Amsterdam by bus
Please note: GVB’s network is cashless and requires debit/credit cards, smartphones, or the Iamsterdam City Card to check in and out. From 2025, vending and charging ticket machines at metro, bus and tram stops will be widely removed.
Amsterdam bus network
Exploring Amsterdam by bus is convenient and efficient, with services connecting neighbourhoods and nearby regions. Key operators include GVB for city routes, Connexxion (R-Net) for airport transfers and regional travel, and EBS for wider connections. Many routes start or end at Amsterdam Central Station, making it easy to travel within the city and beyond.
Check in and out with OVpay
From 2025, vending and charging ticket machines at bus stops will be widely decommissioned. It is still possible to purchase a ticket via the conductor onboard the bus.
OVpay is the new way to check in and out of public transport with your debit/credit card, smartphone or an online ticket on your mobile. Simply hold your card against the card reader on the bus, tram and metro. The system will beep once you have checked in correctly. Be sure to check out with the same card at your destination. For more information, visit the OVpay website. In December 2024, GVB introduced GVB Max, a new product for travelling with a debit/credit card. This ensures that travellers will have unlimited travel with all GVB day lines for a maximum of €10 per day. You do not have to do anything for this; you can just check in and out with your debit card. The amount travelled is automatically debited daily up to a maximum of €10.00.
Save on public transport
- I amsterdam City Card: The I amsterdam City Card includes unlimited use of Amsterdam's public transport network for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours. The card also gives you a discount on museums and attractions.
- GVB Max ensures that travellers have unlimited travel with all GVB day lines for a maximum of €10 per day. You do not have to do anything for this; you can just check in and out with your credit/debit card or smartphone—and make sure you use the same card.
- Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket: Want to discover everything within the city and the wider Amsterdam Metropolitan Area? The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is an affordable public transport option. It gives you one, two, or three days of unlimited use of all tram, bus, and metro lines of GVB, Connexxion, AllGo, R-net, EBS (including night lines), and NS in Amsterdam and the region.
Travel advice and maps
- For detailed travel advice for Amsterdam’s public transport network (and beyond), download the public transport app 9292, or use detailed interactive maps of the public transport network via the GVB website.
Accessible public transport
Public transport operator GVB can provide specific information about accessibility on Amsterdam trams, buses and metro trains. For example, route folders and timetables indicate which transport stops are not wheelchair accessible or which trams and bus services are not equipped with an accessibility ramp. Read the guidance here.
