In traversing this area, be sure to make use of the fabulous trolleys of Amsterdam, which race through the town at surprisingly short intervals, and cost very little to use.
The Amsterdam streetcars are modern vehicles, each consisting of two connected cars which you enter at the back. They are virtually soundless in their operation, and comfortable to ride. No one buys single fares and neither should you: request, instead, that the ticket taker in the trolley give you a card entitling you to four rides. Every time you board a tram, your ticket will be stamped-until four rides have been used.
Another money-saving feature of the Amsterdam trolley system? Any ticket can be used twice within 45 minutes for no extra charge! Every ticket issued, or every stamp on a 4-fare ticket, bears the hour of its issuance; if you’re-board the trolley, or transfer to another trolley, within 45 minutes, you’re permitted to travel free!
Every tram bears a number which indicates the route it follows. There are, in all, 14 such routes (and therefore 14 numbers), 11 of which travel to and from the Centraal Station.
Trams #1 and 2 start at the Centraal Station, go down the Nieuwe Zijds Voorburgwal over to the Spui, then turn down the Leidsestraat and travel the entire distance of that street to the Leidseplein; they cross the Leidseplein, but then take different routes: tram #1 goes down the Overtoom, while tram #2 heads to the Rijksmuseum, and then turns down P.C. Hooftstraat into the Willemsparkweg, goes along that street to Koninginneweg, and then proceeds the entire length of that street. Both trams also make the same trips in the opposite direction. To summarize their key stops: take either tram #1 or #2 to go to the Leidseplein; take tram #2 to go to the Rijksmuseum; take either tram to go to the Centraal Station.
Trams #16, 24 and 25 also start at the Centraal Station, but travel down the Damrak and the Rokin to the addressStreetMint Square. At this point, they then go straight down the entire length of the Vijzelstraat, cross the Singelgracht, and then take different routes. Tram #16 goes past the Van Moppes diamond factory, then over near the KLM bus terminal in the Museumplein, and then down the entire length of De Lairessestraat.
Tram #24 heads in the direction of, and near, the Hilton Hotel, than turns into Beethovenstraat, and afterwards goes along Stadionweg. Tram #25 heads down Ferdinand Bolstraat into Churchill Laan, and then down that lovely residential street. All three trams, of course, make the same trips in the opposite direction. Key points to remember: to get near the KLM Bus Terminal, take tram #16; to get from the KLM terminal to the inner and old city, take tram #16; to get to and from the Hilton Hotel, take tram #24.
Trams #4, 5, and 9 also start at the Centraal Station, and go down the length of the Damrak and Rokin into the addressStreetMint Square. At this point, all three turn down the Reguliers Breestraat into the Rembrandtsplein, but then take different routes: tram #4 turns down the Utrechtsestraat to the Frederiksplein; trams #5 and 9 head across the Amstel River past the Waterlooplein.
Then tram #9 heads in the direction of the Artis Zoo, while tram #5 turns down Weesperstraat towards its eventual destination: the Amstel Railroad Station (which is not to be confused with the Centraal Station). All trolleys make the same trips in the other direction. To sum up the highlights: take trams #4, 5 or 9 to reach the Rembrandtsplein; take tram #4 for the Frederiksplein; take tram #9 for the Artis Zoo; take tram #5 for the Amstel Station.
Finally, trams #13, 14 and 17 start at the Centraal Station, travel along the N.Z. Voorburgwaal until they pass the Raaduis-straat, turn into the Raadhuisstraat, ride past the Westerkerk (West Church), near which the Anne Frank house is located, and then continue on the Rozengracht out into the modern Western sector of the city. Then they make the return trip. Point to remember: to reach the Anne Frank house from the Centraal Station, take trams #13, 14 or 17.
With these routes in mind, you can now find a room for your stay, in some of the most delightful lodgings that Europe offers.
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