How to Explore Amsterdam. The Best City Passes for Tourists and Locals
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Amsterdam is a puzzle box of canals, world-class museums, golden-age architecture, and lively (or cosy) neighbourhoods. Between the cobblestone streets lined with crooked houses and the impressive number of museums, it’s easy to feel like there simply isn’t enough time or money to see and do it all. Amsterdam is not a cheap city. It may be offering a lot of culture and attractions, but buying all those tickets adds up and you might feel you’re breaking the bank. There are, however, a few options that allow you to experience what Amsterdam has to offer while saving some money.
This article if for tourists coming to Amsterdam or the newcomers who are still figuring out the best way to explore their new home.
Content:
- Amsterdam Passes – for tourists (and the locals who have family visiting)
- I amsterdam City Card
- The Go City Amsterdam Pass
- I amsterdam City Card and Go City Amsterdam Pass comparison
- The Amsterdam Digital Pass
- Amsterdam: City & Region Travel Ticket
- Best Amsterdam passes for locals
Amsterdam Passes – for tourists (and the locals who have family visiting)
Bundling together popular attractions, museum entries, canal cruises, and sometimes even public transport, the best passes slice down the total cost – often dramatically – compared to buying tickets separately. For tourists, this means more of Amsterdam for less, and for locals, it’s a nudge to explore more with a smaller budget. If you like knowing exactly what you’re spending up front, enjoying a curated selection of experiences, and picking up a few perks along the way, these passes might just be your best friend in Amsterdam. In this article, I’ll walk you through why using a city pass makes financial sense – whether you’re here for a quick fling with the city or a longer-term romance.
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I amsterdam City Card
This is the best option for museum lovers and first-time visitors, but, honestly, it’s for any tourist who wants to explore as much of Amsterdam as possible.
The best feature: I amsterdam City Card includes entrance to over 100 museums and attractions and free public transport (inside the city) so you can freely move from one area to another. Apart from entrance to museums in Amsterdam, the card provides free entrance to some attractions outside the city, like Zaans Museum at Zaanse Schans, Zuiderzeemuseum in Enkhuizen, Teylers Museum in Haarlem and more. The card also has a free canal cruise included, free bike rental and discounts to various other attractions like: Bimhuis (music), Boom Chicago (for comedy shows), or the National Opera and Ballet. It also gives discounts to restaurants and even some freebies (free shot of Dutch gin (jenever) at De Drie Fleschjes tasting room, anyone?).
Availability: 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h, or 120h. The card will start counting from the moment you activate it, so you can buy it in advance and activate when you start visiting.
This card can be used only with the I amsterdam City Card App.
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it?
Definitely, especially if you want to explore more places in a short amount of time! You won’t have to worry about juggling multiple tickets in different formats. With one pass, you can hop around Amsterdam to your favourite spots, and even venture outside the city to major destinations.
Cons: The only con I see is that it doesn’t have an option for children. Also, Van Gogh museum is not included in the list of museums, but you can buy a separate ticket for that one or a package: I amsterdam City Card+Van Gogh.
Get your I amsterdam City Card here.
The Go City Amsterdam Pass
The Go City Amsterdam Pass provides entry to 40+ attractions in Amsterdam, plus a digital guide and a Go City App. It also covers some activities in nearby places like Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Edam, Keukenhof (in the flower season). You can choose between an Explorer Pass (where you pay for the number of attractions you choose to visit), or an All-Inclusive Pass (where you can visit as many as you’d like for the duration you choose).
Special feature: The Go City Amsterdam Pass has an option for children, age 3-12, at a discounted rate.
Availability: 1, 2, 3 or 5-days pass. The card will start counting from the moment you activate it, so you can buy it in advance and activate when you start visiting.
Used: simply show the QR code on your phone at the entrance.
Cons: This card doesn’t offer you transport, but if you travel by car you don’t care about that.
Get your passes here: Go City Explorer Card and Go City All-Inclusive.
I amsterdam City Card or Go City Amsterdam Pass? Let’s compare.
The Amsterdam Digital Pass
This pass is the only card offering entrance to the Van Gogh Museum – which I don’t find it to be such a great advantage as you can always buy the Van Gogh ticket separately. The Amsterdam Digital Pass includes a visit to one of these: Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandts Experience or Moco Museum, a canal cruise and a City audio guide or public transport.
The Amsterdam Pass is a good option if you want to have a relaxed day sampling the best of what the city has to offer: one museum and a canal cruise, with an audio guide included.
It has options for: Adult, youth, child and infant.
Get your Amsterdam Digital Pass here.
Amsterdam: City & Region Travel Ticket
The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket entitles you to unlimited travel in Amsterdam and its whole region – day and night – on bus, tram, metro and train. This is a transport ticket that will save you money when you plan to move a lot around the city and its surroundings. The ticket is valid for 1, 2 or 3 calendar days from first check in. It includes travel on the Amsterdam Airport Express, bus 397 and Niteliner N97.
Be sure to check exactly what’s included in the Amsterdam Region when you buy your ticket – it typically covers travel to places like Volendam, Edam, Marken, and even Hoorn (a bit further north). When you purchase the ticket, you’ll have the option to download a leaflet with all the details, so make sure to save it for your trip.
Please note that your smartphone voucher is not the actual ticket. Pick up your ticket (called an OV-chipkaart) by scanning the barcode on your voucher at one of the designated GVB ticket machines or desks. Make sure to use the card to check in at the start of your journey, and to check out at the end of every trip.
Get your Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket here.
Best Amsterdam passes for locals
If you’ve recently moved to Amsterdam and are eager to explore the city, there are several passes that can help you save money while discovering everything it has to offer.
The Museumkaart (Museum Card).
The Museumkaart is by far my favourite yearly acquisition. This card is valid not only in Amsterdam, but in the entire country, and it offers you free entry to almost every museum out there: in total, over 500 museums! At the same time, you help the museum world: almost all revenue from the Museum Pass benefits the participating museums.
You will have to check in advance if the museum you want to visit accepts the Museumkaart and plan accordingly. Sometimes you will have to pay extra for special/temporary exhibitions, but, at the price of 75 Euro/year, your investment will be worth it after 4-5 museum visits.
Museumkaart is very popular among the Dutch people, as it offers unlimited access to their favorite museums and serves as a key to discovering the history and culture of the places they visit on their dagje weg (day trips) across the country. I personally love having a Museumkaart — it lets me pop into a museum whenever I have some free time or simply feel like it.
The card is personal and cannot be borrowed. Kids and youth up to 18 yo pay 39 Euro. Get your Museumkaart here.
Stadspas Amsterdam (City Pass)
If you’re living in Amsterdam or Weesp and your income is limited, the Stadspas might be just what you need. This free City Pass gives you access to discounts on museums, swimming pools, and theatre performances—and in some cases, you can even enjoy these for free. But it’s not just about culture: with the Stadspas, you can also benefit from offers on food and energy costs or receive discounts at the vet. It’s a great way to enjoy the city without stretching your budget.
Get your Stadspass Amsterdam here.
Cineville Pass
If you love movies and go to the cinema more often, get yourself a Cineville pass. It gives you unlimited access to more than 70 unique movie theatres and cinemas in the Netherlands. This is a monthly subscription; if you’re under 30 years old, you pay 19 Euro/ month and 24 euro for those 30 plus.
Get Cineville Pass here.
NS Train Deals
For transport around the country, you can check the NS website for regular deals and packages, like “train+museum” or “train+hotel”. If you travel more often, you can consider getting yourself a subscription like the Dal Voordeel which at 5,95 Euro/month gives you 40% discount on train travel outside the peak hours and on weekends, or a Weekend Voordeel (2,30 Euro/month) giving you a 40% discount in the weekend. The first one is more convenient if you travel also during the week, but if you travel only in the weekends, to discover new places in the Dutch provinces, the second subscription is for you. These discounts can apply to up to three people traveling together with you, so I would say it’s a great deal.
Are you in the mood for travelling yet? I hope this article is answering your questions and serves as a guide to choosing the best Amsterdam passes for you, based on your needs and preferences.
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