Amsterdam is not a city you will need to rent a car in. If you rent a car it will be more trouble than it is worth. If you do here are some things to be prepared for:

• Paying to park (Very Expensive)
• Finding a parking place (It can take up to an hour)
• Getting gas is not a very fun experience. Just pretend it's the 70's all over again with 20 cars in line in front of you. It is also about $2.50 per gallon.
• If your parking ticket runs out the parking Police will Wheel Clamp your car which cost's 150Fl ($75.00) to have removed, plus the cost of the ticket. In some cases you can have your car towed within 15 minuets of the ticket time running out.

1. By Bicycle- Amsterdam has many rental places. You might be saying to yourself, BY BIKE? In a crowded city you can move faster that auto traffic, Park anywhere, and get some exercise. 98% of Dutch locals own a bicycle, even members of the Dutch Parliament ride their bikes around town. When I walk around the city and see all the bikes it always reminds me of the "Wicked Witch of the West" theme song from the "Wizard of Oz". They are so inexpensive to rent and will make you vacation in Amsterdam much less stressful. (See Canal Tours for a list of Bike Rentals)

2. The Tram- is your next best bet, it can be very confusing so I suggest asking a tram operator if you are headed in the right direction. They are located in the front of the tram. You will also find a KEY at eye level in most trams which will show you where you are going. At most tourist shops you can purchase a tram card for half the amount of paying per ride.

Trams travel only from 6:00 Am- 12:00 PM (Some lines quit earlier) so if you are out past Midnight and your need to get somewhere we suggest these:

3. Amsterdam Night Buses- These buses run 24 hours a day and are about the same price as riding the tram. Where ever you are just ask someone where a night bus stop is.

4. The old stand by- The Cab, be prepared if you are looking for a cab at 3-4 in the morning (Fri.-Sun.) you must find a cab stand. At that time of the morning everybody is looking for a cab. Beware at this time of the morning everyone is pretty well hammered so don't pick a fight, or fight over a cab. You will lose.

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