Trains are the backbone
NS Intercity trains connect Amsterdam Centraal, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Hoorn and Den Helder every 15-30 minutes. Fares are $6-$14 one-way. Off-peak day tickets (Dal Voordeel or NS Flex) save 40% if you travel after 9am. For a full day of sightseeing, buy the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket ($21) which covers all GVB, EBS, and Connexxion buses plus regional trains.
In Amsterdam
Trams beat metro for center-city trips. Metro only helps for Noord, Zuid, and Bijlmer. Use contactless card — tap on and off. Don’t try to buy paper tickets from the driver, it's slower and more expensive. Ubers exist but are $15-$25 for a short ride and slower than the tram in traffic.
Ferries and bikes
IJ ferries from Centraal to Noord are FREE and run every 5-10 minutes. Great free ride and how you reach A’DAM Lookout, EYE Filmmuseum, and NDSM Wharf. Texel ferry is $6 per adult return, $50 with car. Rent bikes in every town for $12-$18 a day — cheapest transport there is.
Questions answered
Do I need cash?
No. Contactless card works everywhere including trains and market stalls. Many places refuse cash entirely.
Is the OV-chipkaart still needed?
No, since 2023 you can tap contactless bank cards on all trains, trams, buses and metros. Same fare.
Every stay booked through Stay Noord-Holland funds one verified tonne of carbon removal — same room, same price, the climate action already built into checkout.
You're not charged more and the hotel isn't paid less. It's just what happens when you tap Reserve.