Getting Away: Day trips and exit strategies!

Direct trains connect Amsterdam to Paris, to major Belgian cities like Brussels and Antwerp, and to German cities like Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin. The ticket machines directly sell tickets to nearby destinations in Belgium and Germany, for longer journeys you will need to consult the international ticket office at platform 2 of the Central Station. CityNightLine trains run directly from Amsterdam Central Station to Milan, Vienna, Copenhagen, Prague, Warsaw, Moscow, Munich, Innsbruck, and Zurich (a reservation is mandatory).

Almost any place in the Netherlands can be reached within 3 hours of rail travel. To make more sense, day trips can be divided into those close to the city (about 30 minutes by public transport) and those further afield.

About 30 minutes

Haarlem - the closest of the historic cities

Zuid-Kennemerland National Park - a unique national park made of dunes formed over the centuries

Muiden - formerly a small port at the mouth of the Vecht river, it boasts the Muiderslot, the best-known castle of the country

Hilversum - wealthy town known for it's magnificent town hall, also offers interesting cycling tours through forests and the heath

Volendam - once a fishing village, it is now the most commercialised tourist destination in the
Netherlands (Edam and Marken are nearby and more authentic)

Zandvoort - closest beach resort

About One Hour

Alkmaar - historic town with its cheese market

Delft - well-known for its typical blue and white ceramics

Den Bosch - typical city for the Southern Netherlands, goes crazy during carnival

Enkhuizen - interesting village with the Zuiderzee Museum, that shows how people used to live with the persistent danger of the sea

Hoorn - historic port that played a large role in the history of the Dutch East India Company (VOC)

Kinderdijk - this authentic network of windmills shows the typical Dutch countryside at its best

Keukenhof - a seasonal attraction in the Spring, these enormous flower fields are popular among travellers

Rotterdam - has a history of rivalry with Amsterdam, and a completely different atmosphere with modern architecture

The Hague (Den Haag) - political heart of the country, Madurodam, and Scheveningen, the most popular beach of the country

Utrecht - Historic town that has a less-ambitious canal system.