,50
• 3 days – € 40,50

Order Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket >>

During the Keukenhof opening season the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is also valid in bus lines:

• 852 (Amsterdam RAI – Keukenhof)
• 858 (Schiphol – Keukenhof)
• 50 (station Haarlem – Keukenhof).

The ticket is valid from the first time you check in until 04:00 hours after the last valid day. Order Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket online >>

I amsterdam City Card pick-up location

After completing the online booking process, you will get an e-mail confirmation. You can show it and collect your physical I amsterdam City Card at the following location:

• Amsterdam Central Station:I amsterdam Store, on the North side of the station.

Opening times may be subject to change. Please check it on I amsterdam official website.

Information & helpdesk

If you have any questions or problems regarding your I amsterdam city card, you can visit I amsterdam Store at Amsterdam Centraal station or contact the support team at citycard@iamsterdam.com.

Enjoy your visit to Amsterdam!

Related articles:

• I amsterdam card: where to buy it?
• I amsterdam digital card: how to use it?
• Amsterdam in one day: things to see and do
• Red Light District in Amsterdam
• Lovers canal cruises in Amsterdam

This page is also available in German: I amsterdam City Card: Wie funktioniert sie?

Last updated: 5 March 2024

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