How To Save Money With Amsterdam Travel Ticket
If you are planning to visit Amsterdam and use public transport, you have probably heard about the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, which is a popular tourist ticket that includes the train from Schiphol Airport and unlimited public transport in Amsterdam, but many tourists still wonder whether the ticket actually saves money and how to use it in the smartest way to get the most value for the price.
The truth is that the Amsterdam Travel Ticket can either save you money or cost you more money, depending on how you use it, how often you travel, where your hotel is located, and when you activate the ticket. Many tourists use the ticket in the wrong way and end up paying more than necessary, while others use it smartly and save quite a lot on transport costs.
In this detailed guide, you will learn how to save money with the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, when it is worth it, and how to avoid the most common mistakes tourists make.
Short Answer – How To Save Money
If you want the short version first, here is how most tourists save money with the Amsterdam Travel Ticket:
- Use it for the airport train both ways
- Use public transport many times per day
- Buy the 2-day or 3-day ticket instead of 1-day
- Activate the ticket later in the day
- Stay outside the city center
- Use metro and tram often
- Use night buses
- Plan many trips on the same day
If you do these things, the ticket is often cheaper than paying per ride.
Use The Ticket For Airport Transport
One of the biggest ways to save money is by using the Amsterdam Travel Ticket for the train between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam, because airport transport is one of the most expensive single trips tourists make.
Typical prices:
- Train Schiphol → Amsterdam: about €5–€6
- Train Amsterdam → Schiphol: about €5–€6
- Total airport return: about €11–€12
This is already a large part of the price of the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, so if you use the ticket for both airport trips, you immediately save money compared to buying separate tickets.
Many tourists forget to use the ticket for the return trip to Schiphol, which means they do not use the full value of the ticket.
Use Public Transport Many Times Per Day
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket gives unlimited travel, so the more you use public transport, the cheaper the ticket becomes per trip.
For example, in one day you might:
- Take tram to museum
- Take tram to shopping area
- Take metro to another area
- Take tram to restaurant
- Take bus back to hotel
If you pay per ride, each ride costs about €3–€4, so multiple rides per day can quickly become expensive.
But with the travel ticket, all these rides are included.
So the key to saving money is simple:
👉 Use public transport often.
Buy A 2-Day Or 3-Day Ticket Instead Of 1-Day
The longer tickets are much cheaper per day.
| Ticket | Price | Price Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €20 | €20 |
| 2 days | €27 | €13.50 |
| 3 days | €34 | €11.33 |
The 3-day ticket gives the best value, so if you stay for 3 days, this is usually the smartest option.
Many tourists buy multiple 1-day tickets, which is much more expensive.
Activate The Ticket Later In The Day
This is one of the best money-saving tips that many tourists do not know.
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket works based on hours (24 / 48 / 72 hours), not calendar days.
Example:
- Activate Monday at 15:00
- 24-hour ticket valid until Tuesday 15:00
This means you can use:
- Monday afternoon
- Monday evening
- Monday night
- Tuesday morning
- Tuesday afternoon
So by activating later in the day, you can effectively use the ticket across two days.
This is one of the best ways to save money.
Stay Outside The City Center
If your hotel is outside the city center, you will use public transport more often, which makes the Amsterdam Travel Ticket more valuable.
Areas where tourists often use a lot of transport:
- Amsterdam Zuid
- Sloterdijk
- Bijlmer Arena
- Amsterdam Noord
- Hotels near Schiphol
- Outer districts
If you stay in the city center, you may walk everywhere and not use transport enough to make the ticket worth it.
Use Night Buses
Night buses are included in the Amsterdam Travel Ticket, and night bus tickets can be relatively expensive if you buy them separately.
So if you:
- Go out at night
- Visit restaurants in the evening
- Go to clubs or events
- Travel early in the morning
You can save money by using the ticket for night transport as well.
Plan Your Trips On The Same Days
If you have a 2-day or 3-day ticket, try to plan your activities so you travel a lot on those days.
For example:
- Day 1: Museums + city center + dinner
- Day 2: Noord + shopping + evening activity
- Day 3: Use ticket to go back to Schiphol
This way you use the ticket as much as possible.
Common Mistakes That Cost Money
Many tourists lose money because they:
- Activate the ticket too early
- Do not use it for the return airport trip
- Walk everywhere and don’t use transport
- Buy 1-day tickets instead of multi-day
- Stay in city center and don’t travel much
- Forget night buses are included
- Forget to use metro (faster for long distances)
Avoiding these mistakes can save a lot of money.
Compare With Pay As You Go
Here is a simple comparison:
| Situation | Cheapest |
|---|---|
| Few trips | Pay as you go |
| Many trips | Travel Ticket |
| Airport + many trips | Travel Ticket |
| City center + walking | Pay as you go |
| Hotel outside center | Travel Ticket |
So the ticket saves money mainly if you travel a lot and include airport transport.
Smart Travel Tip
The best way to save money with the Amsterdam Travel Ticket is to use it for the airport train, activate it later in the day, travel frequently by tram, metro and bus, and choose the 2-day or 3-day ticket instead of the 1-day ticket, because the price per day becomes much lower and you get the most value from unlimited travel in Amsterdam.