Amsterdam Centraal to Leidseplein

[The Snap]

Hi all,

I'll be in Amsterdam with a mate at the end of the month and will arrive from Schiphol by train at Centraal station.

Our hotel is a 2 minute walk from Leidseplein, so what is the best way to get from Centraal station to Leidseplein?

I've read that taxis should be avoided, and am trying to fathom out how the tram system works and how to buy a ticket etc which is proving tricky!

Any advice would be appreciated .

 

[eastwestdivide]

I'd say tram:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/local/about-amsterdam/transportation/public-transport/tram
and
http://en.gvb.nl/gvb-1-uur

give you all you need to know - you can buy a 1-hour ticket from the tram driver.

 

[stut]

1, 2, and 5 trams will take you there. They go from the West Side of the front of the station. There's a whole load of tickets you can buy:

http://en.gvb.nl/producten

But if you just need a one-way, you can buy it in the tram.

Actually, I personally wouldn't take the route via Centraal Station, but would go to Amsterdam Zuid (only a 5-minute journey from Schiphol) and catch the number 5 tram from there. However, the tram no longer goes from inside the station - you have to walk out the main entrance and across the pedestrian precinct to Strawinskylaan to catch it. But this isn't the classic entrance to the city!

Your other alternative is to take the 197 bus from Schiphol Plaza, which will take you directly to Leidseplein.

 

[The Snap]

Thanks guys.

I've read up on the various ticket types and initially I thought the 3-day ticket at 25€ a go was good value. However, because I don't want to commit to using public transport just for the sake of getting my money's worth, I think I'll leave it.

If I understand you correctly, I can just get on a tram and pay for a single journey like I could on a bus in the UK? If that's the case, it keeps it simple and I'll just do that.

 

[Greenback]

It's quite a nice walk from Centraal to Leidseplein. I've done it many times, even with a suitcase on two occasions. If you haven't been to Amsterdam before, it's a good way to get to know the city!

 

[317666]

When I was in Amsterdam last year, quite a few trams had a small ticket office on board towards the rear, staffed by a conductor. Presumably you could buy the ticket from there rather than the driver?

 

[HilversumNS]

Tram 1 & 2 are as described above, they have a driver as well as a conductor who can both sell tickets. Tram 5 you can only get a ticket from the driver.

NB buying a single journey ticket on the tram itself is more expensive than using the dutch equivalent of the Oyster card (called OV Chip card, and works on 99% of trains, trams and busses NATIONALLY) but from Amsterdam Centraal Station (often referred to as Amsterdam CS or just CS) we're only talking a couple of euros.

I'd suggest using bus 197 to avoid messing about with luggage at CS it may be a little slower but it will allow you to see more than a few coffeeshops and the Banana Bar

Also worth noting is that the Amsterdam travelcards are only valid on trams and GBV (Amsterdam Transport Authority) busses (whote and blue like the trams) not Connexxion busses (green ones!)

If you want to plan ANY public transport journey in the Netherlands, use http://9292.nl/en

 

[The Snap]

Thanks for advice guys, very helpful.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

As Greenback said - it is a 30 min (max) walk from AMS CS - pleasant if you keep off the main roads ..

 

[rmt4ever]

Why are taxis to be avoided? I've been to Amsterdam a few times and never had a problem with taxis to/from hotels etc.

 

[HilversumNS]

Why are taxis to be avoided? I've been to Amsterdam a few times and never had a problem with taxis to/from hotels etc.

Apart from there being a more than adequate public transport system? Traffic can also be pretty bad in the peaks, although taxis can use some of the tram and bus lanes.

As in many other cities, there is always a danger of being ripped off by unscrupulous cabbies. This has got worse since the Amsterdam taxi's were deregulated in 2000.

 

[The Snap]

Apart from there being a more than adequate public transport system? Traffic can also be pretty bad in the peaks, although taxis can use some of the tram and bus lanes.

As in many other cities, there is always a danger of being ripped off by unscrupulous cabbies. This has got worse since the Amsterdam taxi's were deregulated in 2000.

That's what I read on TripAdvisor.

If the tram goes from where I am to where I'm going, I think I'll make use of it. It seems quite cheap and efficient, and from experience elsewhere in Europe taxis can be expensive.

 

[HilversumNS]

Amsterdam is not particularly bad regarding taxi rip-offs, but it does happen.

If you do take the tram, it may be worth checking if there is a stop nearer to your hotel than Leidseplein itself using 0v9292.nl by inputting you hotels postcode. The 3 lines from CS (1, 2 & 5) start going to different directions just after Leidseplein.

 

[Blamethrower]

Taxis are fine in Amsterdam, just get a licenced one that looks like all the others, easy.

I used to miss the last train to Haarlem quite frequently, I'd barter with the taxi drivers to see who would take be home for 40 €, no worries.

Personally I'd walk, when I got the tram though I used to get a strippenkaart, but they no longer exist so pop into the newsagent at Centraal and buy an OV kaart, kinda like an oyster - http://www.amsterdam.info/transport/strippenkaart/

 

[radamfi]

I used to miss the last train to Haarlem quite frequently, I'd barter with the taxi drivers to see who would take be home for 40 €, no worries.

Haarlem has no night trains, but there is a way of getting there overnight by changing at Schiphol onto route N30 which runs overnight.

 

[dutchflyer]

If I understand you correctly, I can just get on a tram and pay for a single journey like I could on a bus in the UK? If that's the case, it keeps it simple and I'll just do that.

You cannot do that anymore in London.
You CAN here in AMS- its 2,80 EUR flat fare you MUST then check in that ticket (its a onetime chip) and you can change on whatever GVB bus/tram/metro( the ferries are free anyway) within 59 min after 1st check in-check OUT too when leaving tram or bus-metro has gates anyway for that. You can finish the trip whilst the 60 mins mark is passed.
A similar working 24 hrs ticket (also for sale from any tram conductor) is 7,50.

 

[radamfi]

You cannot do that anymore in London.
You CAN here in AMS- its 2,80 EUR flat fare you MUST then check in that ticket (its a onetime chip) and you can change on whatever GVB bus/tram/metro( the ferries are free anyway) within 59 min after 1st check in-check OUT too when leaving tram or bus-metro has gates anyway for that. You can finish the trip whilst the 60 mins mark is passed.
A similar working 24 hrs ticket (also for sale from any tram conductor) is 7,50.

As far as I know, whilst OV-Chipkaart is accepted everywhere, all buses in the Netherlands still allow you to pay the driver in cash, apart from Eindhoven bus 400/401 where you use a vending machine inside the bus. It just may cost a lot more. In many cases, a single ticket bought from the driver does not allow transfers. In the UK, of course, we don't get transfers on single trips. I expect a lot of tourists to Britain get caught out by this stupid policy.

 

[HowardGWR]

Just remember with OV chipkaart that you need to prime it with at least €20 if you want to use it on NS rail. You also need to check in and check out when changing from rail to bus.

It's a nasty NS con; I only go to NL about twice a year so NS has the interest on that money the whole time, as I need train and bus to get to Huizen from Schiphol. Mind you, the interest is not worth the shout about it at present!

 

[MisterT]

When you are only once or twice a year in the Netherlands, simply don't use the ov-chipkaart. You can buy single or return tickets at the ticket machines or at the ticket office.
Creditcards are as of August last year accepted on almost all ticket machines (at least at one ticket machine at the station).

 

[radamfi]

Just remember with OV chipkaart that you need to prime it with at least €20 if you want to use it on NS rail. You also need to check in and check out when changing from rail to bus.

Actually, the minimum balance is 16.00, and only 6.00 when you have a railcard. Yes, the deposit is 20.00 (10.00 with a railcard) but you are allowed a negative balance of -4.00.

 

[EWS 58038]

You can get the Amsterdam Visitor card with Schiphol to Amsterdam and back rail ticket included and valid to and from ALL rail stations in Amsterdam on your in and outbound journey. Card can ONLY be purchased at Schiphol airport.

Avoid taxi's like the plague. Often they use navigation software and don't know the city. Rip-offs do happen and to be honest I would prefer a walk along the canals.

The tourist area is small and you'll be fine with a good pair of shoes...

https://www.google.nl/maps/dir/Amst...4e9377f49590ec!2m2!1d4.8819242!2d52.36367!3e2