Hello,

My family of 4 (kids 12 & 9) will be in Amsterdam the week after Easter (9-14 April) and plan to visit the Keukenhof Gardens on one day. I see from the website that I can buy our tickets ahead of time without picking a specific day. I also see that I can buy a combi-ticket that includes transportation from Schipol to Keukenhof via the 58 bus.

Is this the preferred method for using public transportation?

We will be staying in the Jordaan. It looks like it is 1.2 km to Leidseplein and bus 197 or 1.6 km (and likely a tram ride) to Central and the train. What's the easiest way to get to Schipol for us?

Any timing tips early/late/etc.? We are normally early birds but it would be a little much to try to get there at 8 when it opens. I've heard that it's worth letting things try to warm up a bit so the flower open up as well. Thoughts?

Any general public transportation guides for Amsterdam in general?

Thanks.

We have been to the Keukenhof Gardens twice; once on a tour that provided transportation and once we took public transit. Unfortunately I don't remember the details of the routing. Seems like we took one bus to a stop and then took a second bus to the gardens themselves.

However, I do have a recommendation on your arrival time; the tour groups arrive basically at the time the gardens open and it will be extremely crowded. Unimpeded photo ops are virtually impossible. The first time, as I said, we were on a guided tour and while the flowers are absolutely spectacular, it takes a bit of patience to get a clear shot.

However, if you wait until the afternoon, the tour groups leave and it is much better. You will have better light, and you will have the garden virtually to yourself.

The garden is a delight and I am sure you will enjoy it, regardless of when you arrive.

Here is a website that could possibly help you with your journey from Jordaan - http://9292.nl/en/. If you click on "more options", it will allow you to check off whether you'd like to take the tram, bus, train, etc.

I will miss you by a week, as I will be there on the 20th. I'm staying near Schiphol, however, and will be taking the #58 bus. I've done this previously, and it worked out just fine. I did get there first thing in the morning and was glad I did, as there was a lot to see, so I was glad to have the time to wander around at my leisure.

If you've never been to the Keukenhof before, you are in for a treat; it is beautiful! Hope you enjoy it and happy travels!

The bus is a great way to travel back and forth (easy, direct, comfortable) and going early is a good idea if for no other reason than the place very well may be MOBBED...but it is, IMO, so worth it.

Hi, indy-dad,

we're going too, but at the end of april [hope there's still something to see then] and staying Delft - so I'm no help to you at all.

just wanted to say Hi, really!

I hope to go to Keukenhof in May. According to Rick Steves, if you're in Amsterdam, you take a train to Leiden (one hour and 35 minutes), then take the #54 bus (Keukenhoff Express) straight to the garden.

PC, Can we rent bikes once we get to the Keukenhof?

Thanks,
TracyD

I also will be there mid April. Will be taking the Red Sternet bus #197 from Leidseplein to the airport and transfering to Keukenhoff bus #58 to the gardens. Bus 58 leaves from platform B1, B3 at the airport bus station.
Combination tickets are available @ tourist information desk at central station and at Leidsplein.
This info was taken from the garden web site

You can definitely rent bikes from a place just in front the gardens (or at least you could last year). You can also buy little maps with various cycling routes, should you be so inclined.

You can't take the bikes into the gardens, themselves though.

Just be aware that the line to get a bus going back can be pretty long, especially if it's been a beautiful day. But it is definitely worth it.

While you're there, check to see if the short-tempered white peacock is still around. He likes to stand behind the gardeners and shout at them while they're working.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like there are a couple of ways to get there (Leiden or Schipol). I'll have a look.

I know it's not the dates you've planned indy_dad but looks like a lot of people will be heading to Keukenhof, and wanted to mention the Flower Parade on 21st April which I and some others may be going for. I wrote a bit more about it here: http://loco2.co.uk/blog/2012/01/5-ma...ion-roam-free/

It's free to watch and you can leave the gardens and re-enter on your ticket, should be good!

Leiden IMO would be easier to navigate and find the buses that go all the time from Leiden station to the Keukenhof - right out front - Schiphol is more perplexing and Leiden is also a neat town - take a short stroll from the station coming back to see the canals and give you kids a treat at the local FEBO snack stand known for the great snacks like french fries served in a cone. Avoid weekends if possible at the gardens IME!

for either Schiphol or Leiden take trains from Centraal station. buy a Daag Retour ticket - day return if still available.

When my wife and I did this, the hotel booked a tour bus for us and a mini bus picked us up and took us to a central point where we joined a group of similar people. It was an ideal way, especially since the snow was coming down at the time. The sun did eventually shine.

It looks like one of the more straightforward options from the Jordaan area is to take the 197 bus to Schipol and the 58 bus from there. From the Keukenhof website:

From Amsterdam centre
From the Leidseplein/Museumplein you can take the red Sternet bus 197 to Schiphol Airport (busses run 5-6 times per hour). At the Airport you can change to the Keukenhof bus 58.
You can buy your combitickets at the Tourist Information desk at the Trainstation and at Leidseplein.

So, when is says you can buy your tickets at "Leidseplein" what does that mean? I thought that was an area. Where is in the area will I find the tickets?

Maybe I'll get them from the TI when we arrive at Centraal . . .

I had read that late afternoon was the best time to arrive at the gardens and when I went it was a Friday afternoon about 4. There were still a lot of people but the line at the gate was not long. The light was fabulous for taking pictures. I stayed several hours and then my sister was itchy to leave.

The next day was the day of the parade. I parked in the lot and walked about twenty minutes up to the town of Lisse for the parade. It was fabulous! The floats were made with millions of flower petals. I remember standing there and smelling the hyacinths. The streets are narrow so you are quite close to the floats. The floats do the complete route up to Haarlem, but at the edge of each town the local kids join the parade with their bikes all decorated with flowers.

After the parade I went back to the gardens and enjoyed a short walk around to see a few things that I had missed the day before.

It is well worth the effort! I understand about the kids and being constrained by their school holidays.

However you go, consider taking the bus back to Haarlem rather than Amsterdam, see a bit of the place, perhaps dinner on the delightful Square and then take the train back to Amsterdam. The bus to Haarlem from the gardens (#54??)takes about 45 minutes. Walk to and from station in Haarlem is about 10 minutes each way. Train Haarlem-Amsterdam is 15 minutes - 4 trains/hour.

We'll be there early May and I bought our tickets on line from the Keukenhof site and printed them at home.

indy_dad, we have taken the train to Leiden twice, the first time we took the bus from the train station to Keukenhof gardens, very easy to do. The next time we rented bicycles at the train station in Leiden, I think we also got a route map and set out, what a wonderful ride. It puts you up close to the actual tulip fields along the way.
Enjoy your trip.
Susan

We will be staying in Haarlem. I can't wait!