Transportation to Keukenhof for group of 15
 

In April 2014 a group of us would like to arrange transportation to visit Keukenhof. We will probably want a half day, 3-4 hours there. We will be in Amsterdam coming from various locations and can meet up at one place. There is also discussion about also visiting the cheese market. Perhaps combine the 2 into 1 day trip? Have been looking into public bus, but would prefer being on our own small group tour.

Looking for transportation or tour companies we can contact. Any recommendations

http://www.iamsterdam.com/

official site of city of Amsterdam may have tours or an email to enquire.

So so easy to go on your own - take a train to Leiden and constant shuttle buses from there to Keuneknhof. So so easy.

You can also get a direct bus from Schiphol airport. You can still be your own small tour..your tour group will get there one hell of a lot cheaper, too.

There are several tour agencies along Damrak, the busy tourist street running from Central Station to Dam Sq. You'll find they offer a variety of tours. For a group of 15 you would want to pre-book a block of seats, esp. during the busy flower season. One I've used is Lindbergh and it was fine -- they used full sized comfortable buses. http://www.lindbergh.nl/

<i>
Transportation to Keukenhof for group of 15
Posted by: hpeabody on Nov 2, 13 at 6:59pm
Looking for transportation or tour companies we can contact. Any recommendations</i>

You don't need a professional tour. Bike it on your own from Haarlem. http://tinyurl.com/5nwqzp.

there is also Bus #100 that goes from Haarlem's train station to the gardens and onto to Lisse and Leiden - it rolls thru the heart of the flower fields so a much different approach than the much more frequent shuttle buses from Leiden's train station.

. There is also discussion about also visiting the cheese market>

what cheese market - Aalkmaar - if so that is only on Friday mornings about Apr-Sep I believe. You may want to visit the famous Aalsmeer Flower Auction which is or can be right on the way to the Keukenhof - a fascinating place - huge huge real acution where buds are bid on and then sent to nearby Schiphol airport to be dispersed around the world.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Aals...=1600&bih=1075

Open all morning - you can view it all from galleries you walk around on.

http://www.iamsterdam.com/

this official site of Amsterdam may have some excursions to look into - all you need is a chauffered vehicle holding 15 and you set the itinerary.

If on a Friday during season you could swing first by the Aalkmaar Cheese Market.

Getting from the flower market to Keukenhof is not that easy, certainly not for a group of 15.
The cheese market is the opposite direction to Keukenhof, and as PalenQ says only on Friday. If you want to do both on one day you will probably need to hire a minibus and driver. You could then also book a group tour of the market maybe.
http://www.kaasmarkt.nl/welcome.asp?lang=0

No I was saying that combo only if they had a vehicle and driver - too hard even to get from Amsterdam to the flower auction by bus for a group of 15.

Thank You for your replies. What we need is just what PalenQ states, a vehicle and a driver. We will be doing this on a Friday almost mid April, so the Aalkmaar Cheese Market is doable. hetismij2, I will check out that link on the Cheese Market. I did not know they are in opposite directions. PalenQ I love the Aalsmeer Flower Auction idea and will bring it up to the group.

We now have queries out with Lindbergh and Amsterdam City Tours. Anyone have experience with them?

We now have queries out with Lindbergh and Amsterdam City Tours. Anyone have experience with them?>

No but very established firms.

It would be near impossible to do both the Aalkmaar Cheese market and Aalsmeer Flower Auction as both only happen in the morning - the earlier the better for Aalsmeer and Alsmeer is rather on the way to the Keukenhof - so would be more convenient and cheaper if the van charges by the kilometer as I suspect or at least by the time required.

You could also have the van drive from the Keukenhof thru the heart of the flower fields - north from Keukenhof to Haarlem - taking side roads that go right thru miles of undulated blossoms as far as the eye can see at that time of year.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com...nds-road-trip/

this describes a drive thru the heart of the Flower Fields - your driver could easily do this on the way back from Amsterdam - tell him to stop somewhere so you can get out and really smell the flowers!

Thank you again, great information PalenQ. We do want to "ride" through the flower fields. We may have to decide between the cheese market and the flower auction.

Tough choice - the cheese market is really a tourist thing - very artificial - and very very crowded so you may not get a good view even IME - the flower auction is a real auction - I don't know which folks would like better but for a more relaxed trip I'd forego the Alkmaar Cheese Market unless you have the whole morning there. Alkmaar itself is a sweet regional town with other things to see and do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-fso4UhN0c - the Cheese market though is colorful!

PalenQ says you well be hiring a van. Unfortunately in Europe laws state this amount of passengers it will need to be a small bus/coach. Could prove to be expensive. You should hire the vehicle for your own needs and not share it you are a large group.
Here are a few more suggestions.
http://touringcaramsterdam.nl/
http://www.limoamsterdam.com/car-fleet/vip-coaches.html
http://www.vdmtours.nl/
http://www.123tours.nl/
Dont worry the websites may not have any English on them just contact the companies in English with your requirements and see what they come up with.

Oh forget, one last thing; a Van in Dutch or Even UK English is not something one would use to transport people around in.
In UK English, which the Dutch are most used to hearing you must ask for a 15 seater coach or bus (minibus). If you want a guide you must make sure they have a seat too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minibus
The nearest equivalent word for van in UK English is people carrier. However under European law they are limited on seating capacity.
I could clarify the words in Dutch if you want too!

ribeirasacra... Maybe there is some confusion. We want to work with a tour company and their vehicle appropriate for the size of the group. I hope I did not imply that we were hiring a van as in a "rental" We have started to get responses to our inquiries.

Thank you for your time and interest and the links. We will take a look :-)

You may want to work with a tour, but they have their own agenda and you seem to have yours. Hence the reason why I posted. You were also unsure about using some of the companies you have listed, these are alternatives.

I also appreciate you never posted about a van, however palenq did and I again posted that information to ensure you are clear in what you are hiring.

<i>Transportation to Keukenhof for group of 15
Posted by: hpeabody on Nov 2, 13 at 6:59pm
In April 2014 a group of us would like to arrange transportation to visit Keukenhof.
Looking for transportation or tour companies we can contact. Any recommendations</i>

From the looks of this thread you are trying to make an over-budget Federal project out of a simple inexpensive one hour trip. If you don't want to bike it, what a pity, then the way to go is
<i>PalenQ on Nov 2, 13 at 7:59pm
So so easy to go on your own - take a train to Leiden and constant shuttle buses from there to Keuneknhof. So so easy.</i>

Pal also offers this comment:
<i>PalenQ on Nov 3, 13 at 12:06pm
there is also Bus #100 that goes from Haarlem's train station to the gardens . . . it rolls thru the heart of the flower fields . . .</i>
The Connexxion bus company changes routes, schedules, and bus numbers frequently -- way too frequently. Ask at the bus depot office in Haarlem before getting on board. The bus route that my bike trip paralleled was #90.

Have all your people buy an OV-chipkaart, https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/aanvragen/