Windmills. Tulips. Wooden clogs with pointed tips. Folk costume.... These are the symbols of Netherlands (or Holland) - an Europe country that I yet set foot on, though I've been to this part of the world for almost 1o times. The beautiful images of the country was the backdrop of the Hongkong drama (僵). Of course, I'm not there to seek exciting encounters withe the vampires, but the beautiful landscape that also comes with the architecture (both old and new).

Moving Around: Train, Metro, Tram, Bus, Ferry

Convenience and flexibility were two key considerations when making arrangement for transport. 

With the information available in the IAMsterdam website, it would provide enough information for good planning; of course we also needed to be realistic - good pacing was necessary for one to enjoy the trip, in a hassle-free manner.

Several types of tickets are available.

With the IAmsterdam Card on hand, the ticket to travel between the airport and any train station would be non-frill.
Website: https://www.discoverholland.com/Tickets


To & Fro Airport


More info: https://www.discoverholland.com/Ticket/19/Single-ticket-Amsterdam-Schiphol-Airport

What I find most helpful was the service - The schedules were reliable and the trains were punctual!


Here's the local train. See the number "2"? It's Class 2 seat cabin, which the ticket is entitled to.


The stations of arrival were clearly reflected on the screens throughout the train.
(From the airport, heading to the Duivendrecht before switching the train to the Amstel station)


At Amstel Train Station, waiting for the train to go Duivendrecht (for the direct train to the airport).


Here's the Duivendrecht train station that provides direct train service to the airport.


One must remember to Check-in and Check-out at the tram and railway stations; else one may risked stuck at the gate. Spot the difference?
"M" for metro whereas the train logo is for the train.



I AMsterdam City Card

This card offered the best deal - which included free admission to numerous museums, as well as tram, metro and bus rides. It allowed unlimited number of times for travel!


Metro
My base was Wibautstraat station (exit to Vrolikstraat). 
Given that the location of the hotel, there were two options of train station - either "Centraal" or Amstel. Well, Amsterdam Centraal is the heart of all transports - train, metro, bus and ferry. That's comprehensive and convenient, but it's also one of the busiest stations with many platforms. So, a less busy one and easy to navigate would be Amstel. Though it requires one to switch the train, it's nevertheless, much easier to move around 😃





Tram
It's the first time taking tram (after the last one in San Fransisco more than 20 years ago). Despite the fact that many cities (especially those in Europe) have trams as one of its common form of transportation, due to the nature of travel, most of my transportation mode would be coach, train or metro. I hardly get the chance to take trams.

It's a totally different experience in this trip, and tram rides took place almost everyday, and several times a day!


Terminal station for Trams at the "Centraal" station



On the whole, the tram was pretty long and it therefore had two entrances, each with a conductor to ensure that the passengers checked in to pay the fee.





Buses

The electronic panel in the buses updates passengers with the location and route, and the estimated arrival time at each bus stop (actually, it's pretty accurate!)


Similar to what we can find in Japan.


At the bus terminal at Edam



Ferry Service (free for all)

Regular free ferry services operate between Amsterdam Centraal Station and the northern islands.







Amsterdam Region Travel Ticket

A card that allowed travels to its neigbhourhood by train, metro, trams and buses.
Nevertheless, the use was limited to transport only; entrance to places of interest like museum were not included.
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/areas/city-escapes





Something not related to the Transport, but about access to toilets...
It costs 0.50 euro per entry to all public toilets, and McDonald does not provide toilet services.
The only place to gain access to toilet free is in the museums!







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