Staying in Zeist outside of Utrecht for a few nights in July. Would like some advice on getting into Amsterdam for a day visit. We will have a rental car but would it be smarter to take a train into the city to avoid traffic hassles and parking? If so, how close to the city would you recommend we drive in, and can you suggest places with ample parking but near transportation into the city? Or would it make more sense to just take a train from Utrecht itself? Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Chicago
7808 posts
Makes more sense to take the train roundtrip ticket which you can use to reach the center from Utrecht in 30 minutes.
There is no where to park and a lot crazy tourist of traffic. You will see even in Utrecht a lot of a bikes.
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
I have no experience with cars, but I guess you'd better get on a train at the station Driebergen-Zeist. It has a free parking lot, and is much easier to reach than a station in Utrecht.
Posted by
Utrecht
24 posts
From the station Driebergen-Zeist, there are (at least) four trains an hour to Amsterdam Central station, with one train change in Utrecht. This costs €9,50 per person, single way, if you use an OV-chipkaart.
Half of the times the train change in Utrecht is efficient: 2mins and just on the opposite side of the platform, which results in a total journey time of 38mins. The other half of the trains from Driebergen-Zeist have a less convenient train change of 8mins, resulting in a total journey time of 47mins.
You can plan these journeys on ns.nl/en or using their smartphone app, or use 9292.nl if you want to go to specific locations instead of train stations.
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Oops!
Driebergen-Zeist seems to be an unmanned station. Tickets can only be got from a machine, for which you either need coins or a functioning credit card.
Posted by
Salt Lake City, UT
103 posts
We will be doing something similar.
Any advice on a plan if we are staying in Vinkeveen? We planned on driving to the ouskirts (as close as needed to where we can use a GVB day pass) rather than paying for a longer train ticket and then a GVB.
Also, we will be doing this on Kings Day and I know part of the transit is shut down. But does anyone know just how far in or out of the center of the city this is? The website and maps have very little specific information on this.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7260 posts
Note that the last time I was in the Netherlands, they had absolutely ended acceptance of "swipe" credit cards, in favor of chip and PIN. I think hotels and rental car companies might still have swipe machines, but certainly not train stations.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
There is a network of Park-and-Ride facilities around the highway ring of Amsterdam (A10). They offer cheap-ish parking (€ 8) on the condition you use public transportation to reach the central areas. All Park-and-Ride facilities are very easy to access from the highway, and all have attached tram or subway service that will take you to the places you want to go.
Read everything about them: http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/plan-your-trip/getting-around/parking/park-and-ride
Posted by
Salt Lake City, UT
103 posts
Thanks for the tip Andre.
The ticket that is mentioned that is meant to be proof that you went to the city center, will a regular GVB full day ticket work for this or not? What would be my best ticket option for 2 adults and 2 kids for just one day in Amsterdam.
Also, do you know how far into the city the trams and trains will go on Kings Day?