Not having visited in decades, I’m planning to take my kids to Amsterdam during an upcoming Holland trip. I’ll have a rental car, but no desire to deal with driving in central Amsterdam. So:
No answer to your specific questions but one tip: See if your credit card company can supply you with a card with chip…sometimes known as a smart card. This will give you the option to pay for lots of things at unattended kiosks with no lines, vs. window with lines and limited hours.
I was once reduced to getting a stranger to buy me a train ticket out of Paris with his smart card, and giving him the cash, because the only cash kiosk was out of order.
The currency exchanges have “cash passport” debit cards, but they have a Eu200 minimum starting balance and cost Eu19 on top of that. I was never clear if you can get remaining balance refunded if you don’t spend it.
I was in two cities that had bike-share programs that were dirt cheap at Eu1/day but was unable to do it without a smart card.
Things have improved, or not, depending who you ask.
The strippenkaart has been replaced by the OV chipkaart, a chip card to be purchased and charged at dedicated vending machines, usually at the larger stations.
There are various locatiobs to park and ride, i.e. switch to public transport. The Arena football stadium garage comes to mind.
More info here: http://en.gvb.nl/reisinformatie/Pages/Reisinfo-overzicht.aspx
Have fun!
This map has the park and ride stations. Look for the P+R logos.
http://en.gvb.nl/reisinformatie/plattegronden/Documents/lijnenkaart2013.pdf
Kevbo to my(our) shame the witte fietsen plan has been implemented first in France, 50 years after Roel van Duin and the Kabouterbeweging came up with it. I hope we will get there eventually:(
Still no white (public) bikes in Holland.
Not quite the same, but there is the OV fiets. As everyone has their own bike and tourists tend to be scared of cycling, I’m not sure they will ever become a huge thing here.
For a one-off, it tends to be pretty easy to find a place that rents bicycles. In Rotterdam they do, right by Centraal Station. It’s cheap, easy and friendly.
I’m guessing with kids though, the OP will prefer the tram.
If you are riding the bus or the tram you can use 9292.nlfor schedule information. They also have a free app (iPhone/Android) which is mentioned on the homepage. Note for both the website and the app, the “start” time is when you leave to have enough time to get to the bus/tram stop, not when you need to be AT the stop. That has tripped me up a few times already.
There’s a link in the upper right for English on the website, and you can choose English as your language after downloading the app.
For the bus, you check in at the front by the driver. You check out anywhere. You can check out a bit early - after the bus has left the stop before your destination (maybe wait 10 seconds to be safe?) and before you arrive at your destination stop. Or wait until you arrive, get up, and then check out. If you forget to check out, they will charge you a higher fee.
For the tram, you check in from any door and out from any door. Otherwise the same as the bus.
To check in and out, hold the card against or near the picture for a second or two (not above the picture where the price display is). You do not need to swipe - just hold it there. It will beep and say ‘goede reis’ (good trip) on checkin and the cost on checkout.
Thank you all.
The Librarian, I’ll be coming in from the south, specifically Noordwijk. Noordwijk, unless chings have really, really changed, sucks ass re. public transportation.
Reasonable bus service to Leiden, which has a great link up with Amsterdam. If you get off at Amsterdam-Zuid (you might even have cheap parking there), you’re a short tram ride away from Leidse Plein and Museumplein… let’s you skip the whole damrak part of our lovely city.
I was all ready with “naaaah”, but yeah, you’re right. 
What the hell does anyone want to do in Noordwijk? 
Anyways, Park & Ride sounds like the best plan for you, if you have a rental car anyway. You pay EUR 8 per 24 hours, and that includes free public transport cards for up to 5 people. Yes, that’s an excellent deal.
Here’s the page for the garage I’d recommend for you, the Olympic Stadium underground parking: Parkeren bij P1
It is, of course, in Dutch. We’re not known for our customer service, here. But I think you know that already…
They do have an English PDF stipulating the P+R rules: http://www.parkeerlijn.nl/fileadmin/pdf/P_R_Olympisch_stadion/uitleg_P_R_ENG-webbversie_2011.pdf
And here’s your itinerary from Noordwijk via Google: Google Maps
It’s a 30 minute drive, barring rush hour traffic. Just follow the signs “P Olymisch Stadion”, and once in the garage, park at the designated P+R places (300 available I believe) and report to the counter for your public transport tickets.
Once outside, you can hop on trams 16 and 24, both of which lead you into the city. The 16 takes you via Museumplein, Leidseplein and Koningsplein, which might get you nearest your destinations.
Have fun!
Holy cow, Coldfire - that’s perfect!
How are you on New Orleans? Kidding.
I know the drinkin’s good there, but I don’t remember much else. 
