Amsterdam is for bicycles and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bicycle
Getting TO/AROUND: Two typical Hollander girls cruising past me on Reestraat, riding tandem.

Bicycles rule in Amsterdam, and I would never go there without renting one from one of the local shops.

I shot this outside my apartment while having koffie.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Amsterdam has a very efficient tram / metro system to get you wherever you want to go in the city. Knowing and using the trams will save you time, walking, and increase the quality of your experience there.

The specific 3 & 5-day passes
click here for Amsterdam Pass

are for some a better deal than strippenkaarts and less hassle (no stamping, just show it to the driver), plus you get free admission to almost all museums (not Anne Frank of course...), free canal boat tours, etc.

A tram card, like the 15-strippenkaart full fare in the picture (€ 6,40) will get you about 6 or 7 trips depending on the distance and "zones" you go through. A strippenkaart ends up saving you euros, a 3 or 5-day pass is more convenient.

If you go the strippenkaart route, make sure to stamp it correctly (the conductor can show you) or you could be fined.

You can buy Tram passes and strippenkaarts at TI office (VVV just outside ADam Centraal station), lots of other places, or from the tram conductor.

Watch out for trams when you're walking around the city, especially crossing Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Damrak & some of the other busy streets.
And sadly there are sometimes pickpockets on the trams, so be careful.

But the trams are great and very efficient. Use them to save wear n tear on yer fiets.

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Website: http://www.vbn-bv.nl/ovinfo/algemeen_en.asp?vPaginaID=1186&vOrgID=14

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bicycle
Getting TO/AROUND: The first thing I will always do after I get off the train at Centraal, is walk to frederic on Brouwersgracht and rent a bicycle. In Sept. '03 they were only 40 Euros/week (yes, I know you can buy one for 10 Eu from a junkie, but I'll pass..)

Especially during good weather, what could be more fun than to rent a bike and go for a ride in & around Amsterdam?
There are lots of places to rent an affordable bike all over town.

Frederic rents the plain, simple old black bikes most Hollanders ride in the city, so you don't stand out like a tourist on your bright orange MacBike, inviting the junkies to trash and/or steal your transportation.

The VVV tourist info office outside Centraal station has bike path maps.

Even some hotels rent them to pick up and return it to the lobby (hopefully.... bicycle theft is so common in ADam it's almost comical... ).

In Amsterdam, bikes are given respect, their own lanes & traffic lights.

Just be cautious/careful as the tourists not used to bike traffic won't see you comin'.

If the sun's out and the wind isn't blowing hard, you will be in Nederlands-bicycle heaven.

The "frederic" website listed below is where I rented mine (BROUWERSGRACHT 78).

Make sure to get a couple good locks and lock it up tight to a bridge or something very sturdy

Doei. Pedal 2da metal.......ching!.... ching... ching....

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Phone: 31(0)20 624 5509
Website: http://www.frederic.nl/