10/01/202223 MinutesIn TravelBy Branzo

How to organize your trip to Amsterdam? How to get to Amsterdam? Where to stay? What is the budget? Which City Pass to take and for how long?
Are you planning or preparing a trip to Amsterdam? These are some of the questions you probably ask yourself; well, you should know that I too have faced them, which is why I decided to write an article. This article, based on my research, comparisons and organization, aims to present different tips for preparing your trip to Amsterdam.

Transportation: how to get to Amsterdam?


Let’s get to the heart of the matter; getting to Amsterdam. Among the different means of transportation available to get to Amsterdam, I chose to go by Thalys (train); the round trip (August 2021) cost me 50€ and took me about 3h30 both ways.

First of many tips for preparing your trip to Amsterdam, do the same; with a little advance planning, depending on your needs, possibilities and means, the trip could be one of the least expensive things on your trip to Amsterdam! I have made several trips to the Netherlands during this year, so I speak from experience.
Are you planning to go away during a school vacation period or a long weekend? So I repeat my advice, getting a head start could be wise because the longer you wait, the more you’ll pay. Moreover, this approach will give you a certain freedom in the choice of schedule, seat and even class; note that depending on the type of ticket you can even make some adjustments (change the schedule of the ticket or even the day) if necessary.

Accommodation: where to stay?


Accommodation was probably one of the biggest problems of this trip; as prices can go up quite quickly depending on the location – especially in the center of Amsterdam – and the period, I chose to move away from the center to stay at a reasonable price.

Finally I stayed in a hotel in the west of the city which had the advantage of being located 2 minutes from a metro station. In addition, I had a city pass that included public transportation (such as the subway); which in the end was an interesting compromise. Taking into account my location, the length of my trip (7 days) and the addition of a breakfast option, I got about 475€.

Before reaching this point, I asked myself several questions and consulted several articles; here is a synthesis of the elements retained.
First, the type of accommodation, AirBnB? Hostel ? Hotel ? Then, what do you plan to do there? How much? There is no shortage of ideas and options, but the time of year you go to Amsterdam, depending on how busy it is and what you plan to do there, may affect your options. When I was doing my research, I found that hotels were cheaper than AirBnBs; in fact, that’s what some articles agree on. Second of the many tips for preparing your trip to Amsterdam, consider moving away from the center and ask yourself what type of accommodation you want! In addition to the economic aspect, it is interesting to move away from the center to avoid the large crowds (characteristic of the central square or the museum district) and by extension the noise pollution.

The first article(link here) presents several different neighborhoods that I have been able to walk through during my activities and walks. Depending on your desires and your budget, you will undoubtedly be attracted by one of them. The article features the following neighborhoods:

  • Biennenstad: for buildings of gothic, historical architecture. The geographical location of this area will allow you to easily access the main museums, squares and places (dam square, restaurants, fast food, stores, coffee shop).
  • Waterlooplein: you will find in this district many places to visit, in particular the Rembrandt museum, the Zoo, the botanical garden, the museum of the resistance, the Jewish cultural district. As a reminder, most of these places are accessible with the I Amsterdam City Card, which will be discussed later in this article.
  • Red Light District: I don’t think I need to introduce you to this district; according to the article you will find what you’re looking for if you’re looking for a lively district (bar, coffee shop in particular).
  • Leidseplein: Another lively neighborhood! If you are looking for trendy places (bars, clubs, concert halls, etc.), this is the place for you. If you are afraid of noise and crowds, this is probably not the place for you.
  • Jordaan: one of my favorite neighborhoods; you will find in this area a multitude of art galleries.
  • De Pijp: An interesting neighborhood that offers access to many of the must-see cultural attractions, including the Van Gogh Museum (online reservation required) and the Heineken Museum. Note that these two attractions are located in an interesting area because it also concentrates the Rijksmuseum, the Moco museum and the Stedelijk.
  • Canal district: a quiet district because it is more secluded and has a more romantic atmosphere.

The second article(link here) addresses an interesting aspect missing in the first one, namely prices. The neighborhoods highlighted (Jordaan or De Pijp) are similar to those mentioned in the first article; in addition to the prices, the advantages and disadvantages of these neighborhoods are also discussed.

City Pass: which one to choose?


“City Pass” or “tourist cards”. These physical or dematerialized cards, limited in time, allow you to benefit from many advantages and to save money (both in time and money) for a certain cost.
After this brief definition, let me introduce you to two City Passes: the I Amsterdam City Card and the Amsterdam Digital Pass.

I Amsterdam City Card

According to my research, the I Amsterdam City Card is the best known and most complete. I will explain why in the following sections.

What does the I Amsterdam City Card include?

First, some information from the website about what the City Card includes:

  • Access to more than 70 world-class museums and galleries, including some of the must-sees that I enjoyed (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Cobra Museum, Rembrandt House, Heineken Museum; the list goes on).
  • Access to most of the city’s public transport – operated by GVB – for the duration of your pass’s validity.
    To plan your trips and visits, you can use classic applications like Citymapper or Google Maps, but also this route planner(link here) that I found on the IAmsterdam website.
    If you do not opt for a City Pass, there are several alternatives for using public transport that may be more or less interesting depending on the trips you plan to make. You can either opt for cards valid for several hours or even several days. They can be used unlimitedly for the duration of their validity on public transport (tramway, bus, metro) with a few exceptions; please note that regional trains and buses operated by Connexxion or RBS are not included.
    Alternatively, you can also opt for the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket; different durations are available. It can be used on all public transport operated by GVB, Connexxion, EBS and NS in and around Amsterdam. Please note that the Amsterdam Digital Pass does not include public transportation (except for discounts).
  • A cruise on the canals.
  • Access to bicycle rental.

Where can I get the I Amsterdam City Card?

It can be picked up at the central station (interesting for people coming by train) or at the airport (interesting for people coming by plane).

Having come by train I collected my pass at the station; the store is in the main hall, on the right after going through the gates at the exit of the station. An information desk is available at the station, where you can get more precise information about the location of the store.

I said “recovered” because I had bought the pass on the website before I came webI then presented a digital receipt allowing me to pick up the said Pass once I was there (please note that it is not necessary to print the receipt. (Please note that it is not necessary to print the receipt, so please do the same, your ink and paper will thank you); however, it is possible to buy it directly in the store.

How long can the I Amsterdam City Card last? What are the rates?

There are different durations and prices. By the way, please note that the prices are fixed; at the time of writing this article there are no special rates for children, minors or students.

  • 65€ for 24h
  • 85€ for 48h
  • 105€ for 72h
  • 120€ for 96h
  • 130€ for 120h

It would be interesting and profitable to take the pass if your stay lasts at least 3 days, below and unless you have a busy schedule the approach would be unwise; two possibilities are then offered to you, the first being to book your activities separately from each other, the second, to look at the two others below.

Indeed, the more activities you do, the more the Pass will be profitable and perceived as an interesting investment; however, do them at your own pace so that you can enjoy them!
Among all the activities mentioned, you will find those that I have made a dedicated article.

Why take the I Amsterdam City Card?

I chose to take a City Pass because I had more or less in mind what I was going to do during my 7 days in Amsterdam; given this information, taking a City Pass would have allowed me to better organize myself and optimize my expenses and my time.

Let me explain, once I had the City Pass, I was able to book the slots (that suited me the most) for almost all my activities before they took place thanks to the I Amsterdam application, thus avoiding wasting precious time queuing to book the tickets for my activities or queuing to access the activities (because yes, the Pass was also a queue breaker). Moreover, with the health context, making my reservations in advance allowed me to have the necessary visibility on the situation and the access conditions.

This is one more reason why I would tend to recommend you to take a Pass; even more so if you are comfortable with digital interfaces and with online payments. You will save time that can be reinvested elsewhere.

A little above I told you that I had made my reservations via the I Amsterdam City Card app, downloading it is a good thing because it allows :

  • To buy a City Pass if you don’t have one yet.
  • To activate your City Pass.
  • Add to your favorites activities that you want to do.
  • View the map and customize the display with the different filters.
  • To consult content.
  • Book your activity slots, by gathering in one place the links to access the bookings (saving you search time and numerous tabs in your browser).

The first time you use it, you’ll find a user guide, and then you’ll see that the application is quite simple and accessible.

So, if you are planning to stay in Amsterdam for 3 days or more (and for the first time), do a number of activities, use public transport (and if alternative public transport tickets do not suit you), then the I Amsterdam City Card might be for you! If you still have some doubts, if this card does not correspond to you or even if you are curious, I invite you to take a look at the other pass that caught my attention.

Amsterdam Digital Pass

I will now present the second pass that caught my attention, using the criteria used in the previous analysis.

What does the Amsterdam Digital Pass include?

  • A one-way train ticket from Schiphol airport to the central station, so it could be interesting if you plan to come by plane and also if your stay is short.
  • A visit to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.
  • A boat cruise on the canals of Amsterdam.
  • Access to the audio guide application, useful for visiting Amsterdam. The audio guide includes more than 100 points in the city with walking and transportation directions.
  • A self-guided tour of the DAM Plaza with the audio guide app.

Where can I get the Amsterdam Digital Pass?

This pass is 100% digital, so you won’t have to waste time at a pick-up point to get it. To access the reservation of the Pass, click here :
link

How long can the Amsterdam Digital Pass last? What are the rates?

Compared to the I Amsterdam City Card and its unique rates, this pass is less complete and therefore less expensive, and the rates vary according to your age.

  • 8€ for babies up to 3 years old.
  • 15€ for 4 – 13 years old.
  • 19€ for 14 – 17 years old.
  • 45€ for people over 18 years old.
  • 71€ for those over 19 years old.

As for the duration, according to my research, I was only offered to select the date I wanted to book the pass for. This article will be updated if I find more information about the validity period.

Why take the Amsterdam Digital Pass? What are the rates?

This pass seems to me less interesting because less complete than the previous one presented, however it could be for if you come to Amsterdam by plane, for a short period and if you want to visit some of the essential places.

Which Pass to take?

The two passes presented have their own specificities and variables – be it the duration, the activities, the applicable zones, or the public transport – which can be interesting and decisive depending on your situation. In my opinion, the ideal pass will be the one that best suits your needs, expectations, means and the duration of your stay. There is no doubt that by taking these criteria into account, a Pass will allow you to save time and money.

Budget : how much to expect ?


Finally, what was my budget? If we take into account the cost of the means of transportation, the City Pass and the accommodation, we arrive at 650€; however, we have to add to this the restaurants, the shopping, the souvenirs or some activities and even potential unforeseen events.

I had defined my budget and then made some adjustments by consulting articles and tools. There are tools such as
https://www.ou-et-quand.net
which allow you to simulate the budget to be planned according to criteria that you will have defined.

For my part, it went something like:

  • Souvenirs: 250€/300€.
  • Shopping: 200€/250€, as I normally spend a lot of money on shopping, I wanted to limit this budget.
  • Restaurants: 300€ for restaurants and food in general. It is important to know that, for a matter of preference, I ate light at lunch and had a more substantial meal in the evening.
  • Activity: 150€/200 for last minute activities, this budget did not really help me. Investing in a City Pass has allowed me to amortize many of the expenses related to the activities.
  • Unforeseen : Fortunately there were none during this trip.

These figures are obviously not an ultimate reference because once again the means, desires and organizations are specific to each one, however I wanted to share mine with you. Please note that once I was there, my distribution had some variations. If you already have a budget in mind and/or you already know what you are planning to do or you just want to adjust your estimates, the tool link above will certainly be helpful!

Summary: 4 tips to prepare your trip to Amsterdam


Let’s summarize the tips, scattered throughout the article, that you should consider:

  • Make advance reservations (transportation, lodging, activities).
  • For accommodation, move away from the center.
  • Ask yourself questions and determine what activities you want to do.
  • Identify your needs to define your budget.

After the preparation, the action; based on my stay, I propose you, in a new article, a series of suggestions of activities and places to do and visit in Amsterdam.

Here you are, you have reached the end of this (long) article! I thank you and congratulate you for your interest! I hope that my tips will help you prepare your trip to Amsterdam. Tell me in comments what you thought of it and what you are considering. You can also write me directly at contact.hellobranzo@gmail.com. I look forward to reading you just as you read me!

10/01/2022In TravelBy Branzo