(Public) Transport
Bus
Almere has a convenient system of public transportation and the buses drive frequently. In Almere the public transport of buses is operated by Connexxion. The municipality Almere is the client of Connexxion.
Connexxion has 8 city lines in Almere, which is called ‘Maxx Almere’. All buses drive across station Almere Centrum, except line 10. From Almere Central Station the bus can be taken to the following stations:
- To Almere Buiten with line 1 and 3 (via Waterwijk) and line 5 (via Parkwijk);
- To Almere Haven with line 1 and 3;
- To Almere Poort with line 2 and 4;
- To Noorderplassen with line 6;
- To Muziekwijk with line 5;
- To Literatuurwijk with line 4;
- To Parkwijk with line 5,6,7;
- To Waterwijk and Bouwmeesterbuurt with line 1 and 3;
- To Oostvaarders with line 1 and 5;
- To de Vaart with line 3.
On every bus stop in Almere a map is available with all bus lines.
Connexxion has three bus lines that drive between Almere and Amsterdam. These three bus lines are also known as ‘R-Net’ and contain the following lines:
- The 322 goes from Parkwijk Station to the south of the centre to Almere Poort Station and ends at Amsterdam Amstel Station
- The 327 goes from Almere Haven Station via bus station ’t Oor to Amsterdam Amstel Station
- The 328 goes from Almere Haven Station via bus station ’t Oor to Amsterdam Zuidoost Station.
The introduction of R-Net is new and originally started in Amsterdam. Now it is finding its way in Almere. The purpose of R-net is to make a corporate network of fast, comfortable public connection that rides frequently in the Randstad region by bus, train, underground and tram.
Regional buses are also going from Almere to Amsterdam, Amsterdam Zuidoost, Hilversum, Bussum, Zeewolde and Nijkerk.
On all buses in Almere the public transport chip card (OV-chipkaart) is used. You can load travel credit at several places in Almere (e.g. at VVV Almere). Besides, Maxx Almere offers a special travelling card, on which you can travel with someone else. Also, travellers can buy their ticket at the bus driver. These tickets will be relatively more expensive compared to the other tickets.
More information about travelling by bus in Almere, go to the website of connexxion: www.connexxion.nl
Train
Almere currently has five railway stations: Almere Muziekwijk, Almere Centrum, Almere Parkwijk, Almere Buiten and Almere Oostvaarders. From December 2012 a new railway station called Almere Poort will be available as well. Also, during events an extra station called Almere Strand Station is temporary used.
Almere is also well-connected by direct rail routes to Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport and Utrecht . The Lelystad-Zwolle railway (also known as the ‘Hanzelijn’, which is planned to be completed at the end of 2012) provides a shorter connection between Schiphol Airport and Zwolle, via Amsterdam-Zuid, Almere and Lelystad. With this connection, travellers are able to travel directly from Lelystad to Zwolle.