All Amsterdam buses will stop accepting coins and notes from March 26, city transport company GVB said on Monday.

Cash will disappear from night buses at the end of January.

The bus firm is keen to eliminate cash money because of the risk of bus drivers being robbed. The company wants all public transport – including trams – to be cash free in a year’s time.

That, officials admit, is likely to be a major operation. Last year, tram conductors dealt with 8.2 million cash payments. In particular, tourists are likely to try to pay with cash.