Amsterdam - do you need a tram pass or can you walk everywhere?

I've always just walked, the central core is compact. Once or twice I rode the tram, but just bought a ticket since I pass made no sense (and I have no idea what the price differential would have been). From Centraal to Dam Square is less than a half mile - - ten minutes, probably less.

The city center is compact and very walkable and scenic, but I do use the trams extensively when I visit. I tend to walk to an attraction then take tram on the way back the hotel or another attraction at the other side of the centrum. By the end of the day my legs thanks me:)

This is my opinion: many people miss A LOT of very scenic and interesting areas in Amsterdam because they limit themselves to places they can walk. Example: Plantage district, the new, trendy IJbrug are with its restaurants and scenic views, the CoBra museum in Amstelveen and even the Oud Zuid nice streets and its market. I think it is ALWAYS good to have some kind of public transport pass because it allows you to have an easy choice and reach larger areas. Constraining yourself to walking limits the place you will visit.

Whether you can walk everywhere or need a pass of some kind actually depends on how much you are comfortable walking in a day. From Centraal Station to the Van Gogh Museum, which covers the core distance of the city from top to bottom, is only 1.8 miles. Flat miles. With many things to see on the way. So how far can you walk, knowing you can stop and rest whenever you want? Centraal to the Dam is 900 meters. 900 fascinating meters with many things to stop and look at.
One can always get a tram ticket when needed without having to commit to the cost of a pass...

"...Centraal to the Dam is 900 meters. 900 fascinating meters with many things to stop and look at..." Fascinating??? IMO it's the ugliest part of the city. Unless you find KFC and dodgy casinos fascinating;)

We stayed in a hotel along one of the canals. Had my parents with us. We walked everywhere (so many interesting things to see). Never found any need or interest to use public transportation. However this was in Summer with long days. In my opinion, had we taken the trams we would have missed some experiences we had while wandering some back roads and canals- young school kids walking home along the canals in their klompen for example, hoisting a piano up to a top floor using the house pulleys

To Michael Schneider: I am beginning to feel that you have started to look for and single out my posts to criticize. But to reply with a positive comment regarding the ACYUAL discussion -
Canals and churches and old architecture are fascinating, which are in abundance all the way to the Dam from Centraal.

The quickest and shortest route between Centraal and Dam is via Damrak Street, there are no scenic canals or churches on this stretch...mostly souvenir stores, casinos, and fast food joints. Folks can judge for themselves by taking a virtual walk here: http://g.co/maps/phqjv Obviously if one wants to take a detour and take a longer route, things will look different.

Thank all of you for your responses. We will be in Amsterdam for two and a half days and were debating whether it was worth it to pay the 15 euros or so for a tram pass, buy the Iamsterdam card or pay as you go.

I wouldn't nominate the area between Amsterdam Centraal and Dam as the ugliest section of the city (go to some of the outer districts for that), but it's probably the least attractive district that most visitors will see. The last time I visited Amsterdam, I rode a tram twice- going to my hotel near Leidseplein and leaving the city two days later. As far as the inner ring of canals, you can walk just about anywhere (although you'll walk a lot). Better yet, get a bicycle... and hope it doesn't rain...

You're very welcome. As the price of the IAmsterdam card includes a tram pass, you'll have to use the trams enough to make it cost effective. Do a rough itinerary of the sites you're likely to visit and discounts might take advantage of, and add-in the number of times you're likely to ride the trams at 2 euros a ride. If you'll be using public transit a lot it's a very good deal.

I wouldn't recommend the IAmsterdam card. I was in Amsterdam for 2.5 days a few years ago and bought the 3-day pass card. With the card, you get a tram pass and can get into a lot of museums for free or with a discount, but the Anne Frankhuis, highest on my list of "museums," wasn't on the card, and a lot of museums that I didn't care about were on the card. Do your research and decide if the card is worth buying. The city is very walkable but you might want a combination of walking and tram-riding, not just if you're tired but also if you're in a time crunch.

And for the cost of walking 250 extra feet or so from Centraal to Dam Sq., one can walk down the lovely Oudezijds Voorburgwal, a lovely canal walk the entire way, passing the Ooude Kirk, swinging by the Hotel Krasnopolsky...of course, this does not let one walk by the wonderful Stock Exchange on Damrak, nor let one investigate the signs that show that Damrak is a filled-in canal. But Dam Square is surrounded by fast food joints, drug stores,tourist traps (Madame Tussaud's), a shopping mall one could find at home (Magna Plaza), so why even go there? The point is, someone has as usual asked HOW to do something - not WHAT to do. One would think most readers of this board are interested in the HOW.
This calls to mind the lengthy thread from earlier this summer regarding why people don't answer the question, a thread that seems to have been removed. The gist of this thread was why when people ask a specific question it falls on some people to have to respond to them that their question is wrong, the information they want is not what they need, and then give out information that pertains to the responder's wishes. And then further pointlessly argue on the board when other information to answer the question gets posted.

Speaking of Oudezijds Voorburgwal, it has the honor of playing host to the flagship FEBO outlet. FEBO is a local fast food chain with an "automat" type set up. Great fries, delicious shakes and other greasy fare. Excellent place to deal with those Amsterdam munchies;) http://g.co/maps/gu7pn

Linda, in my opinion , needing a pass depends on where you are staying and where you want to go. Yes, you can walk almost everywhere in Amsterdam; but, if you have a pass, you might enjoy seeing more by tram. Our experience is that one ticket seems pricy, especially if there are 4 of you . This last trip we wound up sleeping near Centraal so it was easy to buy a pass and easy to jump on the tram to Leidesplein for dinner or over to Waterloo for the flea market/ Hermitage Museum/ Rembrandtplein. In the past we've walked it from Vondel park to Damrak, but we had more time with the pass= this time exploring the Nine Little Streets area.