Keukenhof Gardens question

[SOShrink]

We will be on Uniworld's Springtime Tulips and the Rhine trip in April, going from Amsterdam to Frankfurt. On Day 3 we are taken to Keukenhof Gardens in the morning while the ship departs for Zaanse Schans where we are to go that afternoon. Some people have been talking about spending the whole day at the Gardens since they have already been to Zaanse Schans, and meeting up at the ship before it departs at 7 PM bound for Arnhem. However, the ship will no longer be in Amsterdam. It seems that it would now be docked off the Zaan River near the Zaanse Schans Museum and neighborhood. My question is, would it be a big hassle getting from Keukenhof to the ship on our own, and has anyone done this before?

[NanciEA]

I think it is possible. My husband and I did something similar on our AMA tulip time cruise. At the main entrance to Keukenhof, get the bus into Leiden. It will drop you at the train station. Buy a one way ticket to Amsterdam. It's about a 30 minute trip and trains run all the time. (Our ship was docked just behind the station, so it was easy for us to walk to meet it.) It appears Zaanse Schans is 18.3 km from the station. If there is a group of you I don't imagine a taxi would be all that expensive and there are always taxis at the train station. If it's a beautiful day I can see why you might want more time that the tour allows. I hope they get you there early as it is so much nicer before the crowds arrive.

[GiannaD]

We visited the gardens in 2009 and they are truly spectacular. That being said I think the amount of effort to meet the boat in Zaansee Schans would not be worth the time and expense needed to join the ship on your own.

 

A half day especially if you are there before the crowds should be enough to enjoy the gardens.

[Ine]

In general most people are staying in the gardens about 4 hours.

In case you decide to stay longer, it is a bit complicated to get to Zaanse Schans but certainly not impossible.

There are regular buses (nbr. 858) from Keukenhof to Schiphol airport in that season. Leaving about every 30 minutes. Later this year you check the exact times.

From Schiphol airport take a train to Amsterdam Centraal station( at least 4 trains each hour), from there Connexxion busnr. 391 (2 x each hour) to the last stop, just a short walk from zaanse schans.

Or buy a trainticket to Koog-Zaandijk station, from there it is about 10 minutes walk to Zaanse schans. Change trains at Amsterdam Sloterdijk station.

More about Keukenhof here:http://www.keukenhof.nl/

Zaanse schans: http://zaanseschans.nl/