Analise

We will be arriving at AMS around 8am on Day 1 and leaving AMS around 7am on Day 3 — so just under 48 hours. Our hotel is near Schiphol and we intend to spend Days 1 and 2 in Amsterdam. What travel card should we get that will cover unlimited travel on public transport? Also, we are traveling with a couple who are over the age of 70. What travel card would be best for them given the same travel schedule? Thanks.

florin

There are day travel cards that are good for 1-7 days. They are available at AMS airside at the Tourist Information desk. Look HERE.

roberto99

I don't think that staying in a hotel near Schiphol is the way to go since you plan to spend 2 days in the great city of Amsterdam.

Also, other than a slow bus, I don't think that the usual train to/from Schiphol is included in most transit passes.

stut

Yes, I'd also echo the recommendation against the Schiphol area hotels. You say it's 'near' Schiphol, which rings further alarm bells, as a lot of the ones in the Hoofddorp or Schiphol Rijk areas are doubly inaccessible - slow shuttle buses (the traffic in this business area is horrendous at peak times) and then onward transport to the city required. The only exception to this is if you happen to be near Hoofddorp station, which has a direct link to Amsterdam.

Only rail links with the Amsterdam zone are included with Amsterdam transport passes, and that excludes Schiphol - so you'll have to pay for that.

Actually, travelling from Schiphol to central Amsterdam, unless I am going to somewhere near Centraal Station, I tend to take the faster train to Amsterdam Zuid, and the tram/metro onwards from there.

baccarat_king

Couldn't agree more. Personally, would be a "big mistake" not staying in Amsterdam. It's one of those scenarios (staying near Schiphol) that "sounds better" than it actually is.

Especially, traveling with 70+ year old people. Makes a quick stop back at the hotel, midday, a real pain.

Lots of alternatives at all price ranges in Amsterdam.

LIH Prem

I'm a little confused with the exceptions for that card, does anybody know if the card is valid on the Connexxion 197 Airport bus?

Is the 197 included in this exception?

I'm staying at the Hotel Pulitzer, and it appears the easiest way to get there is to take the 197 to the last stop and walk from there.


ETA .. I'm fairly certain I have to buy a separate ticket for the 197. I wonder if it's still worth getting the 72 hour pass?

Thanks in advance,
-David

ERJ_12B

The pass mentioned is for the GVB buses, trams and metro only. The 197 is ran by Connexion.

LIH Prem

ok, that's what I thought. Thanks for confirming.

-David

ERJ_12B

The fare for the 197 is €5 now, FYI. There is a regional card that covers the 197 and GVB along with others that is now available

stut

Personally, I'd avoid the bus from Schiphol. There can be some terrible congestion around that area, and the buses aren't always the most reliable. You can quite easily get to the Pulitzer by taking the train to Amsterdam CS (€4) then take trams 13 or 17 (from directly outside the station, at the western tram loop) to the Westermarkt stop (this will be clearly announced and shown on the internal displays).

baccarat_king

I disagree. I take the #197 bus all the time (I'd say over 40 times, in the last 6 months). I've yet to have a substantial delay in transit.

It's (by far) the best way to get to certain hotels near Museumplein and Leidseplein (such as the Marriott, Hilton in Oud Zuid, Conservatorium Hotel etc.).

My only issue, is that I often board after these stops (en-route to the airport), and sometimes the bus is quite full (I live near the Haarlemmermeerstation stop).

It's really a great bus, since it has a very limited numbers of stops; and it is usually a very large bus. It also runs quite frequently.

IMO, taking a train+tram/bus is much more difficult (time consuming) than just taking one (#197) bus.

stut

I'll bow to your more recent experience

I used to travel on the old Schiphol Sternet buses around Schiphol Rijk, Hoofddorp and Slotervaart, and the delays on the Hoofddorp/Aalsmeer road had the whole network in disarray at the slightest hint of traffic. I used to often wait 30+ minutes for a bus that was supposed to have a 10-15 minute frequency.

If the 197 is better, all the better

(I'll admit there's a personal preference - I'd always choose rail over road...)

baccarat_king

I would also choose rail over bus, if that meant JUST taking the train and walking to my hotel. Once it involves rail+tram/bus you are schlepping your stuff and waiting x2; just seems inefficient to me. Also, quite frankly, the NS trains from Schiphol aren't always running perfectly on-time. My other complaint about both the train and the bus is that they both seem too warm (especially this time of year). The bus, being worse. But, that's more of an American "land of freezing air conditioning" thing.

The #197 is a "true" airport express bus. My advice is usually to take it, if it allows you to walk to your hotel from one of it's stops.

Also, sometimes, it makes sense to take the train to Amsterdam-South (Amsterdam Zuid) station instead of Centraal. Tram #5, Metro and numerous buses are accessible from there. But, this is probably a less likely option for most (hotel) destinations.

LIH Prem

Looking at the map, it's about 750m walk from the Busstation Marnixstraat to the Hotel Pulitzer. The Westermarkt tram stop looks like it's much closer, only 160m to the Hotel.

Would that change your recommendation? I'll be lugging a wheeled rollaboard (carry-on size).

Traffic shouldn't be an issue, arriving early Saturday morning.

Last time I was in Amsterdam? 1971

-David

baccarat_king

Uber? (joke)

Westermarkt tram/bus stop is a 2 minute +/- walk; so train+tram would probably be easiest in this situation. But, the walk from Marnixstraat is really not that bad either (10 minutes +/-).

Ah, 1971, Nixon was President of the United States and I was 1 year old.