Amsterdam has a few fantastic, and legit, but very different city passes. In this article I am going to help you decide which one to pick. As a local I know the offers, and I have tested the passes in person. There is also one I do not like, and I will tell you about it.
But before we’re going to look at which City Pass to get, it is important to realize how quickly they can become insanely valuable. Each Amsterdam museum and attraction will set you back on average ā¬25-30 per person, and those costs add up fast. The right city pass cuts your expenses easily in half, and sometimes they get you in faster too.
1. I Amsterdam City Pass
Over 70 Museums Included & Public Transport.
Get your “I Amsterdam City Card“
More information about the “I Amsterdam City Card“
š Get your pass early – you can’t book time slots without it, and the best times at popular museums fill up fast!
2. Go City Pass Amsterdam
Save up to 50% on Amsterdam attractions and tours. 40+ attractions.
Get your “Go City Pass Amsterdam“
Read my full review on the “Go City Pass Amsterdam“
š Get your museum pass early – you can’t book time slots without it, and the best times at popular attractions, tours, and museums fill up fast!
3. Tiqets Amsterdam Pass
This pass is great if you have limited time. Choose a popular experience (including Van Gogh) + you get a canal cruise and free public transportation for an affordable price.
š Get your ticket as early as possible, especially if you want to choose the Van Gogh Museum as your free museum. Time slots sell out quickly!
Table of Contents
Which Amsterdam City Pass is Best for You
The most simplified version to answer that question is this:
- Are you planning to visit mostly museums*? Then get the I amsterdam Card.
- Prefer a mix of top museums, attractions and experiences? Choose the All-Inclusive Go City Pass.
- For a short visit the Tiqets Amsterdam Pass, if you only want one attraction, a canal cruise and public transportation.
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The Math: How Can Amsterdam City Passes Save You Money
Both passes pay for themselves quickly, here some for short visits, you save a lot more for passes 3 days or longer:
I amsterdam Card (48 hours): ā¬90
- Rijksmuseum (ā¬25) + Stedelijk (ā¬22.50) + Canal cruise (ā¬18) + Rembrandts House (ā¬21.50) + Museum of the Canals (ā¬17.50) + 2 days trams (ā¬16) = ā¬120.50
- You save ā¬32.50 with room for more
Go City Pass (2 days): ā¬129
- Heineken (ā¬25) + Rijksmuseum (ā¬25) + Bols +cocktail (ā¬19.50) + ADAM Lookout (ā¬16.50) + This is Holland (ā¬24) + Canal cruise (ā¬18) + Zaanse Schans tour (ā¬35) = ā¬163
- You save ā¬34 with room for more
I amsterdam City Card: The Right Pass For Museum Visitors
This city-operated pass gives you free entry to 70+ museums, unparalleled by any other card plus you get unlimited trams and metro rides for the duration of your card.
If you’re planning to visit the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, and a few others, you’ll break even on day one.
What makes it worth it:
- Free public transport (including metro line 52 āsuper helpful)
- Artis Zoo included (ā¬25 value)
- Choice of canal cruise operators
- Works in nearby cities like Haarlem, Volendam and Enkhuizen
- 25% discounts on many attractions not included
The catch: Limited attractions or tours. You get one canal cruise and the zoo, but no Heineken Experience or Zaanse Schans tour.
Best for: Culture-focused travelers who plan to visit 3+ museums.
A few important notes about the I Amsterdam Pass:
- The Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank are not included (never, in any pass), you need to get separate tickets for them. Or buy a combination package that includes the Van Gogh Museum too. Anne Frank is always separate, and a difficult ticket to buy. I wrote about “the how” in my article about the Anne Frank House.
- Buy the I Amsterdam Card as early as possible. The reason is time-slot bookings. As soon as you purchased the card you can start booking time-slots. You can buy the card far in advance. The clock starts to count at your first attraction scan.
- You can choose cards that are valid between 24 hours to 120 hours, the longer the card is valid, the cheaper the per day price becomes. This also helps to take things a bit more slowly.
ā¤· Here is my in-depth I Amsterdam City Card review, including my own experiences and a complete list what’s included.
Ready to buy? You can get your “I Amsterdam Card” here.
I Amsterdam Card: From ā¬65
I amsterdam City Card
Free entry to 70+ museums including the Rijksmuseum. Plus free, unlimited use of GVB public transport (bus, tram & metro).
I recommend buying a multi-day card. Per-day prices become much cheaper. And you can slow down your pace.
Combination Package
I amsterdam City Card + Van Gogh
Free entry to 70+ museums like the Rijksmuseum. Plus the Van Gogh Museum. Includes public transportation too.
I recommend buying a multi-day card. Per-day prices become much cheaper. And you can slow down your pace.
Go City Pass: Perfect If You Want Museums Plus Lots of Non-Museum Experiences
The Go City Pass Amsterdam focuses on Amsterdam’s big-ticket attractions and includes guided tours. This card does not have the same number of experiences included, but the pass include more high value offers.
What makes it worth it:
- Heineken Experience (ā¬25 value)
- Rijksmuseum, Moco, and Stedelijk are included in this pass too
- ADAM Lookout tower with city views (ā¬22.50 value)
- This is Holland 5D flight experience (ā¬17 value)
- Free cocktail included at House of Bols Tour (I loved this)
- Half-day Zaanse Schans windmill tour included (as are other tours)
The catch: Fewer museums and no public transport (though 24-hour bike rental is included). I do not find this a big issue. Public transit is inexpensive in this city and you can get a seperate GVB Public Transit pass here.
Best for: First-time visitors who different experiences.
A few important notes about the Go City Pass Amsterdam:
- Same comment as with the I Amsterdam Pass: the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank are not included. You can buy a seperate Van Gogh Museum ticket here, and here are my instructions for tickets to the Anne Frank House (hard to get)
- Buy your Go City pass as early as possible. The reason is time-slot bookings. As soon as you purchased the card you can start booking time-slots. You can buy the card far in advance. The clock starts to count at your first attraction scan.
- You can choose cards that are valid between 1,2,3,5 or 7 days, the longer the card is valid, the cheaper the per day price becomes. This also helps to take things a bit more slowly.
- Go City offers two cards: The Explorer and the All-Inclusive. I personally, prefer the All-Inclusive Pass. The Explorer offers only minimal savings, while when you plan right the All-Inclusive pass offers huge savings.
ā¤· Here is my in-depth Go City Pass review, including my own experiences and a complete list what’s included.
Ready to buy? You can get your Amsterdam Go City Pass here.
All-Inclusive Go City Pass: From ā¬79
All-Inclusive Go City Amsterdam Pass
Access 50+ Amsterdam attractions and tours. Inclusing free entry to Heineken (I amsterdam only offers a small discount) and a Zaanse Schans guided tour.
I recommend buying a multi-day card. Per-day prices become much cheaper. And you take things slower.
Pro Tips To Get More Out Of Your Amsterdam Pass
My grandmother always said, “Everything that has ‘too’ in front of it is not a good thing.”
That includes trying to do too many things in one-day. It’s important to find balance between getting value and not getting too tired. Here are some tips to help with that:
- Group by location:āfor example, around Amsterdam Central Station or the Museum quarterāto save on travel time.
- Look at the opening hours: Start with early-closing attractions first to maintain maximum scheduling flexibility.
- You still need time slots: book them as early as you can (access directly after purchase).
- Go Early: For the big museums like the Rijksmuseum get a early slot, once the tour buses arrive, it gets crazy.
- Know when to stop: When you get too tired, it’s no longer fun. Don’t cramp too many attractions in one day.
- Buy multi-day passes: The per-day price drops significantly, and you won’t feel as rushed.
- Have Internet on your phone: both city passes work on your phone, make sure to have access the internet. Also great for finding your way around with Google Maps.
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What About the Van Gogh Museum?
Neither pass includes it (high demand means they control their own ticketing). Buy your Van Gogh ticket separately and factor these extra costs into your budget.
Skip This “Amsterdam Passes”
Amsterdam Explore Pass with over 35 attractions.
This is a complicated pass with a points system. You can spend points on your chosen attractions. Popular attractions require more points.
You can only do a few attractions with this pass, and I think the passes above are much better.
Frequently Asked Questions Amsterdam City Passes
Do I need to book time slots for every museum and attraction?
Not all, but most major museums require advance reservations even with a city pass. Book your time slots immediately after purchasing your pass – popular attractions and tours fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. When you purchase your pass you get clear instructions on which attractions need time slots and how to get them. The earlier in advance you buy your city passes the more opportunities are still open.
What happens if I can’t visit all the attractions on my pass?
City passes are designed so you break even after visiting 2-3 major attractions per day. Don’t feel pressured to rush through everything – it’s better to fully enjoy fewer experiences than to hurry through many. The multi-day passes offer much better value and allow for a more relaxed pace. The number of options are just there so you have choices to choose things that fit for you. It’s never meant to do all of them.
Are these passes worth it for a short 1-2 day visit?
Absolutely, if you plan strategically. Focus on the highest-value attractions first. Getting your moneys worth happens often after picking 3 higher ticket items from your choices. You definately make money when choosing four. Once you purchase a 2 day pass it’s even easier to “earn” money with a city pass.
How do I avoid crowds at popular attractions?
Book the earliest available time slots, especially for the Rijksmuseum. Mid-week visits are generally less crowded than weekends. Often with a city pass you can also directly go inside, so you can bypass the line at the ticket desk.
My Personal Recommendation
For most first-time visitors, I’d get the Go City Pass for 2-3 days. You’ll hit Amsterdam’s iconic experiences, get some great photos, and enjoy that free cocktail at Bols.
If you’re a serious museum person, the I amsterdam Card gives you time to really appreciate the collections without rushing. I recommend this pass if tours and attraction like the Heineken are not for you. Want the Van Gogh Museum too? Get this combi ticket instead.
Planning a longer stay? Get both. Use Go City for your first 2 days hitting the main attractions, then switch to the “I amsterdam Card” for a more deeper cultural experience.
Read More:
1. I Amsterdam City Pass
Over 70 Museums Included & Public Transport.
Get your “I Amsterdam City Card“
More information about the “I Amsterdam City Card“
š Get your pass early – you can’t book time slots without it, and the best times at popular museums fill up fast!
2. Go City Pass Amsterdam
Save up to 50% on Amsterdam attractions and tours. 40+ attractions.
Get your “Go City Pass Amsterdam“
Read my full review on the “Go City Pass Amsterdam“
š Get your museum pass early – you can’t book time slots without it, and the best times at popular attractions, tours, and museums fill up fast!
3. Tiqets Amsterdam Pass
This pass is great if you have limited time. Choose a popular experience (including Van Gogh) + you get a canal cruise and free public transportation for an affordable price.
š Get your ticket as early as possible, especially if you want to choose the Van Gogh Museum as your free museum. Time slots sell out quickly!
Last update on 2025-12-08 at 11:19 - Products, Prices, and Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Great information, I love how you’ve explained all the pros and cons of each. thanks!
You’re welcome! Not each pass is created equal, I’m glad this helped making a choice. Safe travels.
Thanks for this breakdown, all the choices are so confusing to a non-local!
I completely understand. I’m glad this helped!
We are visiting Amsterdam later this year (along with a few other european cities) and I have been doing research about how to travel and where to go and visit.
I am finding your blog so useful!! I have read several articles now.
I have been making notes on all the interesting facts, so hopefully we have a great trip š
I’m positive you’ll have an amazing time. Especially since you’re already started researching it and found local tips. Just so now I do offer coaching calls, where I will review your planned itinerary and optimize it so you’ll have an even bigger change of success. We’ll look at realistic planning, if you’ve added potential tourist traps / not worth your time items, I’ll help with the practicalities like best mode of transport, which lines to take (if you’re opting for public transport) things like that. And there is plenty of room for all your questions. Absolutely optional, but just wanted to you to know it’s there.
Thank you for explaining the “Pros” and “Cons” of each Amsterdam city pass! There is a lot of helpful travel information in your post.
Good to hear, I hope it helped!
Gerrit,
we will be in Amsterdam for 4 days in June, we want to get a city pass, but I am having trouble finding the right one. I did check your info, here are our interests: VanGogh, Ann Frank, Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt, and Heineken experience, amstel tour, canal cruises, city transport, great coffee shops, good restaurants and just walking around…..
Hope you can help
thanks
Pat from Philadelphia,USA
It’s tricky I understand. I would get a 2-Day I amsterdam Card. Enjoy the canal tour in there, the Rijks, city transport. Then get a 2-day Go City Pass for a tour, Heineken Experience etc. Both have great city walk tours included, including a self-guided food tour. This is Holland is a fantastic attraction to do on the passes as is the Adam Lookout tower. I would not be too hang up on transport as I wrote in my article since it’s quite cheap. If you group activities that start/are around Central Station (tours, This is Holland, Adam Lookout, and Canal Tour) you barely need transport. For a one-way, just tap a contactless payment card like your credit card for the lowest fare. Heineken is just two stops on the Metro line 52 from Central Station, stop Vijzelsgracht). For Anne Frank and Van Gogh you always need separate tickets. They’re not in a city pass. Here is a combination ticket for the I Amsterdam Card AND the Van Gogh Museum. It’s saves you ā¬5. Get them ASAP because both sell out in advance. I hope this helps. Have a wonderful time in Amsterdam. And if you’d like to meet me in person. You might be interested in a city walk with me personally in June. Gerrit
Thanks Gerrit you have been very helpful….I will keep the city walk in mind as we get closer.
Pat