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Netherlands

Amsterdam

A bicycle city ringed by fan-shaped canals. Trams spread out from Centraal station across town.

GVB city bus and night bus

Buses sell nothing on board: no tickets from the driver, no cash. Tap a card or phone, or bring a ticket bought beforehand - and tap out as you leave. Night buses (N numbers) are flat-fare; one-hour tickets aren't valid.

Updated on August 2, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Buy a ticket, or just have your card ready
    Bring a contactless card or phone, or buy your ticket in the app or at a shop first. Bus drivers sell nothing.
  2. 2
    Flag down regional buses with your hand
    Regional buses out of town drive past unless you signal. GVB tickets are not valid on them; be at the stop five minutes early.
  3. 3
    Tap in as soon as you're on board
    Hold your card to a reader by the doors - one beep means you're checked in. Everyone taps separately.
  4. 4
    Press the stop button for your stop
    When your stop shows on the display or is announced, press the stop button and hold it until it pings.
  5. 5
    Tap out before you step off
    Tap the same card on the reader as you leave - two beeps means you're checked out. You can do it while moving.

Fares

Single fares2

GVB distance fare (base rate)
On GVB lines it's the base rate plus €0.217 per km; regional operators set their own km rate.
1.16 EUR ≈ $1
GVB Night bus 1 ride
1.5 hours of unlimited night-bus travel from your first tap - a flat fare, not a distance fare.
5.7 EUR ≈ $6

Passes & multi-ride5

GVB 1 hour ticket
One hour of unlimited travel on all GVB lines from your first tap; night buses excluded.
3.4 EUR ≈ $4
GVB Day ticket (24 hours)
24 hours unlimited and - unlike the one-hour ticket - night buses count too; €5.00 for ages 4-11.
10 EUR ≈ $11
GVB Multi-day ticket (2-7 days)
From €16.00 for two days up to €43.00 for seven, valid day and night including the night buses.
16〜43 EUR ≈ $18–48
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket
One ticket across GVB, the Connexxion and EBS regional buses and NS trains; two days is €34.00.
23〜44 EUR ≈ $26–49
MeerPlus (EBS) day ticket
For Zaanstreek-Waterland regional buses only; the two-hour version is €7.80 and under-12s ride free.
13.5 EUR ≈ $15

Card itself1

OV-pas (the IC card itself)
Valid five years; the version sold at Primera stores can be topped up with cash at the till.
6 EUR ≈ $7

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 4, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
VISAMastercardMaestro
Tap a reader inside the bus when boarding and leaving; no registration needed
IC card
The new OV-pas works; the anonymous OV-chipkaart is no longer sold
App tickets
QR ticketing
Barcode tickets in the GVB app - activate yours before boarding
Paper tickets
Buy before boarding; paper chip cards still need tapping in and out
Cash
Never accepted on board - even regional drivers take cards only

Quick facts

Fares from
1.16 EUR+

Heads-up

  • An hour ticket bought on board counts as invalid

    Buy and activate an hour ticket before you board. GVB's product conditions treat an hour ticket bought or activated during the trip as invalid and you risk a fine - and since drivers sell nothing, there is no way to fix it on board.

  • Miss the tap out and you pay the boarding fee

    Forget to tap out on a GVB bus and you are charged the €4 boarding fee instead of the real fare. Always tap out with the same card you tapped in with. The regional buses charge a different amount - EBS asks €6.00.

Timetable

Typical duration The network that fills in where tram and metro don't reach - and once they stop for the night, the N-numbered buses take over
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka