Amsterdam to Haarlem train

[fishman620]

We are coming into Amsterdam on a cruise on a Monday in August @ 3 p.m. (porting overnight and leaving in the late afternoon the next day).  We want to take the train to Haarlem the first day and stay for a couple hours, then return back to the ship. Do you think we could make the 4:35 p.m. train, if we dock @ 3?  Do we need to pre-purchase tickets or can we just walk up and easily purchase them.

[gumshoe958]

Most ships start disembarking about half an hour after docking so it should be fine. Centraal Station is an easy 10-15 minute walk from the cruise terminal.

 

You don’t need to pre-purchase train tickets. In fact you don’t need to purchase tickets at all if you have a contactless-enabled credit or debit card, or Apple/Google Pay on your phone - just tap in and out at the barriers and you’ll be charged the correct fare automatically.

If not, just buy a ticket from the machines but that costs a bit more.

[fishman620]

gumshoe, again you are a wealth of information......Thank you!

[fishman620]

9 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

Most ships start disembarking about half an hour after docking so it should be fine. Centraal Station is an easy 10-15 minute walk from the cruise terminal.

 

You don’t need to pre-purchase train tickets. In fact you don’t need to purchase tickets at all if you have a contactless-enabled credit or debit card, or Apple/Google Pay on your phone - just tap in and out at the barriers and you’ll be charged the correct fare automatically.

If not, just buy a ticket from the machines but that costs a bit more.

Gumshoe, could you please tell me, the "must-see" places to go while walking around in Haarlem.....I read The Hiding Place and really wanted to go to the Ten Boom Museum, but it is closed on Mondays. So I will just have to be happy about seeing it from the outside, I have taken the virtual tour online. I would like to see the Windmill, St. Bavokerk (inside), any other suggestions? Do you think we should take a canal sightseeing cruise there, or wait until the next day in Amsterdam...And this last question might be a little stupid, sorry if it is, but when we are on the train, will they announce the stop in Haarlem, or is that the last stop? Thanks.

[gumshoe958]

25 minutes ago, fishman620 said:

Gumshoe, could you please tell me, the "must-see" places to go while walking around in Haarlem.....I read The Hiding Place and really wanted to go to the Ten Boom Museum, but it is closed on Mondays. So I will just have to be happy about seeing it from the outside, I have taken the virtual tour online. I would like to see the Windmill, St. Bavokerk (inside), any other suggestions? Do you think we should take a canal sightseeing cruise there, or wait until the next day in Amsterdam...And this last question might be a little stupid, sorry if it is, but when we are on the train, will they announce the stop in Haarlem, or is that the last stop? Thanks.

I don’t really know Haarlem I’m afraid so I’ll leave that to someone more expert.

 

Most trains stop at Haarlem en route to somewhere else. There are screens displaying the next stop, and possibly announcements too (although probably only in Dutch).

[Ine]

Trains between Amsterdam and Haarlem are very frequent. No reservation or advance buying of tickets needed. Nowadays just use your creditcard (each person its own) and tap to checkin and out at rhe oles near or at the platform. . Or just buy tickets at the machines at the station.

For details of trains: https://www.ns.nl/en