Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sightseers to consider.
You're more likely to save money by pur-
chasing the Museumkaart, which covers many sights throughout
the Netherlands, than the overpriced
I amsterdam
Card, which is
valid only in Amsterdam. (There's no reason to buy both.) Both
cards allow free entry to most of the sights in Amsterdam (includ-
ing the Rijks and Van Gogh museums), but neither card covers
the Anne Frank House, Heineken Brewery, Westerkerk tower,
NEMO science center, or any sights dealing with diamonds, sex,
or marijuana.
he
Museumkaart,
which costs
€39.95 and is valid for a year
throughout the Netherlands, can save you money if you're plan-
ning on seeing six or more museums during your trip (for example,
an itinerary that includes these museums, for a total of €52.50:
Rijksmuseum-€10, Van Gogh Museum-€12.50, Amsterdam
History Museum-€8, Amstelkring Museum-€7, Jewish Historical
Museum-€7.50, and Haarlem's Frans Hals Museum-€7.50). The
Museumkaart is sold at all participating museums, and you can use
it to skip the line everywhere but the Rijksmuseum (which doesn't
provide a passholders' line). If you plan to buy a Museumkaart,
get it at a smaller, less-crowded museum (such as the Amsterdam
History Museum), and flash the pass to skip the long ticket-buying
line at the Van Gogh Museum. Note that
museumkaart
translates
as “a ticket to a museum” in Dutch. To avoid confusion, ask for the
one-year Museumkaart pass.
The
I amsterdam
Card,
which focuses on Amsterdam and
includes most transportation,
is not worth the money unless you're
planning on a day or two of absolutely non-stop sightseeing. You'll
have a set number of consecutive hours to use it (for example: Visit
your first museum at 14:00 Mon with a 24-hour pass, and it's good
until 13:59 on Tue). Along with many sights and discounts, the
pass includes two free canal boat tours and unlimited use of the
trams, buses, and metro, but not the trains. This pass does not
allow you to skip lines at the major sights (€33/24 hrs, €43/48 hrs,
or €53/72 hrs; cards sold at major museums, TIs, and with shorter
lines at the GVB transit office across from Central Station, next to
TI; www.iamsterdamcard.com).
Arrival in Amsterdam
By Tr a i n :
Amsterdam swings, and the hinge that connects it
to the world is its aptly named Central Station (Amsterdam
Centraal). Through 2012, expect a chaotic construction zone due
to renovations. The international ticket office should be at track 2.
Luggage lockers are at the eastern end of the building—but dur-
ing busy summer weekends, they can fill up fast, causing a line to
form (€4-6/24 hrs, depending on size of bag, daily 7:00-23:00, ID
required).
