The National Strip Card
The key to the Dutch public transportation network is the National Strip Card (‘Nationale Strippenkaart’), valid throughout the country on all buses, trams and underground trains, as well as for 2nd class rail travel within the city limits of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague/Zoetermeer.
Holland is divided into transport zones, with standard fares, payable according to the number of zones travelled through. Each zone costs one strip. So travelling within one zone costs two strips, crossing into a second zone raises the fare of three strips.
Unlimited travel and changes are allowed within each zone during a certain time period (specified on the back of the card).
National Strip Cards can be bought at railway stations, tobacconists and post offices. Tickets bought from driver are much more expensive.
In the near future, the OV chip card will replace the ‘strippen’ card as the means of payment for any public transportation throughout Holland. Please note that this OV chip card is already required to pay for all public transportation in Rotterdam and for the subway in Amsterdam.
You can buy a 'Strippen Card' with 15 strips (EUR 6.50) or with 45 strips (EUR 19.20). For children aged 4 to 11 and persons with a Pas-65 you can buy a reduced fare card (EUR 4.30).
Since August 27, 2009 travelling in the metro is only possible with the OV-chipkaart. The stripticket is no longer valid there.
The Tickets & Info points stopped selling striptickets on April 15, 2010, with the exception of Stationsplein Central Station. All sales of the strippenkaart in this region will stop per friday May 28.
From June 3, 2010, travelling in tram, bus and metro in the region of Amsterdam will only be possible with the OV-chipkaart. The stripticket will be invalid from that date.
Train travel using strip tickets and GVB season tickets
As well as Dutch Railways (NS) tickets, you can also use the following GVB tickets for second-class rail travel within the Amsterdam transport region.
- Strip tickets. Validate in the usual way: one strip more than the number of zones being travelled. Validation machines are located at the entrance to station platforms. Validity periods are same as listed above.
- Season tickets. Only three-star or higher season tickets with zone 5700 (Amsterdam City Centre) as the selected zone are valid for rail travel in Amsterdam.
Strip tickets and season tickets may only be used for train travel on the following routes:
- Holendrecht - Bijlmer ArenA - Duivendrecht - Amstel - Muiderpoort - Amsterdam Centraal - Sloterdijk - Lelylaan
- Zuid - RAI - Duivendrecht - Diemen-Zuid
- Zuid - Bijlmer ArenA
- Muiderpoort - Diemen
For current information, visit GVB (Amsterdam Municipal Transport) Strip ticket