Amsterdam

[Nath]

Hey peeps

I know there are some Dutch members on here and would appreciate any advice.

I am going to be going on a short break to Amsterdam at the end of October, with my girlfriend. It's somewhere we both have wanted to see, and I need a break from working so why not!

Going to book the hotel and flights in a couple weeks. I just need a little info on a couple things if you don't mind

1. Public transport- I've read a little about "iAmsterdam card" and "OV Chipkaart" - but what's the deal? Do we pay per bus/tram, or do we pay for a ticket that covers a certain area, timescale etc? any help would be sweet. Also rough costs for 5 days?

2. Is it better to stay in the city centre, or just outside (where it's a lot cheaper) and get public transport to the centre?

3. Any suggestions on cool things to go see/do?

4. Not a big issue, but I fancy a smoke whilst I'm there. From what I can see it's still legal for tourists to smoke in coffeeshops, and they didn't change that, right?

Cheers

[John]

Smoke weed brah

[Nath]

Smoke weed brah

I will be, but that's not the main reason for the trip just an added bonus.

[Hexx]

Hey peeps

I know there are some Dutch members on here and would appreciate any advice.

I am going to be going on a short break to Amsterdam at the end of October, with my girlfriend. It's somewhere we both have wanted to see, and I need a break from working so why not!

Going to book the hotel and flights in a couple weeks. I just need a little info on a couple things if you don't mind

1. Public transport- I've read a little about "iAmsterdam card" and "OV Chipkaart" - but what's the deal? Do we pay per bus/tram, or do we pay for a ticket that covers a certain area, timescale etc? any help would be sweet. Also rough costs for 5 days?

2. Is it better to stay in the city centre, or just outside (where it's a lot cheaper) and get public transport to the centre?

3. Any suggestions on cool things to go see/do?

4. Not a big issue, but I fancy a smoke whilst I'm there. From what I can see it's still legal for tourists to smoke in coffeeshops, and they didn't change that, right?

Cheers

1. When I went there was a building opposite the train station where you could buy the Chipkaarts, you basically pay for the card (I think it was $7.50) and then you pay for a certain amount of hours/days. After you've got the card you can use it on buses and trams, it's a smart travel card so you just wave it over the sensor pad thing when you get on.
2. We stayed in the middle of the Red Light District (which is an interesting experience) and meant that we could walk to most places we wanted to visit. We rented an apartment for a week but there's some pretty affordable hostels located around there too if you're looking for cheap places to stay.
3. Don't bother with any of the sex museums, they're a waste of time and money according to some of the people I know who got tricked into going there. You should definitely visit Scheepstimmermanstraat if you're interested in architecture or buildings, there's some amazingly designed houses there. Then there's the other things like the Heineken Museum, Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark and Anne Frank's House etc or you can just wander around the back streets and canals to see what else you can find.
4. It was legal when I was there last year but I know their local government were looking to make it illegal for tourists so I'm not sure if that's changed yet or not.

[Acid]

I've never heard of that ''iAmsterdam card'', but I'd recommend you to buy an OV, you can buy these at most big train stations and some grocery stores. The card itself costs €7,50 and you can charge it with a minimum of €10. Whenever you use a bus, you just check in by scanning it at the entrance and you do the same when you leave the bus. Just never forget to scan it when you leave, as you're paying for every km the bus drives and as long as you don't check out, it'll think you're still in the bus. (you need an account to see links) should be very useful it tells you what time the bus arrives, how long it takes and what it costs.

Even if you're not staying there, you should definitely visit the Red Light District, just for the heck of it. Though I can't really help you with finding a hotel, hotels in Amsterdam aren't really my scene.

And about the smoking. They do still consider it illegal to smoke weed, but there are plenty of coffeeshops in which you can (and are allowed to), just don't do it in public such as on the streets. Also make sure to notice the difference between a caf

[Nath]

Awesome both of you, thanks a tonne really helpful. Much appreciated!