luggage in Amsterdam trams?

Just came from there a month ago. By trams you mean bus or the streetcar? I did not notice any luggage racks. It seemed pretty tight for luggage. Everyone I was on had lots of people. If you mean a train luggage is no problem.
Dorothea

No luggage racks on the trams. Just take your luggage on and stand by it.

The trams are like city buses - no luggage space, and potentially very crowded. Some trams have steps to get on and off, as well. In addition, when getting on and off, you have to check in and check out with your transit card (placing it on the sensor near the door), which can be hard when manipulating large luggage on and off the tram (it doesn't stop for that long at a stop). A 28-30" bag is very large - I managed with my 24" bag, but I live in New York and am used to navigating mass transit with luggage. In your situation, you may just want to take a cab from the station.

Luann, I didn't have a problem travelling on the Amsterdam Trams (Street Cars) with luggage (although the last time I did that, it was fairly early so not many passengers). Which Hotel are you staying at? A trip of 2 kM won't take long. If you're going to be in Amsterdam a few days, I'd suggest getting a Transit Pass (perhaps the 3-day version). It looks like a paper card, but has an embedded chip. Just touch the card on the Reader when you enter the Tram and again when you disembark. That makes it very easy to get around! Happy travels!

I would suggest taxi. The trams we were on were very crowded, standing room only and there are steps to navigate as well.

Depends upon what time you are arriving. We arrived during the evening and the trams were not very crowded so we were fine - we each had a carry on size piece and a rolling bag that fits over head on a plane. I don't know how the construction in the area is this year but last year in September the construction in front of the train station obscured the tram stop to the right when we exited the station. We exited and went directly to the TI in front (just a few steps away) to purchase a transit pass, then back towards the station to wait for our tram - when our number didn't arrive within 10 minutes we walked forward a little and caught sight of the other tram drop off/pick up on the right past the construction. It may be easier to see the two areas during daylight, but in the evening it wasn't so easy. When we returned to the train station a week later it was during rush hour so we took a cab as we knew it would be hard to negotiate our luggage on a crowded tram....cab driver asked us where were headed and dropped us off around the back of the station - we were just steps away from our train track back to Paris!

Thanks for everyone's help. We will be there next Saturday about 10 AM. So maybe it won't be so busy on the trams. I myself am thinking it will be alot easier on a cab. Maybe since there are 8 of us we can do this two different ways. I wonder how long it would take to get 8 of us, each with a large piece of luggage on the same tram!! Thanks again. Luann

I'm going to veer the conversation a bit here... Are the 8 of you planning on doing much moving around? If so, the tram is the least of your concerns. If you really need that much stuff, can you split it between 2 bags (at least in Europe; your airline may only allow 1 piece of free checked luggage)? This would be much more manageable if you're planning on taking trains later on in your trip (if you're going anywhere else other than Amsterdam)...

Are you saying 8 people, all with an oversized piece of luggage, want to fit on the same tram? Good luck with that! I think you will need at least 2 taxis to accommodate such large luggage. How long are you traveling? My husband and I travel for 4 weeks with only a carry on and personal item each.

I just had to post again. Can't see any way you can get all eight with that sized luggage on same tram, not even sure if can get all that with just two taxi. Maybe you could possibly get a van similar to ones at airports? Don't remember seeing any of them but it might be possible.

Not all are that large. Most are more like 23"-27".

Getting on for eight people with luggage isn't a problem, since the tram starts at Centraal Station. The problem is getting off. As I said, the tram stops for a short time at each stop, you have to tap your card before exiting, and there can be stairs. The only way this will work is if you split up, with not all of you sitting near one exit, so you can exit through separate doors. Also, some doors are "enter only" and some doors are "exit only." Be sure you're sitting near the exit doors (not the ones with the red slash). Look at a map and know your stop, and the stop before yours. After the tram leaves the stop before, get up, gather your all belongings, make your way to the exit door, and get ready to be off the tram as soon as it comes to a stop (not forgetting, of course, to check out with your transit card by tapping it to the sensor before leaving). If this doesn't sound like something you can manage, don't try it. Take two cabs, and learn how to use the trams later, when you're not encumbered. You can then decide if you want to try them with luggage for the return trip.

I really don't think any of this is a big deal. Amsterdam has lots of tourists, a big chunk of them take the trams to get to their hotel with their luggage, and I've never noticed anyone having problems exiting the trams. Once the doors are open the tram isn't going to move until everyone who wants to get off, gets off. Where exactly is your hotel? You say it's 2km from CS which would be away for the central tourist zone, and the probability is higher that there might be a metro stop close to your hotel, which would make more room for you group and their bags.