GVB (Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf) is the public transport provider for Amsterdam. If you are looking to travel by metro, bus, tram or ferry, GVB will, more than likely, be the provider you go with. The number of passengers they transport every year is increasing steadily with 899 million passengers using one of the GVB services in 2016.
GVB services
The GVB’s mission is to be the best municipal transport company in the Netherlands. GVB provides Amsterdam with many services such as:
Metro
The metro network in Amsterdam consists of five lines:
- 50 - from Isolatorweg to Gein
- 51 - from Westwijk to Central Station
- 52 - from Amsterdam Noord to Station Zuid
- 53 - from Gaasperplas to Central Station
- 54 - from Gein to central station
Tram
The tram network covers the whole of Amsterdam, apart from the North and has around 500 stops, 200km of tram rails and 200 trams in total. The trams in Amsterdam run on "green" energy.
Bus
There are 212 GVB buses in Amsterdam, which make use of an intricate bus network. Buses run in the night on 10 lines and in the daytime on 25.
Ferry
The ferry is free for pedestrians, cyclist and moped riders. It transports passengers from the North of Amsterdam to the Centre, sailing over the IJ. GVB also provides a ferry connection across the North Sea Canal.
Travelling with GVB
In order to use one of the GVB services, similarly to NS train travel, you will need to buy a ticket or load a GVB product, unlimited travel in a specified zone, onto your OV-chipkaart. Alternatively you can just travel using your OV-chipkaart if you have sufficient funds on it.
You can purchase a ticket or product from one of the GVB machines at metro stations or top up your OV-chipkaart balance at one of the yellow machines which you can find at stations or supermarkets. You can also purchase travel products online and load them onto your card using one GVB machines.
Tickets & Products
GVB offers many different types of tickets and products that you can load onto your OV-chipkaart. Products can only be loaded onto a personal OV-chipkaart.
GVB tickets
When buying a ticket, there are a few options to choose from, depending on how long / for how many days you want to use the metro. Here are a few options:
GVB 1-Hour ticket
The GVB 1-Hour ticket gives you unlimited travel on GVB services for 1 hour, but cannot be used on GVB night buses.
Bicycle-only supplement
Love cycling? The bicycle-only supplement allows you take your bicycle on the metro or IJtram 26 during off-peak hours, which are between 9am and 4pm, and 6.30pm and 7am on weekdays, and all hours during weekends. You are not allowed to take your bike on the bus or trams other than IJtram 26, but may take it on the ferry for free. There are specially designated areas for bikes in the metro.
GVB 1-Hour ticket + bicycle
This gives you unlimited travel on GVB services for 1 hour, and allows you to bring your bicycle along with you on the metro or IJtram during off-peak hours.
GVB Day ticket
The GVB Day ticket gives you 24 hours of unlimited travel from the moment you check in. You can also purchase a day travel card for more than one day, with the price becoming relatively cheaper the more days you purchase.
GVB Child’s day ticket
The GVB Child’s day ticket offers you the same travel benefits as a GVB Day ticket, but at a reduced price for children, aged 4 - 11.
GVB Night bus
The GVB Night bus ticket allows you to travel for 1,5 hours on GVB night buses. You can of course travel using your OV-chipkaart balance.
GVB Night bus (12 journeys)
This ticket is economically better if you travel often at night. It is valid for a year, but be aware that if you forget to check in and out before transferring to another bus, you will be charged for another journey.
GVB products
GVB also offer products that you can load onto your personal OV-chipkaart:
GVB Zone season ticket
The GVB Zone season ticket allows you to travel in one of the following zones: Centrum, Noord, Coentunnel, West, Zuid, Oost, Zuidoost, for a month or a year. You can also purchase a product that encompasses more than one zone. This product can only be purchased at a GVB kiosk or online.
GVB Only season ticket
The GVB Only season ticket allows you to travel on all trams, metros and day / night buses belonging to GVB, and does not restrict you to certain zones. If you purchase it for a year you get two months free. This product can also be bought for a month only and children 4 - 18 years old and the elderly 65+ can profit from a reduced fare.
Randstad Noord Zone ticket
The Randstad Noord Zone ticket allows you to travel on all routes of the central zone Randstad Noord. You can also travel with Connexxion and EBS with this ticket. You cannot, however, use this ticket to travel on the train. A reduced fare is available to children 4 - 18 years old, and the elderly 65+.
Network season ticket
The Network season ticket gives you unlimited travel by regular bus, tram or metro throughout the whole of the Netherlands, and can be purchased for the period of a month or year. This ticket offers reduced fares to children 4 - 18 years old, and the elderly 65+.
Amsterdam travel ticket
The Amsterdam travel ticket gives you unlimited travel on the bus, metro, ferry, tram and train in Amsterdam. You can travel on transport provided by GVB, NS and certain Connexxion buses. The ticket is valid until 4am after the last day.
GVB also offers other discount supplements, and tickets for automobiles wanting to cross the North sea.
Checking in & out
As with the train, you will need to check in and out when travelling on GVB services, with the exception of the ferry.
Forgotten to check out?
At most metro stations you will need to check out to be able to proceed through the gates. However, if you have forgotten to check out you can request a refund if your charge is greater than the cost of your journey. You can do so online using your OV-chipkaart number, which will display all of the journeys you have made without checking out.
Journeys with a missed check out may not appear on the list for two weeks. Once a refund has been requested and approved it can be reloaded onto your OV-chipkaart via one of the GVB machines.
