kerouackid

I will be in Amsterdam in a few weeks. This will be my third visit to the city. So, I would like to take a few day trips. Is it feasible to visit Delft and Den Hague in one day? I would like to visit a few museums (Escher & Mauritshuis). If time permits, I would like to see Scheveningen and maybe Madurodam. I'm not too sure what there is to do in Delft. A friend recommended I should stop on the way to Den Haag. She said the city is very charming and De Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles & De Oude Kerk are a must. I will have a car the entire time I am in Amsterdam. Therefor, I can make my own schedule. Any suggestions & information will be greatly appreciated.

gh21

We did both in a day by train. First to den Hague for a museum, then to Delft for Oude Kerk and market day, square, lunch etc. Back in Amsterdam by late afternoon.

hetismij

Easily done in one day.
Buy a return ticket to Delft, and make sure the train you get goes via Den Haag not Leiden. Get off at Den Haag, then continue on to Delft with the same ticket.

Have a look at www.ns.nl for times of trains going via Den Haag rather than via Leiden.
You don't qualify for a discount for travelling after 9am btw.

menachem

And good to remember is the fact that Den Haag has two train stations: one a through station called HS (Hollands Spoor) that's on the Rotterdam - Delft - Den Haag - Leiden - Amsterdam line and CS (Centraal Station), a terminus that serves all locations to the west of Den Haag and Rotterdam and beyond. The two stations are in quite different parts of Den Haag, so make sure you end up at the right one. All trains from Delft also stop at HS, but some continue to Leiden and some end up at the terminus, CS.

menachem

@hetismij

All trains through Leiden also pass Den Haag, but HS rather than CS. I don't really understand your comment. If you are on the through train to Breda or Dordrecht, no need to change trains at Den Haag, although you'll be at HS station, not CS.

hetismij

menachem. NS lists every other train to Delft with Den haag as the station to change trains at. Therefore you can legally get that train, and get out at Den Haag on a ticket to Delft.
If you get the train where you are supposed to change at Leiden - because the connection is better there, you cannot legally carry on to Den Haag since you are supposed take the shortest route available to your destination. In that case you are supposed to buy mulitle tickets.

I had all this explained to me by a conductor once, when I took an alternative (longer) route. Since I could claim, and he checked, the train on the correct route wasn't running - hence the alternative he let me off, but otherwise he would have fined me.

clevelandbrown

I suppose some people can see any town in half a day, but I think Den Haag warrants at least a full day. In addition to the places you want to see, take a look at http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl/index.php?id=1&langId=en
a city museum that is well worth a visit.

I thought Delft was interesting, but not worth cutting out any time in Den Haag. If you were staying in Den Haag, Delft would be a nice day-trip to get lunch.

If you like museums, you can buy a pass good at all national museums for thirty days at a pretty good price. The member museums sell them. Some of the major museums in Amsterdam are also covered.

I'm not sure I would drive. Train service is excellent, and traffic and parking could take up a lot of your time.

kerouackid

I think I am going to skip Delft. I will look into the museum pass. It may be very beneficial to me. I greatly appreciate all of the replies.

menachem

@hetismij: if you check on the ns site, the fare to Den Haag CS and Den Haag HS are exactly the same. And have been for many years.

Set

@ menachem: it's not about the fares though, but about taking the shortest route to your destination. Like hetismij I have experience with stubborn conductors who will not let you off on the explanation that the fares a the same but instead fine you for 60 euro, because you a not taking the shortest route to your destination. Rather a waste of money if you can just buy the right ticket.
@kerouackid: this might be a helpful site, http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/c...ts/museums.htm
lists all the museums in Den Haag. Gemeentemuseum is really worth checking out, Escher is my personal favourite, Mauritshuis would not be my first choice, but it is a popular one with tourists, because it has some famous paintings by the old Dutch masterpainters. The historical museum is also worth visiting and right next to Mauritshuis. Enjoy!

danon

Dan Hag is very nice spot.
You can take a tram to the sea.. Scheveningen

There is
beach and many restaurants right on it.