The municipality of Amsterdam is planning to invest an additional 235 million euros into the public transport system in the city and its surrounding areas. 

Sustainable public transport in Amsterdam

The investment will be made by Amsterdam transport region, and consists of 30 million euros which will be made available in the short term, and 205 million euros for long-term efforts to improve sustainability. 

The money will therefore largely go towards the purchasing of electric busses and the consequent construction of a charging network. These investments will play an important role in meeting the city’s target of having all public transport in the Amsterdam area be emission-free by 2030. 

Currently, 20 percent of the capital’s public transport is emission-free. Municipality alderman Sharon Dijksma says the coronavirus crisis has provided a unique opportunity for the city to make necessary changes to traffic and public transport, improving infrastructure and accessibility, and making it more sustainable. 

Improving Amsterdam's public transport system

In addition to purchasing electric busses, the money will also be used to improve the flow and safety of public transport, to make changes to routes that will encourage more cycling over short distances, and to tackle the excessive rush-hour crowds. Furthermore, some will be invested in improving the accessibility of stops and stations for those with disabilities.

Many have seen Amsterdam Centraal change a lot over the past several years, but this transformation is also set to continue with this new investment. Central Station will see the construction of a new underground bicycle parking with 7.000 parking spots. 

On the whole, the aim of the considerable investments is to make public transport more attractive again after it has suffered a significant blow during the coronavirus crisis, and stimulate the Dutch economy. Dijksma says that, after the coronavirus, the city’s “traffic and public transport system will never be as it was before."