Hop-on Hop-off Amsterdam
Guide to using the hop-on hop-off buses and boats to explore the city
When it comes to hop-on-hop-off, Amsterdam does have the best of both worlds. With its canals and quiet streets, you have the enviable choice of using the bus route or the canal route to explore the city or both.
Enjoy views from high up as you make your way around, great for special photographs and a different view of the city. Or cruise along the canals and see the sights from the water.
Both routes cover main attractions, so if you choose a combined ticket you can switch and swap between road or water throughout the day. This makes Amsterdam hop-on-hop-off quite unique and a great way for a visitor to see a lot more of the city.
There are of course also public transport methods of seeing the city. Learn about all the public transport ticket options in Amsterdam.
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City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off Amsterdam bus and boat tickets
City Sightseeing runs two boat routes in the summer and one bus route. In the winter they run one bus route and one boat route.
There are three ticket options to choose from. You can choose just the hop-on bus only ticket, the hop-on boat only ticket or a combined hop-on-hop-off boat and bus ticket. 24-hr and 48-hr tickets are available. Prices vary and special offers are always running.
The Amsterdam hop-on-hop-off bus only ticket and the Amsterdam hop-on-hop-off boat only tickets are available as a 24-hr & 48-hr tickets. You can also get 24-hr and 48-hr tickets when you choose the combined hop-on-hop-off Amsterdam boat and bus ticket.
You’ll find tickets include free access to Gassan Diamonds, although to be fair entry is free to Gassan Diamonds anyway, so don’t buy them on this ‘extra’ alone.
Amsterdam Hop-on Hop-off prices
24-hr bus from €27.50
24-hr boat from €27.50
24-hr bus & boat from €32.50
48-hr bus & boat from €42.50
When do the hop-on buses and boats run in Amsterdam?
City Sightseeing buses and boats run all season long. King’s day on 27th April is one exception. In winter the two boat routes become just one.
The bus service runs 9.15am until 6pm
The boat (green line) runs 9.30am until 5.30pm
The boat (blue line) runs 930am until 6pm.
Amsterdam hop-on hop-off bus and boat routes
There is one main bus route that focuses mainly around the edge of the centre of Amsterdam, with one section dipping into the centre, around the Jewish historical quarter. This bus runs every 15-20 minutes and its full loop takes around one hour.
The two boat routes are more compact and central, winding their way around the centre rather than crisscrossing through it.
The Green line boat route runs every 40 minutes and takes around 1hr 40m to complete the loop. The Blue boat line runs every 30 minutes and takes 1hr 40m too.
Depending on your visit time of year, you may find the blue boat line does not exist at all and you will only have the green line available.
During the winter season, both the boats and bus will start slightly later and finish earlier, whilst in summer it starts slightly earlier and finishes slightly later.
Both routes share some stops so you can switch between bus and boat. The notable shared stops are Central Station West, Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Gassan Diamonds and a couple close to one another in the museum district.
Amsterdam hop-on hop-off bus route
1. Central Station West
2. Passenger Terminal Amsterdam
3. Gassan Diamonds
4. Jewish Cultural Quarter
5. Royal Theatre CarreAlbert Cuyp Market
6. Heineken Experience
7. Museum Square
8. Leidseplein
9. Jordaan
Amsterdam hop-on hop-off boat route (green)
1. Central Station West
2. Passenger Terminal Amsterdam
3. Nemo Science Museum
4. Gassan Diamonds
5. Amsterdam Ice Bar
6. Albert Cuyp Market
7. Rijksmuseum
8. Westermarkt
These routes do change often, so use the above as a guide and check the map upon arrival so you know which stops you want to utilise.
City sightseeing combination tickets
You can combine your hop-on hop-off experience with entry to other acclaimed attractions and save money.
Madame Tussauds is available as ticket combinations with the hop-on hop-off Amsterdam bus and boats. You can explore the city and stop at these attractions without worrying about buying tickets before or at the door.
City sightseeing route map
There are two main routes around Amsterdam, a bus and boat route. In the summer there are two boat routes but both are broadly similar.
Use the map below to plan your day in advance or just to see where the bus will take you and where the boat will take you to help you decide if a combination ticket is worth the additional cost.
As the flexibility and experience offered by travelling by boat and bus is so good, we feel the additional cost of a combined ticket is worth it, if you are intending to fully explore the city and not just visit one or two attractions.
