Please explain Amsterdam transportation tickets

As of this past December, there were clearly no vending machines where the symbols on that map indicate. The only sort of automatic ticket machines for the tramlines I saw in Amsterdam Centraal were all out of order and in the process of being removed.

If you only need the tram to go back and forth from Amsterdam Centraal to your lodgings, you can just pay as you go on the tram.

Steve writes:

You get your train tickets at Schipol to get into town, you buy tram tickets from the vending machines at the stops.

In over twenty trips to Amsterdam, I have not once spotted a machine selling tickets at any tram stop.

My advice is to buy the unlimited 48 hour pass. They can be purchased at the GVB office across the tram track in front of Centraal Station.

According to the website, the machines aren't located at tram stops, but at retail shops scattered across the city. The same shops that used to sell the old strip tickets. Here's a Google map giving exact locations:

google map

Those locations are referring to machines directly underground inside the Metro Station.

Well, aside from disagreeing where to get the ticket, as I recall, the ticket has a proximity chip in it, when you get on the first tram, put the card next to the sensor and this starts your hour, or day, or two days of travel depending on the ticket. Different than most cities though, I believe that you need to swipe the card on exiting, then on entry and exit every time you use the tram. For some tickets, forgetting to swipe out may mean you can not swipe in on the next tram. Other than that, the cards are easy to use and are good for the trams, buses, and Metro. I find that if I have a two day pass like suggested, I use the system much more, and while Amsterdam is a wonderful walking city, it can be nice to hop on a tram to farther destinations.

Thanks everyone for all your help. Ok so is riding a tram like riding a bus? What do I need to do to indicate to the driver when I need to get off at my stop? Sorry for my lack of knowledge we never use public trasportation here. So any help on how to actually ride would be much appreciated.

Wendy

You signal to the driver by pushing a button. There are multiple buttons throughout the tram. The Jordaan district sits close enough to Centraal station that there will likely be several people getting off at the same stop as you.

Yeah, my experience in any busy city during the day is that the transport winds up stopping at virtually every stop, either due to someone getting off or people waiting to get on. Also keep an eye out for protocol, many trams and buses (can't specifically remember Amsterdam) have a specific entry and exit (Enter in the front, exit in the back, or enter on either end, exit in the middle) that is expected but not always strictly enforced.