Keukenhof Gardens

[sk8teacher]

We will be arriving in Amsterdam around 8am in the morning on Easter Sunday, April 8 for our cruise on the Viking Spirit. After dropping off our luggage, we we thinking of spending most of the day at the Gardens.

 

Will it be open that day, and how would we get there? Are there busses from the dock area to there?

 

Cheers,

[Jaalice]

On this same thread, look for the one that reads, "Ine I hope you are OK" scroll down to post #12 and you will find info about the transportation to the gardens. Ine lives in Amsterdam and is wonderful about giving information and answering many questions. Also read any others that refer to Amsterdam. You will find a lot of info.

 

Jaalice:)

[H2Otstr]

Also try this link:

http://www.holland.com/uk/special/keukenhof/route.html

http://www.holland.com/uk/special/keukenhof/route.html

[ine2]

We will be arriving in Amsterdam around 8am in the morning on Easter Sunday, April 8 for our cruise on the Viking Spirit. After dropping off our luggage, we we thinking of spending most of the day at the Gardens.

 

Will it be open that day, and how would we get there? Are there busses from the dock area to there?

 

Cheers,

 

 

Since I am in Mexico at the moment, I donot have all details here.

Eastern is usually a busy weekend with many tourists. I donot expect any buses to/from the terminal to Keukenhof. You will find tours leaving from the city to Keukenhof. I have posted them (key Tours and Lindbergh) in antoher thread. Try to find them.'

Otherwise I will be back home End of March and will give you the details.

It can be done by public transport. Train to Schiphol airport and bus from there. However your time might be too short for that.

[bigwally]

Funny, I was just talking to my boss about Keukenhof yesterday. He says it's one of his favourite places in the whole world and was encouraging me to visit should I ever get to the Netherlands.

[Pincus]

Keukenhof is not to be missed.

 

It's worth the trip...and is only open six weeks in the year, I believe...don't miss it.

 

Pincus

[hybrn8]

First thing off the plane, go to the tourist info booth and find out if the is "Keukenhof Express" operates on Easter. This is a combo train, bus and garden admission ticket. It is, hands down, the easiest and quickest way to get to and from the Gardens. I have done it several times. Here is my Plan A: If you are able to leave your luggage at the airport (I haven't used this service in years and am not sure it still exists but if it does, it's dead easy), you can leave from there because the trains to Leiden (where the buses are that take you to the gardens) come from the center of the AMS and back thru the airport to get to Leiden. Then, on the return get off at airport and get luggage then take taxi to cruise port. Plan B, which assumes you can't check luggage and/or the Express ticket isn't an option is to take luggage to pier then go to station and get on any train to Leiden then take a taxi to the Gardens. Nothing is very far apart but this entire plan is a function of your plane arriving on time and your ship departing late afternoon/early PM. Keukenhof is not to be missed and I would try to come a day early so you can get a good night's sleep and really enjoy this spectacle.

[ine2]

First thing off the plane, go to the tourist info booth and find out if the is "Keukenhof Express" operates on Easter. This is a combo train, bus and garden admission ticket. It is, hands down, the easiest and quickest way to get to and from the Gardens. I have done it several times. Here is my Plan A: If you are able to leave your luggage at the airport (I haven't used this service in years and am not sure it still exists but if it does, it's dead easy), you can leave from there because the trains to Leiden (where the buses are that take you to the gardens) come from the center of the AMS and back thru the airport to get to Leiden. Then, on the return get off at airport and get luggage then take taxi to cruise port. Plan B, which assumes you can't check luggage and/or the Express ticket isn't an option is to take luggage to pier then go to station and get on any train to Leiden then take a taxi to the Gardens. Nothing is very far apart but this entire plan is a function of your plane arriving on time and your ship departing late afternoon/early PM.

 

Keukenhof is not to be missed and I would try to come a day early so you can get a good night's sleep and really enjoy this spectacle.

 

If I remember well, there is a busservice Schiphol to Keukenhof too. No details at hand, but can let you know end of March.

[sk8teacher]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We have booked air and pickup through Viking so they will be taking us directly to the docks. We will be able to leave our baggage there (and can stay aboard in the lounge), but we wanted to do some exploring on our own. It appears our most reasonable option is the train from Amsterdam to Leiden, and then the bus from there.

 

That will work fine with us, we are very used to taking local transportation when available and actually enjoy it. Both of us are rather ardent photographers, and enjoy nature photography which is why we wanted to spend some time at the gardens on our own.

 

Thanks again for all of your help, it is greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

[ine2]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We have booked air and pickup through Viking so they will be taking us directly to the docks. We will be able to leave our baggage there (and can stay aboard in the lounge), but we wanted to do some exploring on our own. It appears our most reasonable option is the train from Amsterdam to Leiden, and then the bus from there.

 

That will work fine with us, we are very used to taking local transportation when available and actually enjoy it. Both of us are rather ardent photographers, and enjoy nature photography which is why we wanted to spend some time at the gardens on our own.

 

Thanks again for all of your help, it is greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

I will be back at home end of March and will report back.

I think your best option if the train to Schiphol airport and the bus from there. Will look up the schedule when home.

[cadreamer]

I have found a web site for Lindbergh where you can make reservations and purchase their tours. http://www.lindbergh.nl

Using their web site is the cheapest way to do it. There is another site that charges you a service fee to book with Lindbergh.. They have 3 different tours to Keukenhof.

[suzy5555]

I signed up late for our cruise so my port research time is limited. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. We arrive Amsterdam port Sunday May 3 at 8:30 depart 2:00pm. Orginally, I had decided to do HOHO canals and Anne Frank house but the tulips are calling me. I read somewhere that Keukenhof gardens are 1 hour away. What options do I have other than ships excursion to get to Keukenhof from the port.

[Ine]

I signed up late for our cruise so my port research time is limited. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. We arrive Amsterdam port Sunday May 3 at 8:30 depart 2:00pm. Orginally, I had decided to do HOHO canals and Anne Frank house but the tulips are calling me. I read somewhere that Keukenhof gardens are 1 hour away. What options do I have other than ships excursion to get to Keukenhof from the port.

 

In your case I would try to find a private driver that will pick you up at the cruise terminal, bring you to Keukenhof and back.

Maybe through your roll-call you can find passengers that will join you.

Once in the gardens you can easily spend some hours in there.

A reminder May 3 might be a busy day, since May 1 is a official holiday in neighbouring countries like Germany, Belgium etc, so those poeple will come over for a long weekend.

 

Or else because of the few hours you have available the ship excursion, so you will be back on time.

Indeed it is about 1 hour by car, but by public transport it will take longer.

[Ine]

I have found a web site for Lindbergh where you can make reservations and purchase their tours. www.lindbergh.nl

Using their web site is the cheapest way to do it. There is another site that charges you a service fee to book with Lindbergh.. They have 3 different tours to Keukenhof.

 

As mentioned on the Keukenhof website you can buy transportation incl. entrance. That way you can stay as long as you want.

http://www.keukenhof.nl/index.php?LAN_ID=2

[suzy5555]

Or else because of the few hours you have available the ship excursion, so you will be back on time.

Indeed it is about 1 hour by car, but by public transport it will take longer.

 

Thank you Ine. I was hoping you would see my post. You confirmed what I was thinking. Plus DH gets real anxious about getting back to the boat in time. I wouldn't be able to relax. Due to time restraints, ship excursion is our best option this time. Thank you for your opinion. I'm an avid flower gardener and I can hardly wait. Museums, Anne Frank, canals will have to wait until "next time". Thanks again.

 

I used one of your photos as my desktop background. I hope you don't mind. :D

[Ine]

Thank you Ine. I was hoping you would see my post. You confirmed what I was thinking. Plus DH gets real anxious about getting back to the boat in time. I wouldn't be able to relax. Due to time restraints, ship excursion is our best option this time. Thank you for your opinion. I'm an avid flower gardener and I can hardly wait. Museums, Anne Frank, canals will have to wait until "next time". Thanks again.

 

I used one of your photos as my desktop background. I hope you don't mind. :D

 

I am flattered by that. Indeed a wise decision. Tulips are here for only a short time, museums etc. will be there next time.

You probably saw some of my earlier Keukenhofphotos of last year on this site:

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i208/Inevd/Keukenhof%20and%20flowerfields/

 

I am sure you will enjoy it.

[suzy5555]

I am flattered by that. Indeed a wise decision. Tulips are here for only a short time, museums etc. will be there next time.

You probably saw some of my earlier Keukenhofphotos of last year on this site:

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i208/Inevd/Keukenhof%20and%20flowerfields/

 

I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

Ooooh you are so right - I did enjoy - more desktop photos:D:D:D Can't wait to take my own. Thanks for sharing!!!

[lambs2]

Ine, or anyone else that knows for sure, can the Combi-tickets for the Connections bus to Kuekenhoff gardens be purchased on the same day you plan to go at any of the tourist information booths in Amsterdam (like at the Schipol airport tourist booth), or must they be purchased online in advance. We would really like to know the weather conditions on the day we plan to go to Kuekenhoff.

[Ine]

Ine, or anyone else that knows for sure, can the Combi-tickets for the Connections bus to Kuekenhoff gardens be purchased on the same day you plan to go at any of the tourist information booths in Amsterdam (like at the Schipol airport tourist booth), or must they be purchased online in advance. We would really like to know the weather conditions on the day we plan to go to Kuekenhoff.

 

As far as I know you can also buy them on the day of departure.

Remember weather in NL in that time of the year in general will be cool, be rpepared for some rain. Maybe you are lucky and get some sun.

[FinelyRetired]

I signed up late for our cruise so my port research time is limited. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. We arrive Amsterdam port Sunday May 3 at 8:30 depart 2:00pm. Orginally, I had decided to do HOHO canals and Anne Frank house but the tulips are calling me. I read somewhere that Keukenhof gardens are 1 hour away. What options do I have other than ships excursion to get to Keukenhof from the port.

 

You may want to contact the guide I've used several times in NL.

 

www.privatehollandtravel.com If he's free, he could pick you & luggage up at airport, take you to the tulips & then to ship. Moreover, he'd be able to advise if tulips are still in bloom when you arrive. There would be many things to do in the 5-6 hours before you need to be at the ship assuming it sails at 5pm & you'd want to be there around 3pm.

 

Enjoy. Martha

[hulamoon]

Ine,

 

I hope you are enjoying Mexico! I will be in port at Rotterdam on May 12th. ships services are not offering tours to the garden. I have spent a few weeks in The Netherlands but this will be our first time there during the bloom.

 

Ships services told me it is hard to get there and back due to traffic, but thought I would check with you. I assumed buses could get us there and back right? We are in port 8 hours I think.

 

Thank you

[Lair Bear]

We will be arriving in Amsterdam around 8am in the morning on Easter Sunday, April 8 for our cruise on the Viking Spirit. Will it be open that day, and how would we get there? Are there busses from the dock area to there?

 

I hope Ine will respond to this one.

April 8 is awfully early for Keukenhof and I doubt it will be open. Right now only daffodils and some hyacinths are popping up. So don't expect a large display of tulips.

If it is open, and you want to go, there are both local busses and special tour busses that will take you there. They don't leave from the dock area and you may have to go the Centraal Station. That is only a short walk west of the docks.

Again Ine has posted those details here before, but I just don't remember what they are. Do a search, please.

BTW Did you really mean April 8?????

[ab0si]

Ine, or anyone else that knows for sure, can the Combi-tickets for the Connections bus to Kuekenhoff gardens be purchased on the same day you plan to go at any of the tourist information booths in Amsterdam (like at the Schipol airport tourist booth), or must they be purchased online in advance. We would really like to know the weather conditions on the day we plan to go to Kuekenhoff.

 

Information on the connexxion buses to Keukenhof:

 

http://www.connexxion.nl/totaaloverzicht/192/keukenhof_-english/391/

 

this includes a pdf timetable.

 

If there is room on the bus, you can walk up to the booth and buy tickets.

 

FWIW, my wife makes it to Keukenhof just about every year (I got her started in the habit but now she usually does it with two of her friends). She hates to travel. If I am lucky I can get her on one cruise a year and zero other international trips. That's how much she likes it.

 

The weather is likely to be a bit cool. There is often rain.. but seldom a storm.. just drizzle. It would be shame to let that stop you.

[Lair Bear]

Holy macarel, I just realized that the original post was from two years ago. So April 8 could have been correct for Easter then but not this year.

 

Anyway, Keukenhof is a great place and I hope we will find out if it is an early or late 'bloom' this year.

[hulamoon]

Is it better to take a train or bus to Leiden to catch the bus to Lisse from Rotterdam? I have heard the traffic in/out of rotterdam is rough. We are there on a Monday, this year, 2009.