Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf

The Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam (GVB; English: Amsterdam Municipal Transport Company)[note 1] is the municipal public transport operator for Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, operating metro, tram, bus and ferry services in the Amsterdam metropolitan area.

Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam
Overview
OwnerMunicipality of Amsterdam
Area servedAmsterdam metropolitan area
LocaleAmsterdam, Netherlands
Transit typeTram, metro, ferry and bus
Annual ridership234 million[1]
Operation
Began operation1900
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

GVB became a private corporation wholly owned by the city of Amsterdam in 2007, and will continue to operate public transport services under a negotiated contract until 2024.[2]

History
Amsterdam Tram
Amsterdam Metro
Amsterdam Metro Network
Amsterdam Tram Network
Amsterdam Tram
Amsterdam Bus
Amsterdam Ferry

The forerunner of the GVB, the Gemeentetram Amsterdam (GTA) (Amsterdam Municipal Tramway), was established in 1900 by the city after it acquired a private tram company (AOM). In 1925, it introduced its first bus line. In 1943, the GVB acquired its current form when Gemeentetram merged with Gemeenteveren Amsterdam (established in 1897), the municipal ferry company, and got its name Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam (municipal transport company). In 1977, it introduced its first metro line. In 1990, it introduced its first light rail line. In 2007 GVB was privatised and hence the full name was abolished.

Network

The GVB operates a number of public transportation networks in and around the city of Amsterdam, including:

  • 5 metro lines, partly elevated, no level crossings.
  • 15 tram routes, on street, partly mixed with all other traffic, partly on lanes shared with buses and taxis, and partly on separate lanes.
  • 46 bus routes; buses often mix with other traffic, but sometimes on lanes shared with trams and taxis, or for buses only.
  • 10 ferries across the IJ; at least one is frequent, operating 24 hours a day, free of charge.

In addition, a new metro line, the North/South line was opened on 22 July 2018.

Since 2006 the responsible local authority for all public transport in the greater Amsterdam area is the City Region of Amsterdam / Stadsregio Amsterdam. In 2010 the SRA prolonged the concession (contract) of the GVB for the period 2012–2017. In accordance with the rules for public procurement in the European Union the SRA has to open a call for bids for the next period, which means that another company could be operating the public transport networks in Amsterdam after 2017.

Metro
Main article: Amsterdam Metro

Metro routes

Light rail
Main article: Amsteltram

Former light rail route

Until 3 March 2019 Line 51 to Amstelveen was a metro service between Central Station and Station Zuid. At Station Zuid it switched from third rail to pantograph and catenary wires. From there to Amstelveen Centrum it shared its track with tram line 5. The light rail vehicles on this line are capable of using both 600 volt DC and 750 volt DC.

Tram
Main article: Trams in Amsterdam

Tram routes

Ferries

Ferries crossings on the IJ

GVB has offered a ferry connection* between Central Station and Amsterdam-Noord for over 100 years. The service is free of charge.[3]

Ferry boat crossings on the Noordzeekanaal

There are three ferry boats: Zaanstad (Hempont), Buitenhuizen (Buitenhuizerpont), and Velsen (Velserpont). The ferries run at least 3 times per hour, 24 hours per day, 7 day per week.[3]

Ticketing

The Amsterdam public transport network falls under the National Tariff System of the Netherlands and the GVB has a few of its own tickets, notably the 24-, 48- and 72- hour tickets. The electronic OV-chipkaart has been the only ticketing system valid in the Amsterdam metro since the summer of 2009, and in the rest of the network (tram, bus) since June 2010. Most trams carry conductors, but as they no longer stamp passengers' strippenkaarten their role has been deskilled; it now consists in ensuring security along with selling the occasional OV-chipkaart and optionally announcing the stops.

Notes
  1. Sometimes also written Gemeentevervoerbedrijf in Dutch.

References
  1. GVB (2016). "GVB Resources & numbers". GVB. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  2. "Transportation vision 2024". GVB. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  3. "Welcome to Amsterdam". GVB.
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