The Europe CruiseFor the American voyager

Your voyage begins in Amsterdam

From the airport to the gangway, every way there and back.

Photo: Agnes Monkelbaan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

River ships in Amsterdam dock along the IJ waterfront near Amsterdam Centraal, mainly at De Ruijterkade and Westerdoksdijk. The city plans to roughly halve river cruise visits by 2028. Your dock can change from cruise to cruise.

I · Arrive by airAMSAmsterdam Schiphol
II · Airport to shipAbout 24 km (15 miles), about 30 minutes by road (Holland America)
III · Ways to travel3compared below
IV · BoardAmsterdamriver dock
The timetable

Every way from the airport to the ship

Tap any way for step-by-step directions.

The wayFromTimeCost
Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then walk or taxiAMSAbout 17 minutes on the train (8 an hour), then a short walk or taxiApproximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
TaxiAMSAbout 30 minutesApproximate: EUR 35-55 to the center, up to about EUR 75 (I amsterdam)
Cruise line transferAMSVariesSet by your line
On the chart

Where Amsterdam lies

Antique-style chart of River Voyages with ports markedAmsterdamAvignonBarcelonaBaselBudapestRomeDoverGenoaIJmuidenLyonMarseilleNurembergParisPassauPortoRavennaRegensburgRotterdamSavonaSouthamptonTriesteVeniceViennaA CoruñaAjaccioAmalfi and PositanoBariBastiaBilbaoCannesCherbourgCobhDublinDubrovnikFalmouthGuernseyHolyheadHonfleurHvarKoperKorčulaKotorLa SpeziaLe HavreLivornoMonacoNaplesOlbiaPortlandPortoferraioPortofino / Santa Margherita LigurePulaRovinjSaint-MaloSaint-TropezSalernoSèteŠibenikSorrentoSplitTarragonaToulonVigoVillefranche-sur-Mer and NiceWaterfordZadarZeebrugge
Step by step

From Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)

About 24 km (15 miles), about 30 minutes by road (Holland America)

Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then walk or taxi

Time About 17 minutes on the train (8 an hour), then a short walk or taxiCost Approximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
  1. Tap a contactless card on the yellow reader at Schiphol Plaza, or buy a ticket.
  2. Ride to Amsterdam Centraal.
  3. Tap out.
  4. De Ruijterkade is along the water just behind the station. Walk or take a taxi to your dock number.

Very easy.

Taxi

Time About 30 minutesCost Approximate: EUR 35-55 to the center, up to about EUR 75 (I amsterdam)
  1. Use the official taxi rank only.
  2. Give the exact dock name and number.

Avoid unofficial drivers.

Cruise line transfer

Time VariesCost Set by your line
  1. Book with your line.

Easiest.

Already in town

From the city or your hotel

Walk from Amsterdam Centraal

Time ShortCost Free

De Ruijterkade docks are right behind the station.

The night before

Where to stay

Arrive a day or two early. A delayed flight on sailing day is the most common way travelers miss the ship.

Near Amsterdam Centraal or the Jordaan

Walk to the river docks.

All aboard

Sailing day

Terminals & docks

No single terminal. Viking lists Westerhoofd 10 and De Ruijterkade 140. Uniworld lists De Ruijterkade 5/6 (Ruijterkade West), De Ruijterkade 141 (Ruijterkade Oost), Westerdoksdijk 435 and Coenhavenweg 22, depending on ship and date. Some river ships also use the Veemkade terminal (NL Times).

Check-in

  • River ships usually start boarding in the afternoon. AmaWaterways says boarding usually begins around 3:00 p.m., and you can drop bags earlier.
  • Uniworld says to confirm your boarding address and boarding time 24 hours before you arrive.
  • River docks can change at short notice. Confirm the dock address with your line the day before.

What trips people up

  • River docks change by ship and date.
  • The city plans to cap river cruise visits at about 1,150 a year by 2028, about half of past levels (NL Times).
  • Low water: in fall 2026 Viking (Sept 30 notice), AmaWaterways (Oct 2026) and Uniworld all reported low water on parts of the Danube, Rhine and Main. Fixes include ship swaps, bus legs, or a different boarding town. Your line will contact you if your cruise changes.

Do this

  • Use the train; it is faster than a taxi in traffic.
Homeward bound

Leaving the ship: back to the airport

The same routes run in reverse. On the last morning everyone leaves at once, so lines for taxis and buses are at their longest. Book flights home for the afternoon or later, and arrange your ride in advance if you can.

The wayToTimeCost
Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then walk or taxiAMSAbout 17 minutes on the train (8 an hour), then a short walk or taxiApproximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
TaxiAMSAbout 30 minutesApproximate: EUR 35-55 to the center, up to about EUR 75 (I amsterdam)
Cruise line transferAMSVariesSet by your line

Before you leave

  • Use the train; it is faster than a taxi in traffic.
Linger a while

Before or after your cruise

Sources & what we could not confirm · 6 sources · checked 2026-11
Still being confirmed
  • Current 2026 train fare
  • US nonstop flights: not verified for this page; check airline sites