STRIPPENKAART (PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TICKET)
The tickets used on most public transportation systems are called 'strippenkaart'. The cards can be bought in advance at the public transportation office (GVB sales points) in front of Central Station, at the train station, post office, Amsterdam Tourist Office (VVV) or in tobacco shops. You can also buy the strippenkaart in the tram itself, but you will pay more! Holland is divided into zones of approximately 5 km in section. A ticket (strippenkaart) is divided into a number of strips (2, 3, 8, 15 or 45). You need one strip more than the number of zones in which you want to travel. Usually a tram ride in Amsterdam center is within 1 zone, so that means 2 strips in total have to be stamped. You either stamp the card yourself in the bus or tram, or you can have it stamped by the bus driver or tram conductor. Several people can travel on the same card, as long as the correct number of strips is stamped. Your stamp is valid for one hour, so you can transfer to other buses, subways and trams as long as you stay within the zones you originally stamped your ticket for.