One of my best pieces of advice for self-guided travelers to Europe (or any metropolitan place, really) is to check and see if they offer a city card. City cards are typically short-term cards that allow tourists to travel and visit key attractions at a discount or free. In a similar vein, I strongly recommend looking into museum passes in cities like Paris or London if you want to maximize your tour experience. After having such a good experience with the Hamburg Card and Berlin Card, I made the point to research the Amsterdam Card offerings.
If you are reading this you must be wondering: Is the I Amsterdam city card worth it when I visit Amsterdam, Holland?
What is the I Amsterdam card?
The “I amsterdam” City Card is the popular city card for tourists that provides access to museums, attractions, public transportation, and canal tours. It is advertised as a great resource for travelers to get a flavor of the Amsterdam city.
Pros:
- Includes public transportation
- Includes entrance to over 70 museums and attractions (in Amsterdam Central and nearby suburbs)
- Includes option for free canal and bike tour options
Cons:
- Cards are activated upon first use; extra planning to fully optimize the clock is required
- Starting at 60 euro for 24 hours, this is one of the most expensive city cards that I have used
- Does not include entrance to the Anne Frank House or the Van Gogh Museum, two very popular tourist attractions
Tip: Make a list of the activities that you want to do in a certain city including transportation costs. Compare the expenses of those activities with the card. If the cost is lower with the card, then the card is a good deal.
The Math:
Realistically, you would want to have at least two days with the card, unless you are a museum fiend. Let’s play through my Amsterdam Itinerary example where we spent two full days of touring. If you are like me and want to cram in as many activities as possible, the card could truly be put to good use. However, you may also recognize that not every waking moment of the itinerary can be packed with plans (I know, inconceivable).
Note: The card goes into effect the first time you use it, whether public transportation or at an attraction. Be sure that you start the ticket when you can maximize its use. The clock starts ticking down from when you leave the airport.
| Activity | With Card | Without Card |
|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam Card | €85.00 | €0 |
| Train from Airport (roundtrip) | €19.00 | €19.00 |
| Transportation 48 hours | €0 | €15.00 |
| Rijksmuseum | €0 | €22.50 |
| Van Gogh Museum | €22.00 | €22.00 |
| Canal Tour | €0 | €19.00 |
| Anne Frank House | €16.00 | €16.00 |
| Bike Rental | €0 | €14.50 |
| Heineken Experience | €20.60 | €27.50 |
| Total | €162.60 | €155.50 |
The Verdict:
Even while leveraging as many of the “free” tours that we could, we still ended up paying more with the I Amsterdam card. I Amsterdam card might not be the best use of your money if you aren’t able to make it to all of the intended attractions. When I say it was a packed itinerary, I mean a packed 48 hours. This level of intensity is not for everyone.
If you are considering using the city card, definitely look at the activities that you want to do and be realistic about what you can actually accomplish in the time you have. If we selected one more activity, we might have been able to get our money’s worth.
I would say, if you only want to plan for one or two activities a day for your 48 hours, skip the city card.