SteveAmsterdam is one of the easiest cities I’ve found to explore. Firstly, it is pretty flat, so walking is a doddle. Secondly, most of the tourist areas and sites are within walking distance from one another!
The city also has a fantastic public transport network. Forget about taxis, cars and buses though, as there are many narrow roads and it is simply not worth the cost, time or effort. Taxis especially can be pricey.
Almost all arrivals are via Centraal Station, which is the train station for the city of Amsterdam. This is located at the north end of the city when viewed on a map, as shown by the red dot on the map below.
From here, there are numerous tram lines that will take you to every corner of the city. There is also a Metro system, which can be quicker but does not serve many destinations. During my many visits to Amsterdam, I’ve found the trams are by far the best experience as a public transport option. This site has a really useful tram map which I’ve used myself.
Being a bit of a travel geek, we’ve taken Tram #2 many times as it travels through many of Amsterdam’s famous areas. It starts at Centraal Station and runs all the way to Museumplein. It passes through Dam square, Spui, close to the flower market at Koningsplein and over the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht canals before arriving at the Rijksmuseum.
The Dutch trams are pretty long and have separate entrances and exit doors clearly marked. This is so people can get on and off quickly without holding up the tram. One thing to be aware of is that you must tap your travel card on the reader as you enter the tram, and then tap out as you leave.
Let me know your highlights of using the trams in Amsterdam and the best stops for seeing the city?
While you’re here, why not take a look at my other posts about Amsterdam?
