A harbour cruise in Amsterdam shows you the side of the city almost no visitor sees. Not the canal ring with its gables, but the working port on the IJ: sea-going ships, container terminals, cocoa warehouses and the energy plants that keep one of Europe’s largest ports running. Two and a half hours, on a covered electric boat leaving from Amsterdam Noord.
Not sure which boat to pick? Our comparison of all Amsterdam canal cruises puts every boat side by side: duration, departure pier, what is included and the current price.
Explore the port of Amsterdam
The canal ring is the postcard. The port is the reason the postcard exists. Amsterdam grew rich on what came in and out over the water, and that trade never stopped — it simply moved west, to a stretch of quays and docks that most tourists never lay eyes on. This cruise takes you there: past sea vessels being unloaded, past transshipment companies and logistics centres, past the warehouses where a large share of the world’s cocoa still passes through Amsterdam.
The boat is fully electric, covered and heated, with a toilet on board and seats you can stay in for the full two and a half hours. An audio guide runs in several languages and the skipper adds live commentary when he can. It is the calmest, least touristy thing you can do on the water here, and in bad weather it is the one boat trip that still works.
What is included
- A 2.5-hour cruise through the working port of Amsterdam
- Audio guide in several languages, plus live commentary from the skipper when available
- A covered and heated 100% electric boat
- Toilet on board
- Drinks available to buy during the trip
| Duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Departure | THIS IS HOLLAND, Overhoeksplein, Amsterdam Noord |
| Getting there | Five minutes from Central Station with the free ferry to Buiksloterweg |
| Languages | Audio guide in several languages; skipper speaks English, German and Dutch |
| Boat | Covered, heated, fully electric, with toilet |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before departure |
Check availability and book the harbour cruise. You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before departure, which makes it an easy one to book ahead.
Departure times Amsterdam Harbour Cruises
The harbour cruise does not sail every day, so it pays to check the calendar before you plan the rest of your day. Below you can see which departures are still available.
How to get to the harbour cruise
The boat leaves from the quay at THIS IS HOLLAND on the Overhoeksplein in Amsterdam Noord, on the north bank of the IJ. It is closer than it sounds: the free ferry behind Central Station takes about four minutes and runs day and night.
| Ferry | Free ferry to Buiksloterweg from behind Amsterdam Central Station, then a short walk |
| On foot | About five minutes from the ferry landing |
| By car | Park in the Overhoeksplein garage; there is no parking on the quay itself |
| Combine with | The A’DAM Lookout is on the same side of the IJ, a few minutes away |
