Traveling by Bus
The bus is a convenient means of transport for travelling within a city or from the city to surrounding villages and towns. Buses stop at a station after a few stops, from where you can also travel by metro, train or tram.
To travel by bus you can use an OV-chipcard. You can put a balance on the ov-chipkaart at a station, online or order a card with balance. Another option is to order a day pass. You can also pay for a one-way journey by debit card on the bus.
Available Bus TicketsThe Bus
There are extensive city and regional bus lines in Holland. This means that, wherever you are in Holland, there are bus services that will take you to most places, quickly and affordably. While bus companies vary per region, the connections are generally excellent, so you can reach your destination quickly.
You will need a valid ticket to travel by bus: a single-use chip card or an anonymous OV-chipkaart (smart card). Single-use chip cards can also be bought from the driver on the bus, but that usually costs more.
Traveling by bus and using the OV-chipkaart
All means of public transport in Holland require a so-called OV-chipkaart, a smart card that is valid on the bus, tram, metro and train. Since there is no specific OV-chipkaart for tourists, we recommend using an ‘anonymous’ OV-chipcard.
This smart card costs € 8,- but comes without travel credit, so you must charge credit to the card at a service desk or (NS) yellow service machine. You must have a positive balance on your anonymous OV-chipcard to use the bus, tram or metro or at least 20€ for travelling with NS trains .
Once charged, you can use your anonymous OV-chipkaart anywhere on the bus, tram and metro right away! Always make sure to check in when boarding your bus, train or metro and don’t forget to check out (in the bus) upon arrival.
Buy your Public Transport Chip Card
National Public Transport Tickets Holland
Day tickets and single-use chip card
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and a few other cities offer special one to seven-day tickets for tourists. A perfect way to travel throughout the city without limitations at a special rate. If you don’t have an anonymous OV-chipkaart, you can also buy a single-use chip card, which is suitable for short trips and offers limited-time validity for bus, tram or metro in a city.
Single-use chip cards are suitable for the incidental traveller. If you plan to use public transport services in Holland more than once, an anonymous OV-chipkaart is more practical and usually the cheaper option.
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Public Transport Tickets Amsterdam
Public Transport Tickets Amsterdam
Public Transport Tickets Amsterdam
Public Transport Tickets Delft
Public Transport Tickets The Hague
Traveling beyond the bus
Although buses are an easy and affordable way to travel within cities and to nearby towns and villages, they are not the only public transport option in Holland. For longer distances, traveling by train is often faster and more comfortable. The Dutch railway network connects all major cities as well as many smaller towns, making it ideal for traveling across the country.
Train services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and can be used with the same OV-chipkaart as buses, trams and metro. Just like with other public transport, you must check in before boarding and check out after arrival. Traveling by train is a convenient way to combine city trips with journeys between different regions in Holland.
Buy train tickets