Zaanse Schans Boat From Amsterdam, Skip the Train, Sail to the Windmills
A private Zaanse Schans boat from Amsterdam along the scenic Zaan River: your own captain, your own boat, and the windmills coming into view from the water instead of a station platform.
From €960 · 5-hour private charter
Most people take the train to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam, it is fast, it is cheap, and it is completely forgettable. A private Zaanse Schans boat from Amsterdam takes longer, but it turns the journey itself into part of the experience: 1.5 hours along the Zaan River, past historic warehouses and working windmills, on a boat that is yours alone. Below is exactly what the private boat trip includes, plus every other way of getting to Zaanse Schans, train, bus, bike, so you can see precisely why the boat is worth it.
No transfers, no crowds
No platforms, no bus queues. A private pickup, one boat, straight to the windmills.
The journey is the highlight
The Zaan River route itself, past historic warehouses and industrial architecture, is part of the experience rather than just a transfer.
Comfort on board
A minibar, one welcome drink included and a restroom on board the Ritz for the whole round trip.
Your own schedule
Choose your departure time, spend as long as you like at Zaanse Schans, and head back when you are ready.
See the route before you book
A quick look at what the private boat trip from Amsterdam is really like: the Zaan River, arriving at the windmills, and the deck of the Ritz itself.
Out of Amsterdam and up to the windmills
The Ritz saloon boat leaves Amsterdam and follows the Zaan River north for around 1.5 hours, arriving directly at Zaanse Schans. You can start the day with breakfast or lunch on board before setting off, and your captain shares the history of the route along the way, the same industrial waterway that shaped this whole region.
Alongside the included welcome drink, the onboard minibar carries beer, white and red wine, Champagne, coffee, tea, soft drinks and water. See the drinks menu.
Restroom, minibar and room to relax
Unlike a train carriage or a tour bus, the Ritz gives you a proper cabin, outdoor deck space and a restroom on board, genuinely useful on a round trip that takes up most of the day. It is built for sitting back and watching the landscape go by, not standing in an aisle.
How much does a Zaanse Schans boat from Amsterdam cost?
The minimum charter length for the Zaanse Schans trip is 5 hours, from €960 including tax and fees. That covers roughly 1.5 hours of sailing each way plus at least 2 hours to explore Zaanse Schans. The final price depends on your group size and whether you add an extra host on board, who can also act as your local guide once you arrive.
- ✓Includes one welcome drink per guest
- ✓Additional drinks and catering are charged separately on board
- ✓Final price varies with group size and whether you add a host or local guide for the day
- ✓Book through the online reservation system and note in the comments field that this is a Zaanse Schans trip with a 300-minute (5-hour) minimum charter
- ✓Flexible departure point, with breakfast or lunch on board before you set off
What to see at Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is a living open-air museum, a village of working windmills you can walk right through, not just photograph from a distance.
Historic windmills
De Kat (the only windmill in the world still producing paint pigments), Het Jonge Schaap (a working sawmill) and De Zoeker (an oil mill) are all open to visit.
Zaans Museum
The story of the region: Dutch art, local industry and the making of cocoa and biscuits, useful context before you walk the rest of the village.
Clog workshop
Watch traditional Dutch clogs being carved by hand at the wooden shoe workshop, and take a pair home as a souvenir.
Catharina Hoeve cheese farm
Free tastings and demonstrations of how Gouda and Edam are made, right on site.
Weaver’s house
Traditional weaving techniques and the history of local sailcloth production, demonstrated by weavers in period dress.
Albert Heijn museum shop
The very first Albert Heijn grocery store, preserved as a museum showing Dutch retail life in the early twentieth century.
How to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam
If the private boat is not what you are after, here is exactly how the alternatives compare, train, bus and bike are all straightforward ways to reach Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam Centraal.
| Method | Duration | Approx. cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private boat | ~1.5 hrs each way | From €960 (5-hour charter) | Scenic Zaan River route, door to door, with minibar and restroom on board |
| Train (NS, Centraal → Zaandijk Zaanse Schans) | ~17 min plus a 10–15 min walk | From €4.20 one way per person | Direct trains every 15–30 min; the fastest and cheapest option |
| Bus 391 (from Centraal) | ~35–45 min | Standard OV-chipkaart or contactless fare | Departs roughly every 15 min; stops closer to the village entrance than the train |
| Bicycle | ~1 hr each way | Cost of bike rental | Around 16–19 km each way on flat, well-signposted Dutch cycle paths |
| Car | ~20–30 min | Parking fees at Zaanse Schans | Fastest by road, though once there you will get around on foot or by bike |
Prices and travel times are approximate and subject to change, always check current fares before you travel. The private boat trip is charged separately as a full charter (see above), not per person.
Best time to visit Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is open all year, but April to October is the best window: mild weather and a better chance of seeing the windmills actually turning. Spring brings tulips and green fields along the route. Arrive early or visit on a weekday to avoid the biggest crowds, especially in peak summer.
Tips for your visit
- ✓Wear comfortable shoes, there are cobbled paths and uneven ground throughout the village.
- ✓Bring a camera, the windmills and traditional houses make for the best photographs in the region.
- ✓Book ahead, private boats fill up quickly in summer.
- ✓Eat on site, the nearby cafés serve traditional Dutch pancakes and poffertjes.
- ✓Use the on-site map, there is an interactive map at the entrance with opening times and attraction locations.
Zaanse Schans boat from Amsterdam, FAQ
Boatboys runs a private boat charter from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans along the Zaan River, taking around 1.5 hours each way. The minimum charter is 5 hours, from €960 including tax, covering the full round trip plus time to explore Zaanse Schans. The exact price depends on your group size and whether you add an extra host on board, who can also act as your local guide.
By boat, around 1.5 hours each way along the Zaan River. By train or car it is roughly 20 km, taking between 17 and 25 minutes.
Take a direct NS train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, it takes about 17 minutes and costs from €4.20 one way. From the station it is a 10 to 15-minute walk to the village entrance.
Yes, bus 391 leaves Amsterdam Centraal roughly every 15 minutes and takes 35 to 45 minutes, stopping closer to the village entrance than the train station.
Yes, it is a popular cycle route: around 16 to 19 km each way on flat, well-signposted paths, taking about an hour at an easy pace.
The train is fastest and cheapest for a short visit. The private boat takes longer but makes the journey part of the experience: a scenic 1.5-hour cruise along the Zaan River with a captain, minibar and restroom on board, rather than 17 minutes on a train.
Yes, the private boat trip is a round trip designed as a single day out. You choose the departure and return times when booking.
Yes. Children usually love the windmills, the clog-making demonstrations and the cheese tastings. We can also pick up close to your hotel, which makes the family day out much simpler.
Access to the Zaanse Schans area is free. Some individual windmills and museums charge a small entrance fee.
We recommend 1.5 to 2 hours on land, which gives you time to see the windmills, a museum and the clog and cheese demonstrations without rushing.
Ready to see Zaanse Schans from the water?
Whether it is a couple’s day out, a family trip or a group after something more memorable than a train platform, the private boat makes getting to Zaanse Schans the best part of the day rather than just the way there.