Is Amsterdam City Card Worth It? My Honest Experience

I Amsterdam City Card is one of the more expensive city cards in Europe. So I totally get it if you’re wondering if it is actually worth the money. 

When planning my trip to Amsterdam, I listed everything I wanted to visit and noticed that ticket fees add up quickly. Unlike Paris, Amsterdam doesn’t offer many free attractions beyond strolling along the canals and admiring the architecture. 

That’s where the I Amsterdam City Card comes in! 

I’ve never seen a City Card that covers more tourist attractions, and taking into account the average price of each attraction, I’d say it’s definitely worth it. 

Keep reading to see how I used mine to help you decide which one is the best for your trip!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase through a link. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My Experience With The I Amsterdam City Card

In case you don’t want to read this entire article, here’s a quick overview of my experience with the I amsterdam City Card.

I spent almost four days in Amsterdam, and I absolutely loved how much value I got with my 72-hour Amsterdam city card. 

I’ve used many city passes around Europe over the years, and I’d honestly say this is one of the best ones I’ve tried.

You get free access to over 70 museums and attractions, free public transport, a canal tour, and bike rental. Plus, you get a 25% discount for popular places that are not included. Truly everything you’ll need!

This was actually my second visit to Amsterdam. The first time, I ticked off all the big attractions. I visited the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, and the Heineken Experience, so I wasn’t too bothered that they weren’t free with the card.

During this visit, I wanted to enjoy the vibes of the city and visit some of the smaller museums and attractions. I travelled with a friend who had never been to Amsterdam, so we ended up doing a mix of classic sights and less touristy spots.

One thing I realised quite quickly is that it’s almost impossible to visit everything that’s included unless you have a week in the city, so don’t stress yourself by trying to do it all. 

Finally, I also recommend downloading the app (yes, I know, yet another app) to help you visualise where each museum is and quickly access opening hours. 

Did I already convince you to get the I amsterdam City Card? Check prices and different duration options here!

What Is Included In The Amsterdam City Card

Amsterdam City Card gives you free access to more than 70 museums and attractions in and around Amsterdam, public transport in the city, a canal cruise, bike rental, and discounted rates for many additional attractions.

The list of attractions included is very long, so I suggest you browse all City Card activities here!

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a city card that included more attractions than this one.

What’s Not Included?

Better than listing what’s included, I think it’s useful to note which popular museums are not included.

Two must-visit Amsterdam attractions not included in the pass are the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. You’ll have to buy those tickets separately. 

Also, the Heineken Experience and Madame Tussauds are not free, but you get a 25% discount with your card.

I actually visited most of these previously, but it’s good to know if they were on your Amsterdam bucket list.

One thing I was a bit disappointed about not being included was the ferry to the Amsterdam Castle and Pampus, which are included. 

How Much Is The Amsterdam City Card?

The price of the city card depends on how many days it’s valid for. 

One important thing to know: it’s based on hours, not days. 

If you activate it at 3 PM, you’re NOT wasting half a day. It’s valid until 3 PM the next day!

The prices range from €67 for a 24-hour card to €140 for a 120-hour card.

➡️ Check prices for different I amsterdam city card options here! 🎟️ 📩

Where To Get It?

You can get your card online or buy it in person at the I amsterdam store at the central train station. 

Personally, I’d get it online so you can book time slots in advance. If you wait until you’re in Amsterdam, some of the most popular places might already be fully booked in high season. 

While I was certainly interested in visiting some museums, I wouldn’t say it was the primary focus of my trip. I mainly wanted to experience the city, stroll along the canal, and enjoy the atmosphere. Of course, try as many vegan pastries as possible!

In the end, I didn’t visit every museum I bookmarked initially, but I think I still had a great overview of what the city has to offer.

Here’s a short review of places I visited and whether I think they’re worth your time:

Rijksmuseum

This is the most popular museum in Amsterdam, and probably the entire country, and I’d say it’s worth a visit to see the most iconic works of art. I booked my time slot a couple of hours in advance, and the museum was not too busy because we were there on a sunny day. You need a time slot to visit the museum even with a city card!

A’DAM Lookout

I love viewpoints, and A’dam Lookout was no exception. Amsterdam is so flat that you can see so far in the distance even on a cloudy day. A fun activity at this attraction is a swing over the top floor, but I skipped it because it had an additional fee.

Houseboat Museum

I was so excited about visiting the Houseboat Museum, because come on! It’s literally a boat that is also a house! It doesn’t get more Amsterdam than that. I truly believe this spot deserves more hype, as it was everything I expected it to be. One of the most unique places I’ve ever visited.

ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo

You know I’m vegan, and I usually avoid visiting zoos, but my friend really wanted to go here. That being said, I liked Amsterdam Zoo more than expected! We were looking at the monkeys when one of the volunteers came to talk to us about the conservation efforts and ways they help the animals, and that experience really stuck with me.

MOCO Museum

To be quite honest with you, I’m not the biggest fan of modern art. However, Moco Museum is not the type of museum where you look at one dot on a wall and try to find the meaning. It’s actually more of a contemporary and immersive museum. Also, this was an interesting way to find out that Robbie Williams is one of my favorite artists, and I’m not talking about his music!

National Holocaust Museum

This next stop was not fun, but I truly believe it’s important to always learn more about the Holocaust. I found it quite interesting how different but similar that time period was in Amsterdam compared to what I learned about it when I visited Poland.

Huis Willet-Holthuysen

It’s my lifelong dream to live in one of Amsterdam’s canal houses. So, in the spirit of manifesting, I knew I had to visit the historic Huis Willet-Holthuysen canal house. Honestly, it’s exactly what it sounds like, and it was perfect!

Boom Chicago Comedy Show

When I tell you that Amsterdam City Card has everything you’ll need, this is exactly what I mean. I was so happy to see that my night was sorted, as I booked the Boom Chicago comedy show with my city card!

Amsterdam Canal Tour

The thing with canal tours in Amsterdam is that your experience will depend on the boat you choose. Personally, I really wanted to take one of the small open boats, but the weather was not working in my favor the day I planned the tour. So I ended up in one of those giant glass roof boats, which are as touristy as it gets. We opted for a sunset tour, and I actually enjoyed it more than I expected.

Yellow Bike Rental

I saved the best for last! You can go to Amsterdam without renting a bike, and Amsterdam City Card offers free 24-hour bike rental with 5 different partners. I opted for Yellow Bike Rental simply because I thought a yellow bike would look nice in photos. The rental was great, and the day we were cycling was one of my favorite days in the city.

You’ll Love the Amsterdam City Card If…

The Amsterdam City Card works best if you’re planning to actually use what’s included, not just have it “just in case.”

You don’t need to be a museum person and visit every museum in the city. It’s also totally ok to get a 24-hour pass, have a dedicated museum day, and spend the rest of your time bopping around enjoying pretty views.

As you could see from my breakdown earlier, it’s very easy to get your money’s worth by visiting just 5 museums and using public transport to get around. 

Obviously, if you’re visiting Amsterdam for culture, it’s really a no-brainer that you should get the City Card.

You Should Skip the Amsterdam City Card If..

Just like any other tourist pass, the Amsterdam City Card isn’t for everyone.

If you’re visiting Amsterdam just for the vibes or only plan to visit one or two museums, you probably won’t get your money’s worth.

For example, Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum aren’t included, so you’ll still need to buy separate tickets for those.

The same goes if your perfect city break is wandering around the canals, browsing quirky shops, and spending hours in cosy cafés. You don’t need a city card to enjoy that side of Amsterdam.

Honestly, I know what it’s like to backpack around Europe on a budget, and this is quite an expensive pass. One of my favorite things about Amsterdam is that you can enjoy the city without spending any money on entry tickets.

Tips for Using Your City Card

With more than 70 museums and attractions included in this city card, it is easy to get overwhelmed. It’s important to be realistic and know that you probably won’t be able to see everything. Some of the attractions are outside the city, the weather might not cooperate, or you’ll realise you had to book a timeslot and you missed the deadline. 

I was really looking forward to visiting Amsterdam Castle and going on a canal cruise in Haarlem, but the weather was not on my side. Luckily, the list of museums and things to do in Amsterdam when it rains is almost endless, so it was easy to switch things around and still have a great day.

It’s good to know that the card is valid for the exact number of hours it says on it. So if you validate your 24-hour card at 14:00, it’s valid until 14:00 the next day!

One thing that was more helpful than I expected was the Iamsterdam app. It was super helpful to visualise where every attraction included in the pass is located. I already bookmarked everything I wanted to do in the city on Google Maps, but my bookmarks were also mainly food spots, which made everything a bit chaotic. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that some museums and attractions require you to book a time slot. For example, I had to book Rijksmuseum and Boom Chicago comedy show in advance.

Summary: Is Amsterdam City Card Worth It?

Long story short, the Amsterdam City Card is totally worth it if you’re interested in visiting paid attractions in Amsterdam. 

In fact, I found it to be one of the best value city cards, offering so many attractions that I couldn’t even visit half of them during my time in the city despite my best efforts!

I know that paying over 100€ for a 72-hour pass might seem a lot in one go, but the true value of this card is well over 100€. Also, you don’t have to visit everything on the list to make it worth it. As you could see earlier, I visited maybe one-quarter of all the attractions offered.

Overall, I highly recommend the Amsterdam City Card for your trip to the city, and I hope this article was helpful! 

Get your I amsterdam City Card here and explore Amsterdam without worrying about entry tickets! 🎫🚲

Disclaimer: The I Amsterdam Press Office kindly gifted me the 72-hour I Amsterdam City Card to explore the city in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own!