How to get around Netherlands
Navigating Netherlands is straightforward with a variety of public and private transport options. Here's what you need to know about getting between and within its cities and towns.
Inter-City Travel
Intercity travel is primarily by train, operated by NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen). There are three types of trains: Sprinter, Intercity, and Intercity Direct. Intercity trains are faster due to fewer stops. Train ticket prices are fixed and depend on the distance. For example, a single trip from Amsterdam to Utrecht (50 km) costs around €8.80, and Amsterdam to The Hague (60 km) is approximately €13.60. Long journeys, such as Deventer to The Hague (150 km), can cost about €22.80.
Cheaper options for train travel include the NS Off-Peak Group Ticket, allowing 2-7 people to travel together during off-peak hours (weekdays before 6:30 AM, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and after 6:30 PM, and all day on weekends/holidays). Prices for a group of two start at €36, making it around €18 per person, and for seven people, it can be as low as €7.57 per person.
Day tickets are also available, with the Holland Travel Ticket costing €74 for unlimited daily travel on all public transport, or €51 for off-peak use. The standard NS Day Ticket costs €62.40 for 2nd class.
Coach travel with companies like Flixbus can be a more affordable alternative for intercity journeys. For example, a trip from Groningen to Amsterdam can cost around €7.
Travel Within Cities
Within cities, public transport includes buses, trams, and metros. The metro is typically the fastest option in major cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The OV-chipkaart is the most common payment method, with a base cost of €7.50 for the card itself. Traveling with the OV-chipkaart or OVpay typically charges a fixed boarding rate plus a per-kilometer rate, which is generally cheaper than single tickets for shorter trips.
In Amsterdam, a GVB 1-hour ticket costs €3.40. Day passes are available: a 1-day pass costs €9.50, and multi-day passes range from €15.50 for 2 days to €38.50 for 7 days. The I Amsterdam City Card offers unlimited GVB transport and attractions, with prices starting from €65 for 24 hours. A child's day ticket in Amsterdam is €5.00.
In Rotterdam, a 2-hour ticket costs €5.00, and a 1-day RET ticket is €11.00. Children aged 4-11 can get a day ticket for €5.50. A Tourist Day Ticket for the Rotterdam/The Hague region costs €17.00.
In Utrecht, a single bus ticket within the city can cost around €1.60, or €3.20 for a U-OV reiskaart (paper ticket) valid for 60 minutes. A 1-day Utrecht City ticket is €7.20. The base fare for bus/tram travel using an OV-chipkaart is €1.116 plus €0.193 per kilometer. Children aged 0-11 travel free on U-OV services.
