Where the boats leave from, how to get there — and which jetty suits which part of your day.
Amsterdam has no central passenger terminal. The boats leave from just under a dozen spots in the centre, and on many tours you pick the jetty yourself when booking.
Because the routes are so similar, choosing the departure point is usually the more practical decision than choosing the operator: take the boat that leaves from where you already are.
Eight areas the boats leave from — each with a map link, so you can find the jetty before the day of your cruise rather than on it.
29 cruises leave from here
The most important starting point: the jetties of several operators sit close together here, and this is where most boats leave from, most often. The price for that is the crush — in high season, without a pre-booked time slot, half an hour of queueing is realistic.
Right at Centraal Station, two to six minutes on foot depending on the jetty. Metro lines 51, 52, 53 and 54 stop there.
15 cruises leave from here
The obvious follow-on after visiting the museum — and the Prinsengracht is one of the loveliest canals to begin a cruise on. The boats here are usually smaller than at Centraal Station.
Note: because of roadworks, no tram runs to the Westermarkt stop until February 2028. Trams stop at Dam, ten minutes on foot from there; about twenty minutes on foot from Centraal Station.
11 cruises leave from here
The second big cluster, in the museum quarter: jetties on Stadhouderskade opposite the Hard Rock Café and more at the Heineken Experience. The shortest walk if you are spending the day at the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum.
Metro 52 from Centraal Station to Vijzelgracht, then under ten minutes on foot. The former tram stop named "Rijksmuseum" no longer exists.
6 cruises leave from here
Most private cruises leave from here, along with the tours that include BBQ, beer or unlimited drinks. The landmark to steer by is the floating restaurant Sea Palace, visible from a distance.
Five minutes on foot east of Centraal Station along the Oosterdok. There is no stop of its own here.
8 cruises leave from here
Smaller jetties in the middle of the old centre — on Oudezijds Voorburgwal, on the Amstel and along the canal ring. Mostly open boats with few seats, often with a skipper who talks as you go.
All in the old centre, ten to twenty minutes on foot from Centraal Station. Under a quarter of an hour from Dam Square in every case.
2 cruises leave from here
A smaller jetty on the western edge of the canal ring. Fewer boats than at Centraal Station, but far less of a crush — and plenty of places around it for before or after.
Tram 2 via Dam and Leidsestraat, or tram 24 direct from Centraal Station.
1 cruise leaves from here
North of the IJ, directly opposite Centraal Station. The ferry crossing is already a small outing in itself — and it costs nothing.
Free ferry F3 from the back of Centraal Station to Buiksloterweg, two to five minutes, around the clock. The jetty is right at your destination.
2 cruises leave from here
The former shipyard in the north, now a cultural quarter of halls, studios and street art. The pancake boat leaves from here.
Free ferry F4 from De Ruijterkade behind Centraal Station — the left-most berth. The crossing takes about fourteen minutes.
Three rules of thumb. First: book the jetty that fits your plans for the day, not the one that is best known. Second: allow 15 minutes' buffer; the boats do not wait, and some jetties are poorly signposted. Third: for evening cruises and in the off season, check the address once more in your booking confirmation — a few operators move the departure point seasonally.
Most boats leave from Centraal Station, on Prins Hendrikkade and at Damrak. Other important jetties are at the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, Leidseplein, the Heineken Experience and the A DAM Tower in Amsterdam North. On many tours you can choose the departure point when booking. Take the one closest to where you are — the routes are similar anyway. We describe all the jetties in detail on a page of their own.
The large operators run roughly every 15 to 20 minutes in high season, every 30 minutes in the off season. The Hop-on-Hop-off boats run every 20 to 45 minutes, less often in winter. Small boats with a live guide, by contrast, have fixed departure times, often only three to five a day — here you should reserve the slot you want.
For the classic cruise in the off season, not necessarily — you can walk to the jetty and buy a ticket for the next departure. In high season, at weekends and on public holidays you should reserve: the popular cruises regularly sell out then, and queues form at the ticket desks by Centraal Station. For all the smaller boats, for cruises with a live guide and for anything with food or drinks, one rule applies: book ahead without fail. These boats have twelve to thirty seats and are often full days in advance.
Most visitors are well served by the classic one-hour cruise — it is the cheapest and runs most often. If you want a bit more, take a small open boat with a live guide.
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