Best day trips from Amsterdam by train

Take a mini seaside vacay to the beach

Escape the city and explore the stunning coastal beauty of Amsterdam's beach for a mini day-trip where sandy shores, seaside towns, and lush dune reserves await. 

• Travel by train from Amsterdam Centraal to Santpoort Zuid (20 minutes) and explore the Brederode Castle Ruins and plenty of diverse wildlife and nature trails hidden among the dunes.
• Take bus 81 (10 minutes) to Zandvoort aan Zee, a lively beach town perfect for sunbathing, surfing, and seaside dining.
• Stop by the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, a vast nature reserve home to roaming deer and peaceful walking trails, before taking bus 80 back to Amsterdam (50 minutes). 

Immerse yourself in art and culture

Head to the honeycomb streets of Haarlem, a city full of grand architecture, bustling shopping streets, and hidden nature spots.

• Take a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Haarlem (15 minutes) to visit Molen De Adriaan, a historic windmill, and Teylers Museum, the Netherlands’ oldest museum filled with fossils and scientific wonders.
• Explore the city centre and Grote Market Square on foot, or use your travel ticket to hop on a bus across town. 
• On the other side of town, after exploring the breathtaking Sint Bavo Cathedral, known for its grand organ and towering ceilings, ride bus 80 from Haarlem Emmaplein to Amsterdam (40 minutes) for a quick trip back to Amsterdam. 

Step back in time for a few hours

Experience the charm of Holland of old, where windmills, fishing villages, and historic cheese markets transport you to another era.

• Take a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaanse Schans (20 minutes), an open-air museum featuring working windmills, wooden houses, and traditional Dutch crafts. 
• Hop on bus 800 to Edam (30 minutes), a picturesque town famous for its cheese markets and charming canals.
• Continue to Volendam, a quaint fishing village where you can sample fresh seafood and take a ferry to the picturesque town of Marken before taking the bus back to Amsterdam (30 minutes).

Live the fairytale among storied castles

Step into a storybook setting as you explore historic estates, serene gardens, and artistic hideaways.

• Hop on a train to Weesp (15 minutes), a riverside town with charming streets, cosy cafés, and scenic canals.
• Take bus 110 from Weesp to Muiden (12 minutes) to explore Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot, a stunning medieval castle with moats, gardens, and centuries of history.
• Ride bus 321 from Muiden to the Singer Laren (25 minutes), a modern art museum nestled within beautiful sculpture gardens, before returning to Amsterdam via the same bus line (50 minutes). 

Get a photo of the region's floral history

Immerse yourself in the Netherlands’ world-famous floral landscapes of the Flower Strip, from tulip fields to massive flower auctions.

• Take bus 357 from Amsterdam Elandsgracht to Royal Flora Holland (55 minutes), the world’s largest flower auction, where millions of flowers are traded daily.
• Hop on bus 340 to Cruquius Museum (35 minutes), a historic pumping station that tells the story of Dutch land reclamation 
• Explore the lush green walking paths and lakes of Haarlemmermeerse Bos, including climbing to the top of Big Spotters Hill, before taking the train from Hoofdorp back to Amsterdam Centraal (25 minutes).

Tip: Check out The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket

A simple and convenient way to explore the Amsterdam Area is with the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket. This convenient multi-purpose ticket offers unlimited public transport on buses, trams, trains, and metro. Tickets are valid on all metro, tram, and bus lines operated by GVB, Connexxion, AllGo, and EBS, including night buses and NS trains in the Amsterdam Area. Remember to check in and out with your card whenever you enter and exit a bus, tram, train, or metro. Your ticket is activated from the first check-in. One extra perk of purchasing the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is that it includes convenient transport to and from Schiphol Airport.