Train Trips from Amsterdam (with an Accessible Bus Trip Too)

The smell of fresh-cut grass swept through the open windows of our Twizy and reminded me of how lucky I was to be alive. It was a perfect day filled with fun and laughter, miles of greenery, happy animals, and historic sites. All made possible with accessible bus and train trips from Amsterdam.

We arrived for a three-day trip to get to know areas outside of Amsterdam, which would take us to remarkable cities. What we left with was an appreciation of The Netherlands far beyond Amsterdam. It helped us recall that sometimes you have to look past a country's most famous destination to get the most authentic feel for their culture.

We understand wanting to visit Amsterdam and agree it's a great city. But we hope you stay a few days and transfer around to stay elsewhere for a night or two, or use the city as a home base and find where to go from Amsterdam by train. Because of this we've noted the time it would take to arrive to the city from Amsterdam Central Station, to further drive home the point of the cities' accessibility.

You'll also be aiding in not overcrowding Amsterdam because over-tourism has been a big issue in the past few years.

A Note on the Amsterdam City Card for Travel

If you're doing any day trips from Amsterdam into the surrounding area, we cannot recommend an Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket enough. We saved loads of money between the I amsterdam City Card and travel ticket. All of the cities listed below are reachable with the transportation options offered on the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket.

It's actually so easy to travel between cities in The Netherlands with public transportation, and it's such a gorgeous country, we've thought about becoming ex-pats there on more than one occasion.

Almere

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 30 minutes, by train.

What we loved about it: Almere's is one of the youngest cities in The Netherlands. It was established in 1941 and has some amazing architecture. There's waterfront property, cool squares and modern LED lighting around the city to keep your interest in the landscape no matter the time of day.

Almere is on track to be 100% energy neutral by 2022 (this year!). There is a system in the city center that brings all garbage visitors dispose of in the trash receptacles to be vacuum sucked to a central waste center. They are incredibly eco-conscious and innovative in their thinking!

The city is hosting the 2022 Floriade Expo, which brings new technologies, ideas, and techniques to growing green cities. Think of this international horticulture exposition as a World Expo for plants and greenery! It takes place April through October 2022.

If you're into urban planning this is a must-visit city for your trip to The Netherlands. No cars or bicycles are allowed in the city center and deliveries to those shops happen from six delivery stations underground. This helps keep things within pedestrian sight clean and tidy. As does arriving to the city for this day trip by train from Amsterdam.

Not to miss: Wave Apartments and the Public Library (exterior and interior). Did you know one-third of the population in Almere has a library membership? Isn't that amazing? The library was built over the course of four years, from 2005 to 2009, by the Dutch architect, Meyer en Van Schouten.

Where to stay: We recommend the Apollo Hotel. It's in a great location and is only a ten-minute walk from the train station.

Lelystad

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: Want to know a secret? There's a shuttle bus from Amsterdam to get to Leylstad. Nothing says convenience like a special bus that takes you from the city center directly to the shopping plaza!

The shuttle picks up at the Amsterdam River Cruise Port at 10:00am and takes guests to Batavia Stad for €10 per adult. It returns at 4:00pm. Alternatively, you can take a train from Amsterdam Central Station that will get you there between 45 minutes to an hour depending on the train you catch. Note Lelystad and Almere are neighboring towns in Flavoland province. 

What we loved about it: It's a gorgeous area in the province of Flevoland with great shopping at Batavia Stad. There's a couple of great restaurants there too. I loved stopping in Helly Hansen to buy Dan a gift, a Norwegian brand that is hard to find in the United States. (Don't forget to stop in their Information Center if you're visiting from outside of Europe to ask about your tax refund eligibility!) It was also great to tour the old ship, Batavia, at Batavialand. They've done an incredible job recreating the 17th-century ship. We even got to see woodworkers and carvers doing their craft. It was incredible to watch.

Not to miss: Tour Batavia and treat yourself to a coffee or tea at Batavia Stad, between going in and out of their stores to shop. It's really a beautiful property!

Related post: Batavialand is on the I amsterdam City Card.

Zaandam

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 15 minutes, by train. The train takes you right into the city by the whimsical blue and green Inntel Hotels, pictured below.

What we loved about it: Zaandam has found really interesting ways to blend old Holland with the new. This is one of the train trips from Amsterdam that puts you in an area of people living and commuting to the city center. (Kind of live a reverse commute.)

The feel of classic Dutch architecture and canals has been married with modern pedestrian walkways and buildings here. And, again, we can't emphasize enough how easy it is by train from Amsterdam.

I took a really interesting tour where I was able to see Monet's painting from his time in Zaandam side by side. One hand of our guide held a copy of the painting while the other pointed out the scenery in front of us he was painting. The blue house, pictured below with flowers in the foreground, was featured in one of his well-known paintings.

Not to miss: Exterior of Intel Hotel, Czar Peter House, and Monet in Zaandam Tour. 

Where to stay: we enjoyed our stay at Manzo's Suites, in the historic square seen below. The exterior of Inntel Hotels is very interesting. But its exterior is its main attraction, whereas the interior of Manzo's Suites is the star. (Their restaurant was great too!)

Note Manzo's Suites is a bit of a hotel with an Air BnB vibe. You enter through the restaurant to check in (weird but true). And there's only someone at the front desk during peak hours every day, from about 10:00am to 6:00pm.

Zaanse Schans and Oud Zaandijk

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 20-minute train ride to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station. The walk from the station to the center of Oud Zaandijk was lovely in June. And it only took about 10 minutes.

What we loved about it: The scale of Old Zaandijk was fantastic. It's a quaint town with charming homes and gorgeous gardens, whether spring or summer.

Zaanse Schans can't be beaten for its historic accuracy in its 18th and 19th-century village and windmills. It's perhaps the largest concentration you'll find in such a small area in Holland. Oud Zaandijk was far less crowded and {we think} had a bit more charm than the other side of the water, where Zaanse Schans is. That being said, they're right next to each other so there's no reason not to visit both.

It's reminiscent of the historic town of Giethoorn in some ways, but since that city is much further away from Amsterdam, go to Zaanse Schans if you're limited on time but you want to see a charming historic town nearby.

Not to Miss: Zaanse Schans windmills and clog demonstration, and lunch and a walk through Oud Zaandijk.

** Zaanse Schans windmills are on the I amsterdam City Card. **

Where to stay: Heerlijck Slaapen, a bed and breakfast with three houses of rooms. It's in the heart of the open-air museum, with 18th-century houses.

Haarlem

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 20-minute train ride. The station in Haarlem is beautiful and it's a very easy walk into the city center from there.

What we loved about it: Beauty abounds. The city was just the right size for our liking – not too big yet far from small. If you like mid-size cities, consider Haarlem for an overnight trip via train from Amsterdam. (We know we will next time we're in The Netherlands!)

Not to Miss: Market square, De Adriaan windmill, the Cathedral of St. Bavo, and courtyard gardens.

Beemster

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 45 minutes to Beemster, by bus, train or a combination of both.

What we loved about it: The countryside and feeling so ALIVE in the area was such a highlight. It's just north of Amsterdam yet you feel like you've escaped the craze of the city. (Perhaps you have!) You breathe in the smell of grass, see happy cows grazing on the grass everywhere, and really get a feel for the countryside. It takes the beauty of The Netherlands over the top in the best way. 

Not to miss: De Breek is a restaurant in the area that's open on weekends throughout the year, and several more times during spring and summer. They create dishes with local ingredients. It's also the lowest point in Holland. They have a windmill on their property from the 19th century, where we took the photo below.

Be sure to rent Twizys and E-Chopper electric bikes because both are really wonderful and provide an experience exploring the rural areas like nothing else can.

Where to Stay: Treat yourself to an overnight stay (and spa treatment and meals) at UNESCO World Heritage Site,  Fort Beemster.

Rotterdam

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: an hour and fifteen minute train ride to Rotterdam Blaak station. (This will get you closer to the main attraction in the city than Rotterdam Central Station will.) The Cube houses are a two minute walk from there.

What we loved about it: Rotterdam is world renown for its architecture. From the famous Cube Houses, to the Erasmus Bridge and Markthal you'll marvel at the wonders of the buildings there. We personally didn't have much time to explore Rotterdam so we are looking forward to going back one day! (And we know how easy it is to access Rotterdam by train from Amsterdam.)

Not to miss: Cube Houses and Markthal (be sure to go inside for some food and the incredible paintings on the curved ceiling).

Delft

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: An hour train ride that takes you close to the old city center area.

What we loved about it: Delft was everything we hoped it would be and more. (It was an optional destination on our Amsterdam Emerald Waterways river cruise.) We loved seeing how famous “Delft Blue” pottery is still hand-painted at the Royal Delft factory. And we thoroughly enjoyed a beer in town square, overlooking a gorgeous City Hall and tall church, Nieuwe Kerk. (Nieuwe Kerk means “New Church” in Dutch even though it was completed in 1655. Such is Europe!)

Not to miss: A tour of Royal Delft Pottery (RDP) and walking in the old city center. It's easy to get from the city center of Delft to RDP, by a simple €3 to €5 City Shuttle (depending on if you want to go from point A to B or want a little Delft city tour) or 20-minute walk.

Hoorn

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: 40-minute train ride. The train station is pretty much across the street from the town. From there, you can simply walk southeast to see Hoorn's main attractions.

What we loved about it: Going to Hoorn was one of the easiest train trips from Amsterdam for a few hours. There are a lot of museums and shops there, along with a small town square. We enjoyed dining outside there, having a beer and coffee, and people watching.

Not to miss: Walking along the waterfront to see the old warehouses, half-circle defense tower from the 16th century, and boats in the harbor. If you're into fine dining be sure to make a reservation for lunch or dinner at Marque Restaurant.

Edam

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: Edam can only be reached via public transportation by bus. Buses 110, 314, and 316 can take you there on a journey that lasts about 35 minutes.

What we loved about it: Edam is one of the most beautiful cities we've ever visited. The time of year didn't hurt (June in The Netherlands is gorgeous) but between the canals and petite city center, there's plenty of charm to swoon over, no matter the season. Edam is also famous for Edam cheese. We tried it and are true fans!

Not to miss: The church in Edam has the cutest little book nook inside. Also don't miss the view of the canals, everywhere; they are breathtaking. Dine on the water at Restaurant De Fortuna and be sure to stop where the cheese market is in front of the Henri Willig shop with its teal blue doors.

It's a lovely place to visit and you can buy some cheese at the shop to bring home, even if you're not there for the Wednesday cheese market.

Lisse

TIME FROM AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION: About an hour by train. There's also a bus that takes you from Amsterdam's City Center (not necessarily at Central Station) to Keukenhof Gardens, which we've extensively written about. During the season, a bus between Amsterdam and Keukenhof is an option on the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket.

What we loved about it: Keukenhof Gardens is the highlight of Lisse. It's also what brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area each year. The tulips are really phenomenal. Even though Keukenhof is open a few weeks a year, though, there's a lot to do in Lisse. You can visit Keukenhof Castle, take a Twizy tour (also seasonal) and stay overnight. It's nice to get away from the city center to see more of the Dutch culture here.

Not to miss: Keukenhof Gardens and castle. While the castle isn't one of the largest or best it's certainly worth going to see and appreciate its grounds.

Where to stay: We have three great recommendations for you in our guide to Keukenhof Gardens with possibilities for one or two-day itineraries. We include where to stay, like De Oude Pastrorie Lisse.

Please note: we thank Amsterdam and Partners for generously hosting us. We may also make a small commission from affiliate links in this post but all opinions are ours and we bring you genuine content with real facts, photos, thoughts and recommendations. Always.

Heading to The Netherlands? Also check out:

• Traditional Dutch Foods and Drinks to Try in The Netherlands
• Amsterdam River Cruise Itinerary: The Netherlands and Beautiful Belgium
• 16 Memorable Things to Do in Amsterdam