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Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-08, 7:41 pm

fun_time
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I am arriving Saturday for 8 days and just wanted to clarify a few things. I take a Tram from the Airport to Central Station then get to my hotel and drop off my luggage until check-in? Day and week passes and strippencards are valid on all trams, buses and metros, and also on trains within the city limits ( an exception is Schiphol airport: you have to buy a train ticket ).

Should I get a week pass or day pass? Best Value and Convience?

I plan on going to Alkmar and a few other places near Amsteram so will I need to purchase a seperate ticket or will the tram get me there? The Trams only are in Adam and it's Trains outside the city limits? Thus I will be taking a train to Alkmar and I will need a day pass being it's outside of the city limits? lol..dang I feel foolish.

Basicaly I would like to get around Adam and the surrounding areas with the least bit of ticketing hassle possible.

Can London be visited on a day trip or is staying a night required?

I assume I can simply take the train anywhere into the surrounding countries provided I have a passport and I will need to purchase seperate tickets for these trips individually?

fun_time
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-08, 7:59 pm

abc123Power Kat XXX
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A couple of things:


It's a train, not a tram from the airport. Just follow the signs from arrivals to the trains, you don't have to leave the airport, the train station is in the airport itself.

The one week pass (season ticket) is a great buy. A 7 day, one zone ticket is €10.60. It's good on all trams and buses except the night buses. You can add a second zone for €7.60 more but that's probably unnecessary as most of what you're likely to be doing is in zone #1. If you need to travel outside zone 1 you can show your pass to the conductor and pay the fare for one ride to whatever zone you're going to. See http://tinyurl.com/bcjzf You'll need a passport size picture to get the pass. There are picture machines in Centraal Station conveniently located directly across the street for the GVB office where you purchase the passes.

You need to take the train to Alkmar etc.

If you really wanted to have an hectic day you could take a day trip to London. But it would probably be crazy once you factor in the trips back and forth to whichever London airport you'd fly into. Check BMI and Easy Jet for flight info.
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-08, 9:23 pm

banana61Supporting Member
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You can indeed use train to visit nearby countries, most of which you do not need a passport to enter - i.e. no border checks - but as you should have ID with you anyway. Distances are beyond what a strippenkaart allows so you must buy seperate tickets. Do bear in mind that the journies will take several hours each way so don't be too ambitious or all you will see is a view from a train. You can get more info on international trains from the dutch railways website www.ns.nl, look for the english option at the top of the screen.

For the UK you will need a passport and possibly a visa depending on where you are from. As ABC123 says London can be done in a day - I regularly do so for business - but you will be terribly rushed to see even a fraction of what is there. From Schiphol you can fly to 5 airports surrounding London all with public transport links to the centre:
- City Airport is closest to the centre but flights are most expensive, look at VLM or KLM airlines
- Heathrow is the main international centre but it's very congested and the train in is expensive
- Gatwick, Luton and Stanstead are the other options: EasyJet flies to all from AMS
Flying mid-day will get you the best rates.

My own preference is usually Gatwick where there is a station attached to the terminal and a choice of stations in London: Waterloo, Victoria or Blackfriars depending on where you are going.

Be aware that the UK is expensive and London especially so. You will also need to change money to sterling whereas other countries surrounding NL also use Euros.
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-08, 9:52 pm

curiious
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ummm....hmmm...
I think if you only have 8 days in amsterdam spend them all in amsterdam rather than taking a day to go to Alkmaar and back.
And as for going to see London in a day, I don't know, that seems like such a rushed experience. Why don't you just wait until you can spend more time there?
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-09, 1:59 am

fun_time
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Righto Train from the airport. Sounds like London is best a overnighter and flying is the way to go. I agree that London could be rushing to much this time. There is so much to take in locally so Alkmaar might be the furthest I go, but I definately want to take a day trip or 2 and see the countryside at least. Thanks for the input!

The anticipation level here is sky high! :)

fun_time
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-09, 8:54 am

WoofieeSupporting Member
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Location: Utrecht
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The thing is, 8 days in Amsterdam is a lot. Alkmaar is less than an hour by train, and it's a good half-day trip. You could go friday morning to see the cheese market and then stay a bit to tour and shop, but mongering doesn't *really* start there until later in the evening, around 7pm. It's not a wasted day, but you will have a bit of waiting to do. Otherwise just do the evening there!
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-09, 5:11 pm

skipexcaliburSupporting Member
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Fun,

There are some decent day trips on busses available. You will see tours advertised in the shops on Damrak right above Centraal Station. There are several shops marketing them. If you are not familiar with the NL they are really decent and pretty reasonable (around 25-30 Euro). I took some the first few times I went to Amsterdam and was not disappointed. Generally they are all day trips and you can chose what you wish to see. The canal cruses are another interesting way to pass time if you have never been on one.

Woofiee is right about Alkmaar, except he lives in Holland and has been there before. I have a great time just walking around that city. They have a super Market Day on Saturday and I am able to spend hours just wandering around in it. I don't think it would be terribly difficult to pass a day in Alkmaar if you have never been.

Woof,

At what time does the Zaanpad get rolling?

Cheers,

Skip
Re: Upon Arrival
Posted: 2006-03-09, 7:54 pm

fun_time
Posts: 74
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Good points on Alkmaar and just keep in mind the mongering not till evening for the most part. I will be so impressed the everything..heck buildings over there are older than this country. I doubt I will get bored at any point in this trip.

I appreciate the bus concept and daytrip tours that sounds cool. I am thinking the boating would be a tad chilly...are they even open this time of year? I assume many canals do freeze.

Safer? Buses Trams Trains?

No toking on them either? Any chance to light up durring the bus stops or outside the train cabins?

fun_time
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