Metropolis passes could be a implausible funding for a metropolis break on a finances or an pointless waste of cash, so it actually pays to work out whether or not you’ll be getting essentially the most from it earlier than you splash out – and for Amsterdam, meaning asking is the I Amsterdam card price it?
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I’ve blogged beforehand about different metropolis passes – the Paris Cross, Copenhagen card and Helsinki card, and on our first journey, I examined the Amsterdam metropolis move or I Amsterdam card as I checked out a few of the greatest issues to do in Amsterdam with children, earlier than shopping for my very own move on my most up-to-date go to.
With over 70 museums and points of interest included, together with a canal cruise and public transport, it seems like an important deal. So is the I Amsterdam card price it – or do you have to save your Euros? Right here’s my evaluation.
**EDIT: This publish was up to date in 2026 – at all times test the location to see the most recent prices, points of interest included and accessible data**
How does the I Amsterdam card work?
There are 5 choices accessible – a 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h and 120h card which value 67, 94, 115, 130 and 140 Euros respectively.
You may get a bodily card, which is activated whenever you first use it, or a digital card, which you activate by clicking the ‘get began’ button within the app whenever you need to first use it – ensure you don’t press this earlier than you arrive…
The time begins ticking whenever you first use it however then runs for the complete hours – so if you happen to begin at 5pm on a Friday, a 48h card continues to 5pm on Sunday moderately than lasting two calendar days as in some cities. Time your entry proper and you could possibly get into one remaining attraction simply earlier than your card expires.
It additionally contains limitless use of public transport within the metropolis, so that you simply faucet towards the cardboard reader whenever you get on and off buses or trams (or use the QR code from the digital move with the scanner). You do additionally want to take a look at with it whenever you get off transport – the QR code could be a bit fiddly and also you may must jiggle it beneath the scanner. It’s solely registered when you see it flash inexperienced.
The cardboard doesn’t work on the practice from Schipol airport although, so that you’ll want to purchase a separate ticket for that journey.
Beforehand the move labored as two sections, so you could possibly start the transport possibility on day 1 and begin the museums/attraction part later if you happen to wished – that’s now not the case, so if you happen to use it first on public transport, the clock will now begin ticking.
Chances are you’ll must guide timeslots for some points of interest lined by your I Amsterdam metropolis card moderately than with the ability to flip up. Yow will discover an inventory of places and the best way to guide forward right here.
In plenty of circumstances, I used to be reserving a separate ticket for my daughter (as many Amsterdam points of interest have free entry for under-18s, so it wasn’t price shopping for one for her) and it was straightforward to pick the free possibility for myself on the similar time.
How do you get an I Amsterdam card?
You possibly can order the move prematurely, as they’re legitimate for a yr from buy and solely begin when you activate them. For those who don’t need it despatched to your own home, you possibly can decide them up at Schiphol airport in addition to the I Amsterdam retailer within the metropolis.
It comes with a fold-out map of the centre as effectively, together with a booklet and journal, plus you possibly can obtain an app.
You may also purchase them from websites like Get Your Information, and with a reduction if you happen to use my code MUMMYTRAVELS6 at Tiqets,
What are the advantages of an I Amsterdam card?
The points of interest a part of the cardboard features a canal tour in addition to entry to numerous museums, together with 70 Amsterdam museums and points of interest and another reductions.
The Rijksmuseum can also be now included within the move, which implies many of the metropolis’s main points of interest are free – the Anne Frank home and the Van Gogh Museum are two of the few which aren’t.
The cardboard contains smaller quirky points of interest in addition to the massive boys. So the Amsterdam tulip museum is on the listing as is the pipe museum, together with family-friendly choices together with Artis Royal Zoo and Science Heart NEMO.
Another bonuses?
It additionally permits you to skip the queues to some points of interest, though you could must guide a timed entrance in that case.
For a few of the canal cruises you now not need to queue to get a free paper ticket to current on the entrance or guide a timeslot – merely decide the cruise you like, flip up and you may board the subsequent accessible boat. Do test although, as there could also be completely different restrictions relying which possibility you select from the listing.
Having the move can also be quite a bit simpler than shopping for particular person tickets for trams and buses – though you may as well get a 24-hour transport move for £8, in addition to choices protecting 48h, 72h and on as much as 7 days of transport.
It could possibly even prevent cash outdoors town, if you happen to’re planning day journeys from Amsterdam with children.
You additionally get extra reductions. I typically discover these are normally obscure eating places and bars, though it’s price a glance – at one level, it included the small chain of Pancakes eating places, certainly one of Amsterdam’s best-known locations to eat pancakes, though there’s nothing fairly as tempting the final time I checked.
Do you lower your expenses with the I Amsterdam card?
After we travelled, I discovered it wasn’t at all times the best web site to work out if you happen to’ll lower your expenses, except you already know precisely what you propose to go to or except you’re specializing in the key points of interest.
It’s been by means of just a few modifications since then too – you continue to get an inventory of every little thing included and a map model, though neither the web site nor app appear to indicate a easy listing of what you save, solely whether or not it’s free or discounted.
The downloadable PDF with the knowledge now not appears to be accessible both, so it means manually clicking by means of to test entry costs and doing your personal calculations.
For those who took a canal cruise, used public transport, visited the zoo and Rijksmuseum, you’d spend round 81 Euros.
So that you’d solely want yet one more main attraction, such because the Nemo Science Centre, to place you comfortably forward of the 94 Euros you spend on a 48h card.
H’Artwork Amsterdam prices 22.50 Euros and the Rembrandt Home 23.50 Euros, for instance, whereas the Nieuwe Kerk is one other 22.50 Euros and the Oude Kerk prices 14.50, so it’s straightforward to squeeze in a fast go to someplace else to no less than break even.
What if you happen to’re travelling with children?
There are many family-friendly choices included. Artis Royal Zoo prices 29.50 Euros whereas the Science Heart NEMO is 21.50 Euros for adults, so mixed with the canal cruise and public transport, you’re already saving if you happen to can squeeze every little thing right into a day, or like the instance above, you solely have to search out an alternative choice to begin saving on a two-day Amsterdam card.
There’s additionally the Amsterdam Dungeon and Madame Tussaud’s, whereas the artwork museums typically have kids’s audio excursions, for instance, so these are undoubtedly nonetheless an possibility.
For those who’ve bought youthful children, it won’t be such a very good deal although. In case your children are beneath 10, entry is normally is free or discounted so it’s nearly definitely not price shopping for a card for them – the Zoo and Nemo Science Heart are a few the exceptions. The Royal Palace and Rijksmuseum each have free entry for beneath 18s too.
There is no such thing as a separate I Amsterdam card for little one or teenagers, or different little one variations other than the grownup Amsterdam metropolis move.
There’s a useful set of options for issues for households to do in Amsterdam and you may simply click on by means of to the person web sites to see the ticket costs if you wish to test the fee with children.
On my most up-to-date go to with my 13-year-old, it nonetheless labored out cheaper to purchase her discounted tickets (or guide free slots), and use a contactless card for public transport moderately than shopping for the I Amsterdam card.
So is the I Amsterdam card price it?
Regardless of the occasional trickiness, completely. Until you’re solely planning to go to the Anne Frank home and lounge within the Vondelpark, you’re nearly definitely going to make your a refund.
We ran out of time to see some points of interest on our first journey, as packing in an excessive amount of on a sizzling weekend with a toddler isn’t an important plan, however nonetheless saved money and trouble, plus they’ve added the Rijksmuseum since our go to which I’d have fortunately popped into however didn’t need to pay full value for what was more likely to be a really quick go to.
Having the ability to skip some queues and never feeling like I’d wasted cash if we solely made a fast go to to a museum (because of the simply bored two-year-old in tow) was an enormous benefit, as was not having to hassle getting separate transport passes.
On our return go to, I made the many of the free entry to the Rijksmuseum, in addition to the Maritime Museum and Our Pricey Lord within the Attic, with the Rembrandt Home, Oude Kerk and Niuewe Kerk additionally on the listing, plus free public transport.
The most important draw back was not having all the knowledge on the web site earlier than you order the cardboard, which provides some trouble of researching all of it.
Particularly in comparison with the simplicity of the Copenhagen card which helps you to tick the weather you need to go to and calculates the overall, so it’s immediately straightforward to see if and what you save.
Verdict: is the I Amsterdam card price it?
Regardless of just a few niggles, that’s a agency sure from me.
PIN FOR LATER: IS THE I AMSTERDAM CARD WORTH IT?
Disclosure: My first I Amsterdam card was courtesy of the Amsterdam Vacationer Board, I purchased my second myself. All opinions and reluctance to queue are my very own
Photos: tram picture courtesy Depositphotos; all others copyright MummyTravels
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