Network
GVB metro M50–M54
Payment
OVpay or a valid GVB ticket
Airport
NS train, then metro if needed
Museum quarter
Vijzelgracht + walk
In short
Amsterdam’s metro is most useful for longer journeys: Centraal to De Pijp, Zuid to RAI, or the centre to Bijlmer ArenA. It does not serve Schiphol Airport directly, and it is not the best answer for every canal-belt walk.
- M52 connects Noord, Centraal, Rokin, Vijzelgracht, De Pijp, Europaplein and Zuid.
- GVB tickets cover the city metro; NS trains require their own valid fare unless your pass explicitly includes them.
- For Rijksmuseum, use Vijzelgracht plus a walk; there is no metro station named Museumplein.
- For EYE and A’DAM, the Buiksloterweg ferry from Centraal can be more useful than travelling to metro station Noord.
☰ Table of contents
Which Amsterdam metro line reaches your destination?
Five lines appear on the current network. M52 is the north–south visitor route; M50 follows the western and southern orbital corridor. M51, M53 and M54 share parts of the eastern approach, so read both the line number and its destination before boarding.
These are normal network routes, not a promise that every line operates unchanged during engineering work. The announced M1–M4 renumbering is planned for 2028; use the M50–M54 numbers for the current network.
M52 map: museum-quarter, De Pijp and RAI stops
The schematic below shows the complete M52 station order. It is not a geographic street map: allow separately for the walk between a station exit and the attraction entrance. Use the official GVB rail map for the full metro and tram network.
Rijksmuseum: Vijzelgracht
The museum’s own directions put Vijzelgracht less than ten minutes away on foot. Walk towards Museumstraat and the visitor entrance; do not look for a metro platform beneath Museumplein.
Albert Cuyp: De Pijp
Use De Pijp for Albert Cuypstraat and the surrounding food streets. The regular Albert Cuyp market does not operate on Sunday, although the neighbourhood remains worth visiting.
RAI: Europaplein
Europaplein serves the RAI district on M52. Amsterdam RAI railway station is a different stop on the southern rail corridor: choose the entrance for your particular event.
ArenA: Bijlmer ArenA
For Johan Cruijff ArenA, AFAS Live or Ziggo Dome, plan around Bijlmer ArenA and the event’s entrance instructions. From Centraal, M54 is the normal direct metro corridor.
Metro tickets, OVpay and GVB day-pass prices
A short metro journey paid with OVpay is charged by distance, while a GVB day ticket gives a defined period of unlimited GVB travel. A GVB pass is not an NS railway ticket, even where the train and metro use the same station building. The figures below are the operator’s 2026 tariffs, checked on 25 October.
GVB Max is automatic with eligible OVpay travel when you use the same card or device and complete check-in and check-out. A plastic bank card and that card in a phone wallet count as different payment forms. OV-chipkaart journeys do not qualify for this cap. Follow the activation instructions for the exact mobile or physical ticket format you buy.
What to know
- A day spent between Centraal, De Pijp and the museum quarter can involve several GVB journeys; compare their actual cost with the €10 GVB 24-hour ticket.
- At Zuid, check out of NS before checking into GVB when changing from an airport train to M52.
- Keep the same phone, watch or bank card for every OVpay tap in a journey; do not change devices at the exit.
Keep in mind
- Do not use a GVB metro day ticket as proof of payment on the NS train to Schiphol.
- Do not confuse GVB Max’s daytime service-day cap with a 24-hour ticket that also includes GVB night buses.
- Do not assume an I amsterdam City Card, Amsterdam Travel Ticket and GVB day ticket have identical transport coverage.
How to enter, change metro lines and check out
At major stations such as Centraal, Zuid and Amstel, NS and GVB facilities sit close together. Follow the operator’s signs and readers rather than assuming that one station entry pays for every service inside.
- Choose the GVB entrance. For the metro, use a GVB gate or reader. At an NS/GVB interchange, first finish the journey with the operator you are leaving.
- Check in with your own ticket or payment device. Each OVpay traveller needs a separate card or device. Keep the same physical card, phone or watch for the later exit tap.
- Read the line and destination. On M52, Noord and Zuid identify opposite directions. On the eastern branches, M53 towards Gaasperplas and M54 towards Gein are not interchangeable.
- Check out when leaving the metro. Keep the payment form or ticket accessible until you have passed the exit. When moving to an NS train or a GVB bus/tram, follow that service’s own check-in procedure.
A transfer between metro platforms within the same paid area is different from leaving the gates and starting another service. If a route planner sends you out to street level, follow the signed exit and the readers for the next vehicle rather than trying to bypass validation.
Schiphol connections: why the metro does not go to the airport
Schiphol has an NS railway station beneath the terminal, not a GVB metro station. Choose the train destination for the part of Amsterdam you need. A direct train to Centraal suits the old centre; a train to Zuid followed by M52 can suit De Pijp or the RAI corridor. Check that the specific train calls at your chosen station.
Amsterdam Travel Ticket and Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket combine particular rail and local services under their own rules. They count consecutive calendar days, unlike GVB’s timed 24/48/72-hour products. A standard GVB day ticket excludes the NS airport train and Connexxion Airport Express 397; GVB bus 369 is a separate GVB option between Schiphol and Sloterdijk.
Late metro journeys from Noord and Bijlmer ArenA
Do not plan an overnight return on the assumption that Amsterdam’s metro runs continuously on Saturday. Look up the last departure from the actual station and in the direction you need, especially after a concert at Bijlmer ArenA or an event around RAI.
For an evening at EYE or A’DAM, the Buiksloterweg ferry is a different transport corridor from metro station Noord. GVB operates the Centraal–Buiksloterweg and Centraal–NDSM ferries day and night; the walk and ferry landing still need to match your destination. If your return depends on a night bus, check its route and ticket separately: GVB Max excludes night buses.
Step-free stations, lifts and the walk to the entrance
A station with a lift does not by itself establish that the whole outing is step-free. Check the lift status for the station you will actually use, the correct exit, the transfer at an interchange and the final street route. Centraal’s ferry side, a canal bridge and a museum entrance are separate access questions.
For Rijksmuseum, combine the Vijzelgracht station route with the museum’s own entrance guidance. For a canal-house visit on Herengracht, ask about interior stairs as well as the journey from Rokin or Waterlooplein. If a lift outage changes the route, allow for the replacement stop and the extra outdoor distance.
When a tram or ferry is more useful than the metro
The metro network deliberately misses much of the fine-grained canal belt. Use it for the longer link, then choose the street-level transport that fits the neighbourhood.
Jordaan and Nine Streets
For small canal streets around Prinsengracht and the Nine Streets, compare a tram plus a short walk with walking from Centraal or Rokin. M52 does not stop in every canal-belt neighbourhood.
Museumplein
Vijzelgracht is a useful M52 approach, but a tram stop near Museumplein or Rijksmuseum may reduce the final walk. Check the tram’s current route before assuming it runs through Centraal.
EYE and A’DAM
From Centraal, head to the IJ-side ferry landing for Buiksloterweg when that is your destination. Metro station Noord is farther into the district and is not an alternative name for this waterfront.
STRAAT and NDSM
Choose the NDSM ferry for the former shipyard and STRAAT area. Boarding the Buiksloterweg ferry simply because both destinations are in Noord leaves a different onward journey.
Frequently asked questions
Does Amsterdam metro M52 go to Schiphol Airport?
No. Schiphol is served by NS trains and buses. You can change between an NS train and M52 at Zuid or Centraal where appropriate; the train and metro require valid payment for their respective operators.
Which metro station should I use for Rijksmuseum?
Vijzelgracht on M52 is a useful approach. Rijksmuseum describes the walk as less than ten minutes. Museumplein is not a metro station, and the final walk to the correct museum entrance remains part of the visit.
Can I tap a bank card on the Amsterdam metro?
Yes, eligible contactless bank cards, credit cards and mobile wallets work through OVpay. Use the same payment form at check-in and check-out. Each traveller needs their own form of payment; a phone wallet is different from the plastic card.
Is the €10.50 GVB Max cap the same as a €10 day ticket?
No. GVB Max caps eligible OVpay travel on GVB daytime lines within the service day. The GVB 24-hour ticket has rolling timed validity and includes GVB night buses. Neither is a general NS railway ticket.
Does the metro run all night on Saturday?
Do not assume continuous overnight service. Check the last train from your station in your direction. For some late returns you need a night bus; the Buiksloterweg and NDSM ferries from Centraal are separate day-and-night services.
Are the Amsterdam metro lines already called M1 to M4?
No. GVB has announced the new numbering for 2028. The current network uses M50, M51, M52, M53 and M54, subject to temporary service changes.
Rijksmuseum and Johan Cruijff ArenA visits by metro
Vijzelgracht is a useful approach to Rijksmuseum; Bijlmer ArenA serves the stadium district. The museum admission and stadium experience below have their own bookings. A metro fare covers the journey, not admission.
