With an extensive network of cycle lanes, bicycle parking everywhere and even traffic lights specifically for bicycles, there is no safer or easier place to cycle than here. We also have an excellent public transport system that makes it easy to travel longer distances.
With more than 880,000 bicycles - four times the number of cars - Amsterdam is a city of bikes. With an extensive network of cycle lanes, bicycle parking, and specific traffic lights for cyclists, Amsterdam is truly the most bicycle-friendly city in the world.
Everything in Amsterdam is within biking distance and, as you may know, the Netherlands is flat, which makes biking long distances easy. Most students arriving for the first time in Amsterdam find that either renting (via Swapfiets) or buying a (second-hand) bike is both an affordable way to travel between home and study, as well as a great way of getting to know the city and the surrounding area.
While cycling in Amsterdam is fun and an essential part of Dutch culture, it is not without risk. Check out this handy guide before cycling in Amsterdam.
Check-In and Check-Out System
The Netherlands has an extensive public transportation network consisting of trams, metro services, buses, ferries, and trains. NS is the national train company in the Netherlands and GVB is the local transportation company in Amsterdam.
To pay for your ticket you can scan either an OV-chipkaart, your debit or credit card or mobile pay on the readers located at the station or on the vehicle.
It is very important that your remember to check both in and out. This can be done by holding the card against the reader present on platforms (for trains and metro) and on board the vehicle (for buses and trams).
You must also check in and out when changing to a different line or mode of transport. Don’t forget to check out! If you forget to check out, you will be charged extra costs.
Types of OV-Chipkaart
If you choose to use an OV-Chipkaart, there are two possibilities:
Travel within Amsterdam
GVB is the public transportation company in Amsterdam. They are happy to take you everywhere by tram, (night) bus, metro and ferry. You can recognise their vehicles (except for the metro) as they are white/blue.
Find more information about how to travel with GVB in Amsterdam here.
There are some other bus companies active in Amsterdam, however these buses are all regional and only a part of their trip will be in Amsterdam. You can recognise them as these buses are not white/blue.
Travel around Amsterdam
You might need a regional bus to take you outside of Amsterdam, but the most common way to travel to another city is via train. The Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), translated Dutch Railways, is the company that arranges train rides for the biggest part of the country.
Find more information about how to travel by NS train here.
Scenarios
In the sections below, we've outlined three different scenarios to help you decide which options would work best for you.
If you have a smartphone, the app 9292 (available in English) is a convenient way of planning your journey.
Some students may be eligible for the student travel product. This travel product is part of the Dutch student finance system. It enables you to travel by Dutch public transport for free or at a reduced rate, either during weekdays or weekends.
Note specific requirements apply and that only students with a Dutch nationality, EU/EEA and Swiss students, as well as some students with a residence permit can apply. You can find all details on the governmental DUO website.
If you are going to be living in Amsterdam and travelling to university from within the city, then we suggest you purchase a ‘GVB Flex’ travel product. For just €1 per month you can enjoy 10% discount on all your trips, but a frequent user may be able to save even more money. After your first month living in the city you will have an idea of the number of trips you take, and if you travel often after 8 PM; you can then look at the other GVB Flex offers to see if you might benefit from paying more per month for an even higher discount on each of your trips.
If you plan to take the train to other cities at weekends, you may also consider getting a ‘Dal Voordeel’ product, which we outline below.
If you will be living outside of Amsterdam you will be using the train far more often. Therefore, we would suggest you purchase a ‘Dal Voordeel’, which gives you a 40% discount during off-peak hours (Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM and 6.30 PM to 6.30 AM) and at weekends. Often you will need to travel during peak hours to get to university, but there may be times that you will be heading home before 4 PM, or staying later and therefore leaving after 6.30 PM.
With such a travel product, staying on campus for an extra hour to study or socialize can save you money every single week that you go to university, as well as any trips you might take on the weekends.
OV-bike
If you need to travel within a city, you may consider using the OV-fiets service that allows you to access a bike from many train stations across the country.
Unless you will spend a lot of time in other cities, it is unlikely to be worth you buying a public transport discount subscription outside of the city in which you live.
Swapfiets
Or, you may wish to make use of Swapfiets! The word fiets translates to bicycle in Dutch (a very important word in the Netherlands). Swapfiets is named after the concept of bicycle swapping. How does it work? You pay a monthly fee in exchange for a reliable bike and full support services. If your bike needs maintenance, gets stolen, or you have a flat tire, Swapfiets promises to replace your bike within 12 hours. They'll even come to you! If they can't fix your bike within 15 minutes, then they'll swap it for a new one until your bike can be repaired.
Swapfiets may sell out or have a waiting list, so we recommend that you arrange this in advance if possible. Alternatively, you can of course choose to buy a bike after your arrival in Amsterdam.
Still not sure? Check out the Expat's Guide to Buying a Bicycle.
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