GVB (Amsterdam)


GVB is the municipal public transport operator for Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, operating metro, tram, bus and ferry services in the metropolitan area of Amsterdam.
WWW gvb.nlFB GVBverbindtIN gvb

History

The forerunner of the GVB, the Gemeentetram Amsterdam, was established on 1 January 1900 by the city after it acquired a number of private companies. The first electric tram ran on 14 August 1900. In 1925, the GTA introduced its first bus line. In 1943, Gemeentetram merged with Gemeenteveren Amsterdam, the municipal ferry company, to form Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam. In 1977, the first metro line was introduced.
By 2002, the organization was simply called GVB. In 2007, the GVB became a private corporation under the name GVB Activa B.V., wholly owned by the City of Amsterdam; previously, the GVB was part of the City Of Amsterdam. Between 2006 and 2016, Stadsregio Amsterdam was the authority responsible for all public transport in the greater Amsterdam area; it granted a concession (contract) to the GVB to provide public transport services. In 2010, Stadsregio Amsterdam extended the concession of the GVB for the period 2012–2017, and at the end of 2013, further extended it until 2024. On 1 January 2017, Vervoerregio Amsterdam replaced Stadsregio Amsterdam as the public transport authority for the greater Amsterdam area.

Network

The GVB operates a number of public transportation networks in and around the city of Amsterdam, including:
  • 5 metro lines, partly elevated, no level crossings.
  • 14 tram routes, on street, partly mixed with all other traffic, partly on lanes shared with buses and taxis, and partly on separate lanes.
  • 46 bus routes; buses often mix with other traffic, but sometimes on lanes shared with trams and taxis, or for buses only.
  • 10 Ferry routes across the IJ; at least one is frequent, operating 24 hours a day, free of charge.
The newest metro line is the North/South line, which was opened on 22 July 2018.

Metro

Metro routes

Light rail

Former light rail route

Until 3 March 2019, line 51 to Amstelveen was a metro service between Central Station and Station Zuid. At Station Zuid it switched from third rail to pantograph and catenary wires. From there to Amstelveen Centrum it shared its track with tram line 5. The light rail vehicles on this line were capable of using both 600V and 750V DC power supplies.

Tram

Tram routes

Buses

, GVB bus services had 22 regular daytime routes, 8 rush-hour routes, 11 night routes of which just 2 routes run seven days a week. One route runs between Schiphol Airport and Sloterdijk station.
Three routes offer free rides to the Gelderlandplein shopping centre in the Buitenveldert neighbourhood of Amsterdam.
, there were 233 buses in the fleet of which 31 were electric.
The busiest bus route as of 2017, is bus route 21, running every 8 minutes or less, seven days a week.

Bus routes

LineRouteNotes
15Station Sloterdijk – Station Zuid
18Amsterdam Centraal – Slotervaart
21Amsterdam Centraal – Geuzenveld
22Station Sloterdijk – Muiderpoortstation
34Noorderpark – Olof Palmeplein
35Molenwijk – Olof Palmeplein
36Station Noord – Station Sloterdijk
37Station Noord – Amstelstation
38Buiksloterham – Station Noord
40Amstelstation – Muiderpoortstation
41Station Holendrecht – Muiderpoortstation
43Amsterdam Centraal – Borneo-eiland
44Station Bijlmer ArenA – Diemen-Noord
47Station Bijlmer ArenA – Station Holendrecht
48Amsterdam Centraal – Houthavens
49Station Bijlmer ArenA – Station WeespOperates during daytime hours on weekdays only.
61Station Sloterdijk – Osdorpplein
62Station Lelylaan – Amstelstation
63Station Lelylaan – Osdorp De Aker
65KNSM-eiland – Station Zuid
66Station Bijlmer ArenA – IJburg
68Metrostation Henk Sneevlietweg – RiekerpolderOperates during daytime hours on weekdays only.
231Station Sloterdijk – AbberdaanRush hour commuter route
232Station Sloterdijk – WestpoortRush hour commuter route
233Station Sloterdijk – WestpoortRush hour commuter route
245Molenwijk – Schiphol ZuidEarly morning one-way route to Schipol Airport
246Borneo-eiland – Schiphol ZuidEarly morning one-way route to Schipol Airport
247Bos en Lommerplein – Schiphol ZuidEarly morning one-way route to Schipol Airport
267Anderlechtlaan – John M. KeynespleinRush hour commuter route
369Station Sloterdijk – SchipholOperates to and from Schipol Airport
461Gelderlandplein – Gustav MahlerpleinOnly operates during late morning and afternoon hours
463Gelderlandplein – BolesteinOnly operates during late morning and afternoon hours
464Gelderlandplein – VivaldiOnly operates during late morning and afternoon hours

Night bus routes

These routes operate as a hub and spoke model. Hours of operation are extended longer on Saturday and Sunday mornings due to a later start of service for daytime routes.
LineRouteDays of Operation
N81Centraal Station - Station SloterdijkFriday and weekend nights
N82Centraal Station - GeuzenveldFriday and weekend nights
N83Centraal Station - Osdorp De AkerFriday and weekend nights
N84Centraal Station - Amstelveen BusstationFriday and weekend nights
N85Centraal Station - Station GeinNightly
N86Centraal Station - Station Bijlmer ArenAWeekend nights
N87Centraal Station - Station Bijlmer ArenANightly
N88Centraal Station - Nieuw SlotenFriday and weekend nights
N89Centraal Station - IJburgFriday and weekend nights
N91Centraal Station - NieuwendamFriday and weekend nights
N93Centraal Station - MolenwijkFriday and weekend nights

Ferries

Since 1 July 2013, GVB Veren has been operating ferry services crossing both the IJ and the North Sea Canal on behalf of the City of Amsterdam. Most of these ferries offer free rides for pedestrians and cyclists. Within the City of Amsterdam, there are seven ferry routes across the IJ, two of which operate overnight. Outside of Amsterdam, the GVB operates three ferry routes across the North Sea Canal at Zaandam, Velsen and Assendelft. The GVB has 19 ferry boats servicing these routes, and is replacing diesel-powered ferries with electrically-operated vessels. The ferries have a maximum speed of.
Ferry routes crossing the IJ are:
  • F1: Azartplein to Zamenhofstraat
  • F2: Central Station to IJplein
  • F3: Central Station to Buiksloterweg
  • F4: Central Station to NDSM
  • F5: Central Station to NDSM via Pontsteiger
  • F6: Pontsteiger to Distelweg
  • F7: Pontsteiger to NDSM
  • F9: Zeeburgereiland to Sporenburg
Ferry routes crossing the North Sea Canal are:

Ticketing

The Amsterdam public transport network falls under the National Tariff System of the Netherlands and the GVB has a few of its own tickets, notably the 24-, 48- and 72- hour tickets. The electronic OV-chipkaart has been the only ticketing system valid in the Amsterdam metro since the summer of 2009, and in the rest of the network since June 2010. Most trams carry conductors, but as they no longer stamp passengers' strippenkaarten their role has been deskilled; it now consists in ensuring security along with selling the occasional OV-chipkaart and optionally announcing the stops.