Is the I amsterdam City Card worth buying?

It depends entirely on which museums you plan to visit. The card no longer includes Van Gogh Museum or Anne Frank House since 2022. For heavy museum visitors focusing on Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk and smaller museums, it can save €30–50. Otherwise, buy individual tickets.

Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it? Honest 2026 review

The critical caveat nobody told you

Every blog post written before 2022 still calls the I amsterdam City Card a must-buy because it included free entry to Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House. Both museums left the card scheme in 2022.

This is the single most important fact to check before you buy. If Van Gogh and Anne Frank are your priorities — and they are for most first-time visitors — the card’s value proposition is completely different from what older reviews suggest.


Cost	€60–115 depending on duration
Best for	4+ included museums over 2–3 days
Not included	Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Heineken, Artis
Transport	Unlimited GVB trams/buses/metro included
Where to buy	Online (recommended) or at VVV/GVB desks

What the I amsterdam City Card includes in 2026

The card gives:

Free entry to 70+ museums and attractions
Unlimited GVB public transport (trams, buses, metro)
Free Noord ferry
One free canal cruise (with selected operators)
Discounts at some restaurants and shops

Museums included: Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam Museum, NEMO Science Museum, Royal Palace, Rembrandt House, Moco Museum, Amsterdam Dungeon, Amsterdam Noord attractions (including A’DAM Lookout), Jewish Historical Museum, Portuguese Synagogue, and many smaller museums.

Not included: Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Heineken Experience, Artis Royal Zoo.

The I amsterdam Card prices (2026)

Duration	Price
24 hours	€60
48 hours	€80
72 hours	€100
96 hours	€115

You can buy the I amsterdam City Card online or at VVV tourist offices and GVB service points in Amsterdam.

Running the numbers: is it worth it?

Scenario 1: Classic museum day (card included museums only)

Museum / attraction	Individual price
Rijksmuseum	€22.50
Stedelijk Museum	€22.50
Moco Museum	€20
1-day GVB transport	€9
Canal cruise	€17
Total	€91

This compares to €80 for the 48-hour card — a saving of €11. If you also visit A’DAM Lookout (€17.50) or the Amsterdam Dungeon (€22), the saving climbs to €30–50.

Scenario 2: First-time visitor wanting Van Gogh + Anne Frank

Museum	Individual price
Van Gogh Museum	€22
Anne Frank House	€16
Rijksmuseum	€22.50
1-day GVB	€9
Total	€69.50

The 24-hour card costs €60 — but it does not cover Van Gogh or Anne Frank. You would still pay €38 for those two on top of the card price. In this scenario, buying individual tickets is cheaper.

Scenario 3: Culture enthusiast, 72 hours

A visitor spending 3 days who visits Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, Rembrandt House, Amsterdam Dungeon, A’DAM Lookout, Moco, 2 days GVB transport and a canal cruise:

Individual cost: ~€155+ 72-hour card: €100

Saving: €55. For heavy museum users, the card makes clear financial sense.

How the I amsterdam Card compares to alternatives

Go City Amsterdam Pass

The Go City Amsterdam Pass uses a different model — you pay per attraction chosen (3, 4 or 5 attractions) from a preset list. This can include some attractions the I amsterdam Card excludes, depending on the current partner list.

Amsterdam Explorer Pass

The Amsterdam Explorer Pass gives access to a set number of attractions from a larger list, with more flexibility.

For a detailed side-by-side comparison, see our I amsterdam Card vs Go City comparison guide.

Practical tips for getting the most from the card

Activate wisely. The clock starts ticking the moment you first tap the card at a GVB reader or scan at a museum. If you collect it at 17:00, you lose an evening. Plan to start using it at 09:00 the day you want to begin.

Pre-book separately. Even with the card, many museums require a timed-entry reservation. The Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk typically do. Book time slots online before you visit — the card covers the entry cost but you still need a time slot.

Van Gogh and Anne Frank: Book these independently at least 2–4 weeks in advance in summer. They sell out. Early morning slots (09:00–10:00) are calmer and better for photography.

Canal cruise included: The card includes one canal cruise from selected operators. This alone adds €15–22 to its value if you were going to do a cruise anyway.

Who should buy the I amsterdam Card

Buy it if you:

Plan to visit 4+ museums on the included list over 2–3 days
Are not prioritising Van Gogh Museum or Anne Frank House (or are willing to pay separately for those)
Will use GVB transport at least 2 days (worth €18 alone)
Want the convenience of not queuing to pay at each museum

Do not buy it if you:

Only plan to visit 2–3 museums
Must see Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House and nothing else
Are staying only 1 day
Plan to cycle everywhere and use trams rarely

I amsterdam Card calculator

To work out the exact value for your itinerary, list every museum you plan to visit, check whether it is on the card’s inclusion list at iamsterdam.com, add up individual prices, then compare to the card cost for your duration.

Amsterdam’s own tool at iamsterdam.com/en/i-amsterdam-city-card includes a list of all 70+ included attractions updated in real time.

See our Amsterdam travel budget guide for context on overall trip costs, and how many days in Amsterdam to decide which card duration suits your trip.

Family pricing and children

Children typically qualify for a reduced-price version of the card, generally covering ages 4–11, with under-4s admitted free to most included attractions regardless of card status — check current age brackets at iamsterdam.com since they are occasionally revised. For families, the transport inclusion often matters more than for solo travellers, since GVB day passes for multiple children add up quickly; run the same “individual price vs card price” comparison for your specific family size and museum list rather than assuming the card automatically pays off, since the child version’s savings differ from the adult calculation. Attractions particularly popular with families — NEMO Science Museum and the Amsterdam Noord attractions including A’DAM Lookout — are both on the included list, which tips the calculation in the card’s favour for a family itinerary built around them.

Cancellations and refund policy

The I amsterdam City Card is non-refundable once activated, and in most cases non-refundable after purchase even before activation, so buy only once your itinerary and travel dates are reasonably firm. If your plans change before you activate the card (the clock starts at first tap or scan), check the specific terms at the point of purchase — policies have varied between direct booking through iamsterdam.com and third-party resellers, and a reseller may offer more flexible cancellation than the official channel or vice versa. Given the non-refundable nature, it is worth finalising which museums you plan to visit before buying, using the calculator approach described below, rather than purchasing speculatively and hoping the numbers work out.

Combining the card with a day trip

If your Amsterdam stay includes a day trip to Haarlem, Zaanse Schans or elsewhere, remember that the card’s transport inclusion covers GVB only — city trams, buses and metro — not NS intercity trains used for day trips. A 72-hour card activated on a day that includes a full-day trip out of the city effectively loses a chunk of its value for that period, since you are away from Amsterdam’s included attractions and transport network. The better strategy is to schedule your card’s active window around the days you are actually inside Amsterdam sightseeing, and treat day trips as separate expenses outside the card’s coverage — see best day trips from Amsterdam for planning the rest of your week around the card window.

Frequently asked questions about the I amsterdam City Card

Does the I amsterdam City Card include the Van Gogh Museum?

No. The Van Gogh Museum left the I amsterdam City Card scheme in 2022. You must book and pay separately. The same is true for Anne Frank House. This is the most important change from older reviews.

Where can I buy the I amsterdam City Card?

Online at iamsterdam.com (recommended — activate when you arrive), at VVV tourist offices, GVB service desks at Amsterdam Centraal, and some hotels. Buying online is usually cheaper and avoids queues.

Does the I amsterdam Card cover public transport?

Yes. The card includes unlimited GVB trams, buses and metro during its validity period. This covers all city transport except NS trains (so it does not include travel to/from Schiphol).

How many museums can I realistically visit with the card?

Realistically, 3–4 museums per day is the maximum without rushing. Over 48 hours, visiting 6–8 museums is achievable. Plan morning (09:00–12:30) and afternoon (13:30–17:30) museum blocks with breaks in between.

Is the I amsterdam Card cheaper to buy online or at the tourist office?

Online is usually the same price but avoids queueing at VVV offices which can be slow in summer. Purchasing online also lets you activate on your own schedule.

Can I get a refund if I don’t end up using the full card?

No, in almost all cases. The card is non-refundable once activated and generally non-refundable after purchase regardless of use. Finalise your museum list and dates before buying rather than purchasing speculatively.

Does the card make sense for a 1-day visit?

Rarely. The 24-hour card costs €60, and fitting enough included museums plus transport into a single day to beat individual ticket prices is difficult, especially since Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House — likely priorities on a single day — are excluded entirely. Individual tickets are usually simpler and no more expensive for a 1-day visit.