Amsterdam’s IJtram, officially tram 26, now runs all the way to IJburg Strandeiland. GVB says the line added three stops from 31 August 2026, putting the newest artificial islands on a ride of less than 25 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal.
That is a real visitor change, not a construction rumor. The previous turnaround at Theo van Goghpark no longer ends the trip, and travelers who want the east-end beach, the new housing districts, or a quieter waterfront walk can board without a bus transfer.
- Opened: 31 August 2026
- Line: Tram 26, the IJtram
- New stops: Centrumeiland, Buiteneilandlaan, Franz Kafkastraat
- Ride time: Under 25 minutes, Strandeiland to Centraal
- Board at Centraal: IJzijde, stop C1, during station works
The extension is short, about 1.8 kilometers, but it closes a gap that had left two islands without a direct tram. Railway Gazette International reports that the municipality, Vervoerregio Amsterdam, and GVB opened the line while only about 1,500 of 10,000 planned homes are finished.
For a visitor, that mix of new rails and unfinished streets is the planning point. You can now reach Strandeiland on a city tram, then you still need a current map for what is actually open at the far end.
Board tram 26 at the IJzijde side of Centraal
Do not look for tram 26 on the usual city-center tram island in front of Amsterdam Centraal. GVB is running the IJtram from the IJzijde terminus behind the station through 17 December 2028 because of railway-bridge works.
Trams toward IJburg leave from stop C1. Follow IJzijde or IJ-side signs, not the Damrak tram cluster, or you will watch a 26 depart from the wrong plaza.
The GVB app and website journey planner already include the new stops. Select a date from 31 August onward so the itinerary does not still terminate at the old IJburg loop.
If tram 26 is blocked, GVB says shuttle bus 76 is the longer-disruption backup. Check gvb.nl/diversions before you walk to the stop with a tight dinner reservation downtown.
The three new stops are the whole product
The former IJburg terminus is now named Theo van Goghpark. From there the rails continue over new bridges to Centrumeiland, Buiteneilandlaan, and Franz Kafkastraat, the current end of the line on Strandeiland.
Franz Kafkastraat is the stop to use for Strand IJburg and the newest housing blocks. Centrumeiland is the in-between island, still more construction site than neighborhood, and Buiteneilandlaan sits on the approach to that last stretch.
Coupled Combino trams already ran the older IJburg section. The same high-capacity sets now cover the extra 1.8 kilometers, which is why the ride time from Centraal stays under 25 minutes instead of ballooning with a bus change.
A later phase is supposed to push the line farther along Strandeiland, but Railway Gazette says that extra segment is unlikely before the early to mid-2030s. Treat Franz Kafkastraat as the end of the visitor map for this decade.
Pay the same way you pay any GVB tram
The extension did not create a special tourist fare. GVB’s 2026 1-hour ticket is €3.40 and covers unlimited transfers on GVB trams, metro, and buses inside that hour after first check-in.
OVpay, GVB’s contactless bank-card and phone tap, charges a €1.16 boarding fee plus €0.217 per kilometer on the official 2026 tariff table. Tap in when you board and tap out with the same card when you leave, or you can be billed the maximum fare.
A 1-hour ticket is enough for a Centraal-to-Strandeiland hop and a same-hour return only if both rides fit inside 60 minutes from first check-in. Most visitors should plan a tap-based OVpay round trip or a GVB day ticket from the app, a machine, or a GVB service point.
GVB tickets are not valid on NS trains, including the Schiphol to Centraal airport train. Pay that ride separately, then switch to tram 26 at IJzijde.
Strandeiland is open to trams, not as a finished beach town
The honest visitor pitch is access, not a second Vondelpark. Strandeiland and Centrumeiland are still being built, which is why Vervoerregio Amsterdam wanted the tram running before most of the 10,000 homes exist.
Strand IJburg, the existing beach on the island, remains usable through September 2026, according to the City of Amsterdam project page. From October 2026 through April 2027 the city will close the beach to the public while it relocates watersports clubs and prepares a smaller shoreline.
That calendar matters more than the tram opening if your only reason for the ride is a swim. September still works. A late-fall trip should not count on a full beach day at the new terminus.
For a broader Amsterdam day that still starts downtown, Deep Arrival’s Amsterdam things to do guide covers the canal-belt core you will return to after the IJtram loop. Pair a morning on Strandeiland with an afternoon in the center rather than treating the island as a full-day substitute.
This opening was late, and the next one will be slower
GVB had aimed for a 3 May 2026 start after earlier slips from a late-2025 target. Test runs in February exposed problems on the new section, and passenger service did not begin until 31 August.
That history is useful when someone quotes a 2030s second extension as if it were next summer. The partners have now proven they will open rails before the neighborhood is finished, and they have also proven the timetable can move by months.
Eiffel Projects managed the job, Mobilis built the bridges, and Dura Vermeer expanded the IJburg tram depot so coupled sets can keep pace. None of that changes the visitor rule: confirm the live GVB planner on the morning you ride.
Wind, bridge issues, and the long Centraal Station works can still reroute the line. The new stops are in service, but they sit at the far end of a single dedicated corridor through the Piet Hein Tunnel.
| If this describes you | Best next move |
|---|---|
| You have a free half day from Centraal | Ride tram 26 to Franz Kafkastraat, walk the waterfront, and return the same way. |
| You came only for Strand IJburg | Go in September. After that, check the city beach closure before you board. |
| You are staying near Damrak and hate extra walks | Budget 10 minutes to reach IJzijde stop C1, not the front tram island. |
| You land at Schiphol first | Take NS to Centraal, then tram 26. Do not expect a GVB ticket to cover the train. |
| You want a finished neighborhood, not a building site | Stay on the older IJburg stops west of Theo van Goghpark. |
The matrix is a filter, not a promise that Strandeiland will look like a guidebook spread. The islands are still sand, cranes, and a growing street grid with a tram already in the middle.
If the weather is poor, the ride itself is still a useful east-Amsterdam loop across the Enneüs Heerma Bridge and through IJburg. Get off at Steigereiland or Theo van Goghpark if the last three stops look too raw from the window.
The new end of the line is Franz Kafkastraat. Use that name in the GVB planner, not the old IJburg terminus.
Centraal boarding has moved for years, not days. IJzijde stop C1 is the tram 26 door through 17 December 2028.
The beach calendar is separate from the rails. September is the last full month before Strand IJburg’s construction closure.
Save a screenshot of your GVB itinerary and the Franz Kafkastraat stop name. IJzijde is behind the main station hall, so a stored plan is faster than hunting for tram 26 on the Damrak side.
If you are connecting to a canal cruise, museum slot, or dinner, leave a buffer on the return. GVB’s under-25-minute timing still depends on one tunnel, one bridge corridor, and one terminus, and a delay there has no parallel tram to steal.
Frequently asked questions
When did tram 26 start serving Strandeiland?
GVB opened the three-stop extension on 31 August 2026.
How long is the ride from Amsterdam Centraal?
GVB says the trip between Strandeiland and Centraal takes less than 25 minutes.
What are the new stop names?
Centrumeiland, Buiteneilandlaan, and Franz Kafkastraat. The former IJburg end stop is now Theo van Goghpark.
Where do I catch tram 26 at Centraal Station?
At IJzijde, stop C1, behind the station, while railway-bridge works continue through 17 December 2028.
How do I pay?
Use OVpay with a contactless bank card or phone, or buy a GVB 1-hour ticket for €3.40. Tap in and tap out on each vehicle.
