Amsterdam Pass and Other Passes

Amsterdam has many attractions and regardless of your budget and the duration of your trip, there are several tourist passes that will allow you to enjoy all of them at a very low cost.

Vicky Del Moral

Vicky Del Moral

8 min read

Amsterdam Pass and Other Passes

Typical Amsterdam lean-to houses | ©Bernard Niess

There are different Amsterdam tourist passes, but what they all agree on is that they are a kind of flat rate that allows you to make the most of your trip saving time waiting at the entrance of the main attractions and spending less money.

The most flexible option

Amsterdam Explorer Pass

Ideal for long stays

From the moment you activate this pass you will have a total of 60 days to see up to 7 of Amsterdam's top attractions and enjoy discounts of up to 50% on the rest.

If you book the Amsterdam Explorer Pass you will have the possibility to choose between 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 attractions of the 30 that are included in the list and, in addition, you will have discounts up to 50% in many others. Best of all, you will have a maximum of 60 days to use it so it gives you a lot of flexibility. It is advisable to book in advance through the Go City app.

Recommended if... If you are going to spend more than a week in Amsterdam and want to see the different attractions and museums at your own pace, as you will be able to save on your visits.

The most economical option

Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass

Don't miss the essentials

You can purchase a 1, 2, 3 or 5-day pass with which you will have access to more than 30 attractions, you can ride a bike and take a cruise.

If you book the Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass, available for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days, you will have access to more than 30 attractions and guided tours, plus discounts of up to 50% in entertainment venues and restaurants, you can get around by bike at no extra cost and you have the opportunity to take a cruise.

Recommended if... you want to see at an affordable price the main attractions of Amsterdam.

The most complete option

I Amsterdam City Card

Make the most of your stay in Amsterdam.

You can purchase a 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 or 5-day pass with which you will have free access to more than 70 museums and attractions, you can ride a bike for 24 hours, use unlimited public transportation or enjoy a cruise.

If you book the I Amsterdam City Card for 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours, you will have free access to more than 70 museums and attractions in Amsterdam. But, in addition, you can move freely and comfortably, at no additional cost, both by bike for 24 hours and unlimited public transport and a cruise on the canals is included.

Recommended if... If you are an active person, who wants to see as many attractions as possible in the shortest possible time at an economical price.

Amsterdam Explorer Pass

Transportation in Amsterdam|©TheBigF
Transportation in Amsterdam|©TheBigF

If you book the Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass you will have access to 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 of the 30 most visited attractions in Amsterdam and, in addition, you will have the possibility to save up to 50% in other sites and venues in the city. A wide range of attractions is included, from the Rijksmuseum to the Heineken Experience, including a bus tour of Volendam, Edam and the windmills, and a cruise on Amsterdam's canals.

Card validity

The card lasts up to 60 days from when it is activated and you will need to pre-book from the Go City app to ensure you don't run out.

My recommendation

Undoubtedly, it is the card I recommend if you are going to spend a long stay in Amsterdam, as it will have a maximum validity of 60 days, allowing you to see in a flexible way what interests you most and investing the time you want in the attractions you prefer. All this while saving on the price of admission.

How it works

  • Includes admission to 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 attractions.
  • You have up to a maximum of 60 days to use it.
  • A digital guide and the Go City app with map and directions are provided.
  • Only one visit per attraction is allowed and advance reservations are required.
  • The pass is valid for two years from the date of purchase and is activated on the first visit.

Book the Amsterdam Explorer Pass

Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass

Rijksmuseum| ©Frans Ruiter
Rijksmuseum| ©Frans Ruiter

The Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass will give you access to 30 of the capital's museums and attractions and save you up to 50% on your individual tickets, as well as the possibility to move around the city unlimited on board one of its tourist buses or one of the pleasant cruises along its famous canals.

Validity of the card

This card can be personalized and you will pay only for the days you want to use it (you can choose 1, 2, 3 or 5 full days). It works for calendar days, so to get the most out of it, activate it first thing in the morning by visiting the first attraction you want and it will start counting the time of use. In addition, it is digital, i.e., you purchase it, receive it and use it directly from your phone. It also includes the transfer to and from the airport in a bus.

My recommendation

I recommend you to get the Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass if you go to Amsterdam and any of its surroundings and if you are interested not only in the most cultural attractions of the city, (such as its main art gallery Rijksmuseum or Rembrandt's house museum), but also other leisure attractions, such as the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, a comedy show at the Boom Chicago, a visit to the Johan Cruyff Arena or the Amsterdam Dungeon.

It also includes a visit to the famous A'dam Lookout, an observation deck with a unique panoramic view from the top of the A'dam Tower and the fun Heineken Experience, where you can learn about the brewery-museum of the most iconic beer of Holland and even make your own beer.

How it works

  • It is a 1, 2, 3 or 5-day pass valid for entry to more than 30 museums, attractions and guided tours.
  • Digital guide with information about the attractions.
  • Passes are valid once at each attraction and the tour is included only once; however, boat and tour bus rides are unlimited.
  • Adult passes are for ages 12 and older and children's passes are for children ages 3-12.
  • Direct access to the included museums and attractions is not guaranteed. Many of them require advance admission.

Book the Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass

I Amsterdam City Card

I Amsterdam City Card-1|©Ariane Colenbrander
I Amsterdam City Card-1|©Ariane Colenbrander

If you book the I Amsterdam City Card you will have access for 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 or 5 days to a total of 70 museums in Amsterdam and enjoy a cruise on its famous canals. In addition, you can rent a Yellow Bike for a period of 24 hours and unlimited use of public transport.

Card validity

The card will be active for 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours, at your choice. However, it has two chips that will be activated separately. One will be activated when you enter a museum or attraction for the first time, while the other will be activated when you use public transportation for the first time. Keep in mind that it works for calendar days, so activate it first thing in the morning so you can take advantage of it 100%.

My recommendation

It is highly recommended if you are an active person, who wants to see as many attractions as possible in the shortest possible time and at an economical price, as you have a very wide range of attractions. In fact, it is the card that includes a wider list of places of interest.

How it works

  • The card will be active for 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 or 5 days.
  • You will have free access to more than 70 museums and attractions.
  • You will be able to rent bicycles for 24 hours and unlimited use of public transportation.
  • You will have the possibility to take a cruise on the canals of Amsterdam.
  • Advance booking is recommended.

Book the I Amsterdam City Card

Holland Pass

Van Gogh Museum| ©Alan de la Cruz
Van Gogh Museum| ©Alan de la Cruz

The Holland Pass is very similar to the Amsterdam Pass in terms of benefits, with significant savings in queues and up to 50% on the price of tickets to attractions. However, as its name suggests, this card not only includes attractions in Amsterdam, but also in other cities in the country, such as Rotterdam, The Hague, Giethoorn, Volendam, Haarlem and Utrecht, with a total of 60 attractions.

So, if you not only want to know the capital, but take advantage to know well the Netherlands through some of its most important cities, I would not think about it and would acquire the Holland Pass, which is also valid for 1 month from its first use.

How it works

The Holland Pass works by credits to redeem for "gold" and "silver" attractions, according to their importance. In addition to including a comprehensive guide to the Netherlands with maps, information and itineraries, the Holland Pass does not include access to the A'dam Lookout and the Heineken Experience, but allows entry to the indispensable Van Gogh Museum (for which I advise you to visit the redemption point as soon as possible to check availability) and the Keukenhof Gardens and Madame Tussauds.

Holland Pass large. From 80 €.

  • 3 museums or attractions in the gold category.
  • 3 museums or attractions of the silver category.

Holland Pass medium. From 60 €.

  • 2 museums or attractions of the gold category.
  • 2 museums or attractions of the silver category.

Holland Pass small. From 45 €

  • 1 museum or attraction of the gold category.
  • 2 museums or attractions of the silver category.

One day pass for canal cruises

Amsterdam Cruise| ©Maria Eklind
Amsterdam Cruise| ©Maria Eklind

That Amsterdam is popularly known as the 'Venice of the North' can help you visualize how a boat ride along some of its 160 canals crossed by more than 1,200 bridges is also a practical, fun and different way to tour the city. It's an experience you should experience at least one day of your trip, although you can choose up to a 48-hour voucher along its two differentiated routes, the Blue line and the Orange line.

Why I like this pass

With this cruise pass you'll be able to organize your Amsterdam sightseeing from the comfort of your seat aboard a boat while listening to an audio guide about the history of the city and the sights you'll see during your cruise. You can decide on the fly where you want to get on and get off again to visit places like the city's main art gallery, the Rijksmuseum, the Albert Cuyp Market, the A'dam Lookout, the Anne Frank House and the Heineken factory.

If you are interested in knowing more details about what the Heineken Experience is all about, I leave you here linked my article on Heineken Experience Tickets and Tours in Amsterdam so you can read more about it.


If you are interested in tourist cards, you will also be interested in

Neighborhood of the 9 streets| ©Gerard Stolk
Neighborhood of the 9 streets| ©Gerard Stolk

With guaranteed access to the best attractions of the city (or the country), you just have to enjoy it. A good way to do this is to walk through its streets and neighborhoods with a specialized guide who will explain everything you see. I have written a guide about 6 Best Amsterdam Tours.

If in addition to visiting Amsterdam you have decided to get the Holland Pass to discover the best of the country, I recommend you to read this article on 5 Best Day Trips from Amsterdam to plan your visit to the best destinations in the Netherlands.

Book the Amsterdam All Inclusive Pass