Tram 2 runs from Amsterdam Centraal Station through the old centre and the canal belt to the Museumplein, and on to the residential district of Nieuw Sloten. The stretch between Centraal and the Museumplein passes the Dam, the Nine Streets, the Prinsengracht and the Leidseplein in about fifteen minutes, which is why it is often called one of the most scenic tram rides in Europe. A 24-hour GVB ticket costs € 10.00.
Tram 2 at a glance
| Route | Centraal Station ↔ Nieuw Sloten |
| Stops | 21 |
| Centraal to Museumplein | About 15 minutes, 9 stops |
| End to end | About 30 minutes |
| Operator | GVB |
| Ticket from | € 10.00 for a 24-hour GVB day ticket |
| Paying on board | Contactless bank card (OVpay): € 1.16 boarding fee plus € 0.217 per kilometre |
Stop by stop from Centraal Station
These are the eleven stops that matter to visitors, in the order the tram serves them from Centraal Station.
| # | Stop | What you find there | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centraal Station | Arrival hub for the whole city. The free ferries to Amsterdam Noord leave from behind the station; the canal cruise piers are directly in front of it. | Canal cruise |
| 2 | Nieuwezijds Kolk | The Nieuwendijk shopping street, and about five minutes on foot to De Wallen and the oldest canals in the city. | The Red Light District |
| 3 | Dam | The Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk, the National Monument and the De Bijenkorf department store. | — |
| 4 | Paleisstraat | Behind the Royal Palace, and the quickest way in to the Spui and the Nine Streets. | — |
| 5 | Koningsplein | The floating flower market on the Singel and the southern end of the Kalverstraat shopping street. | — |
| 6 | Keizersgracht | The heart of the canal belt. The Nine Streets start here, and the Museum of the Canals is a short walk along the Herengracht. | Canal museum |
| 7 | Prinsengracht | Walk north along the Prinsengracht for the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House, or west into the Jordaan. | Anne Frank House |
| 8 | Leidseplein | Theatres, bars and clubs, and one of the main entrances to the Vondelpark. | Evening cruise |
| 9 | Museumplein | The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk, the Moco Museum and the Concertgebouw, all on one square. | — |
| 10 | Cornelis Schuytstraat | A quiet shopping street in Oud-Zuid, away from the crowds. | — |
| 11 | Valeriusplein | Residential Oud-Zuid on the southern edge of the Vondelpark. For most visitors this is where the interesting part of the route ends. | — |
After Valeriusplein the tram continues through residential neighbourhoods to its terminus: Amstelveenseweg, Hoofddorpplein, Westlandgracht, Delflandlaan, Heemstedestraat, Johan Huizingalaan, Louwesweg, Laan van Vlaanderen, Centrum Nieuw Sloten and Oudenaardeplantsoen. There is nothing touristic along this stretch, but it is a useful line if your hotel is in the west of the city.
Tickets and prices
You cannot buy a paper ticket from the driver. Either tap in with a contactless bank card, or buy a day ticket in advance — which is almost always cheaper if you make more than three journeys a day.
| Ticket | Valid for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1-hour ticket | 60 minutes | € 3.40 |
| GVB day ticket | 24 hours | € 10.00 |
| GVB day ticket | 48 hours | € 16.00 |
| GVB day ticket | 72 hours | € 21.50 |
| GVB day ticket | 96 hours | € 27.50 |
| GVB day ticket | 120 hours | € 34.00 |
| GVB day ticket | 144 hours | € 39.00 |
| GVB day ticket | 168 hours | € 43.00 |
| OVpay contactless | Per journey | € 1.16 boarding fee plus € 0.217 per kilometre |
Book your GVB ticket
Check availability and prices for the GVB day ticket below, and book it before you land — the ticket is valid the moment you first tap in, not from the moment you buy it.
- GVB day ticket — unlimited tram, bus and metro on all GVB routes, from one to seven days. Book from € 10.00.
- Amsterdam Travel Ticket — adds the train to and from Schiphol Airport.
- Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket — adds regional transport to Zaanse Schans, Zandvoort and, in spring, the Keukenhof and the tulip fields.
Practical
GVB runs tram 2 from early morning until around midnight, every seven to ten minutes during the day and less often in the evening. Night buses take over after the last tram. For the exact first and last departure on the day you travel, check the GVB journey planner. All trams on this line are low-floor and step-free, with room for pushchairs and wheelchairs in the middle section. Large suitcases are allowed, but the tram gets crowded between Centraal and the Museumplein in the middle of the day.
Tram 2 runs from Centraal Station via the Dam, the Nine Streets, the Prinsengracht and the Leidseplein to the Museumplein, and then on through Oud-Zuid to Nieuw Sloten. There are 21 stops in total.
A one-hour ticket costs €3.40 and a 24-hour GVB day ticket costs €10.00. If you pay with a contactless bank card you are charged a €1.16 boarding fee plus €0.217 per kilometre.
Yes. Hold your contactless debit or credit card against the check-in device when you board, and against it again when you get off. You only pay for the distance you travel.
Museumplein, the ninth stop from Centraal Station. The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk and the Moco Museum are all on that square.
Prinsengracht, the seventh stop. From there it is a walk north along the Prinsengracht to the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House.
From early morning until around midnight, every seven to ten minutes during the day. Night buses run after the last tram. Check the GVB journey planner for exact times on the day you travel.
The stretch between Centraal Station and the Museumplein crosses the canal belt and passes the Dam, the Nine Streets and the Leidseplein. For fifteen minutes and the price of a normal ticket, it is the cheapest sightseeing in Amsterdam.
Where tram 2 takes you
- The Red Light District — get off at Nieuwezijds Kolk for the oldest part of the city.
- The canal district — the tram crosses the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht between stops 6 and 7.
- Map of the canal district — see how the route relates to the canal belt.
- Canal cruises — the water version of the same route.
- The Nine Streets — get off at Keizersgracht; the nine streets start at that stop.
- The Jordaan — get off at Prinsengracht and cross the canal.
- Museumplein — the museum square with the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Stedelijk and Moco, fifteen minutes south by tram 2 or 5.
- Metro line 52 — the Noord/Zuidlijn, under the old city in fifteen minutes, with a free archaeological display inside Rokin station.
