The complicated winding streets, the never-ending stream of cyclists (not to mention the coffee shops and the Red Light District)….as marvellous as Amsterdam truly is, the city is a little tricky to navigate around – and that’s putting it lightly. And it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been to Amsterdam, you’re bound to get lost at some point or another.
So if you want to avoid the headache of figuring out how to get from point A to point B easily (and without getting mowed down by a cyclist while doing so), there’s a handful of apps out there in the techno-world that can make your time in Amsterdam just a little bit easier; (and we’re not just talking about those run-of-the-mill apps like Maps.me – which certainly comes in handy, don’t get me wrong).
Flick Bike (Free)
They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer…so if you’re worried about getting run over by a cyclist or accidentally stepping into the bike lane, then why not become a cyclist yourself?
In case your Airbnb host, hotel or hostel doesn’t offer any bikes to guests, this handy app lets travellers reserve, find and pick up different rental bikes parked around the city, which cost around €2 an hour.
(Available on iTunes or Google Play)
9292 (Free)
If you were to ask any local what their go-to app would be to get the “411” on Amsterdam’s tricky (yet efficient) transportation system, their answer would be “9292.”
The app is not only useful for finding public transportation links in Amsterdam, but all over the Netherlands as well. Besides searching for the fastest and most convenient routes in and around the city (and approximately how much it will cost you), you can also get notified about line disruptions and/or route changes along the way. No wonder it won first place in NuTech’s ranking of the top 10 Dutch apps!
(Available on iTunes or Google Play)
Amsterdam The Map (Free)
Don’t have time to go on tours in Amsterdam or wait for hours on end to get into the Van Gogh Museum? (It does receive 2.26 million visitors a year, after all). Well this app not only gives you some background information on over 130 different spots of interest around the city, it also has a nifty little GPS tool which even points out the closest tram stops and taxi ranks. You can even pre-order tickets to some of the most popular attractions, museums and canal cruises, some of which even come with a “skip-the-line” option.
(Available on iTunes or Google Play)
I amsterdam Maps & Routes (Free)
This app was designed specifically to help with the overcrowding in Amsterdam (for good reason), and direct tourists to more places outside of the city centre…but that’s not all.
If you have a little competitive streak in you, then you’ll really like the app’s different challenges where users are lead throughout the city by answering questions that come in a video, audio or quiz-game format. If you answer all the questions correctly (which isn’t as easy as it sounds) and receive a high ranking, you could win a 48-hour Amsterdam City Card (which normally costs around €74). Pretty neat, huh?
(Available on iTunes or Google Play)
