Private car transfer from Rotterdam to Amsterdam

Overview: car trip from Rotterdam to Amsterdam

When you drive from Rotterdam to Amsterdam with Daytrip's door-to-door service, you'll leave behind one of the largest port cities in the world with an expansive history you've likely unearthed for a city with Golden Age canals and quiet luxury. Amsterdam, in all its glory, is a European city filled with magnificent 17th-century architecture, stunning parks, and culture-filled museums.

It's one of the easiest cities to navigate with crisscrossing cycle- and walking-friendly streets and picturesque tulip-laden bridges. But before you get to Amsterdam, there are a few places to stop and explore if you have the time. With Daytrips' friendly English-speaking drivers to take you from one beautiful place to the next, you can add a few attractions to your travel list.

For example, you might want to take a few pictures of the windmills at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site, or you might want to try tasting your way through the world-famous cheeses in the medieval city of Gouda. Then there's Utrecht, with its canals and undeniable beauty, and Leiden, with its history. With so much to see, don't forget to ask your driver for a few recommendations on where to continue your adventure once you arrive in Amsterdam.

We often recommend a canal boat cruise if you want to take in the Dutch capital's many awe-inspiring sights. If a canal cruise isn't to your liking, the city is incredibly walkable, so you can access almost everything on foot if you wear the right shoes. Since the entire city feels like an open-air museum, it can be incredibly overwhelming to decide what to do, but there are a few must-visit places you'll need to tick off your list.

There is something to delight everyone from Amsterdam Central Station, Anne Frank House, and Herengracht to the Bloemenmarkt, Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, and the skinny bridge.

About Amsterdam

When people think of Amsterdam, they likely immediately picture distinctive colors and culture. If you do the same, you're thinking of the city's older sections, filled with magnificent historical attractions, memorable artworks, and stunning natural wonders. But there's far more to Amsterdam than meets the eye. The city has progressed over the years to encompass modern cultures, architectural styles, and attractions, which you can see when you visit by driving from Rotterdam to Amsterdam with Daytrip.

Interestingly, Amsterdam is not only a city but also a port. It is located in the western Netherlands and is connected to the North Sea and IJsselmeer. As the capital of the Netherlands, it is the country's commercial and financial center and a tourism hub. So, it's unsurprising that many people visit this progressive city.

It's also similar to other cities in terms of looks. That city is Venice. Although far apart, Amsterdam is often called the 'Venice of the North' because it has several canals and over 1,300 viaducts and bridges looming over its 90 islands collectively labeled a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These meandering canals and picturesque bridges are popular attractions and draw in millions of eager travelers annually.

When you visit, you'll find it almost impossible not to cross at least one bridge during your stay. If you do, be sure to peer over its edge and into the murky canal waters below to see if you can spot a bicycle or two. As odd as it might seem, Amsterdam is well-known for its collection of bicycles in its canals.

Amsterdam is also an instantly recognizable city for its charming canal houses that feature noble brick facades clad with sandstone and painted bright colors. The city also has its fair share of churches, towers, and richly decorated buildings that catch the eye and spark conversations. No matter where your wanderings take you in Amsterdam, you'll come across something to spark a conversation, even if it is a delightful chocolatier or an ancient walkway you come across.

While visiting, be sure to also look for old-world windmills, drawbridges, and hole-in-the-wall eateries that transport you to another world with delightful menu items and cozy decor. There are also museums worth your time. From the prestigious Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum to the Rijksmuseum, one or more of them are bound to pique your interest.

Then, there are all the green zones in the city that you can explore, and the art and history found both indoors and outdoors will draw you in. So be prepared to be immersed in Amsterdam's charm when you visit.

From Rotterdam to Amsterdam: travel tips

Amsterdam has it all. From Cannabis clouded coffee shops – yes, you read that right – to quaint paths and romantic bridges, it's a city worthy of your time. But when traveling from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, there are some useful things to understand about the city and those found along the way before you begin your adventure.

Book tickets to attractions in advance

If you're planning a trip to Amsterdam between June and August, it's best to plan for long queues at galleries, museums, libraries, and other popular attractions. If you do not want to wait in queues, you can book ahead by buying tickets in advance. There are even skip-the-line tickets if you want to pay extra to avoid waiting.

Amsterdam is not the only place where you can book tickets to attractions in advance. Many of the sightseeing attractions along the way can be purchased in advance. We recommend buying tickets at least six weeks in advance if you plan a trip from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and want to explore while driving with Daytrip.

Carry a mix of cash and cards

Although many places between Rotterdam and Amsterdam are cashless, this does not mean every restaurant, bar, chocolatier, museum, gallery, or shop will accept card payments. In fact, many of the 'brown cafes' in Amsterdam don't take cards and are staunch in requesting cash only.

For this reason, it's best to carry a mix of cash and cards when traveling this route. Just be wary of carrying too much cash, as you don't want to make yourself a target, especially if you're using public transportation to get around.

Check if you can transport goods before you buy them

It might be tempting to buy everything you like when visiting places on your way from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, but it's a good idea to check first if what you're buying can be transported home with you. Unfortunately, many customs laws prohibit certain items from being transported back to your home country.

So, if you're traveling from outside Europe, you might want to do a quick Google search before buying the cheeses you've fallen in love with. Yes, you read that correctly. Certain cheeses are unpasteurized and 'raw,' so they cannot be taken back on the plane with you for health and safety reasons.

How to get from Rotterdam to Amsterdam

Securing transportation from Rotterdam to Amsterdam isn't too difficult, considering the distance between the two cities isn't far. With only 48 miles (78 km) between the two places, you can take a fast train, bus, taxi, or private car transfer service like Daytrip. To learn more about these transportation options, you can look below.

From Rotterdam to Amsterdam by private car service Daytrip

If you want to take a scenic trip from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, where you can stop and sightsee, as you please—consider driving with Daytrip. Unlike other means of transportation, traveling with the door-to-door private transfer service Daytrip will allow you to live out your travel dreams.

Daytrip is also incredibly convenient, with comfortable cars, reasonable prices for seats, and safe and professional drivers. When you drive with Daytrip, you won't need to worry about making it to the train or bus station in time, nor will you have to worry about a taxi costing you an arm and a leg to travel less than 50 miles (80 km).

You also won't need to worry about navigating foreign roads and road signs that you can't read. Daytrips drivers know the area and can get you from Rotterdam to Amsterdam with minimum fuss. Your driver also won't mind sharing travel insights and tips about the best places to visit and eat when you get to Amsterdam.

Perhaps most importantly, you get to pick the time you travel, and the trip will take only an hour and 10 minutes. So, whether you're early to rise or prefer to sleep in, you'll get to set the exact time you should be fetched, which is convenient. Not bad for the price of about $45 (€42) per seat, right?

From Rotterdam to Amsterdam by train

The fastest way to get from Rotterdam to Amsterdam is by train. A direct train trip between these two places takes about 45 minutes. This means there will be no stopping along the way, no transfers, and no long train waiting periods.

A train trip is typically also affordable since you will be traveling with Dutch Railways or Trenitalia Intercity. Tickets range, but you can expect a ticket price between $12 and $30 (€11-€28) per trip. A train leaves every 15 minutes, and the trains are usually clean and have amenities like onboard bathrooms.

Unfortunately, the cabin areas tend to be crowded, and you won't be able to stop and sightsee while you travel from Rotterdam to Amsterdam.

From Rotterdam to Amsterdam by bus

Budget travelers should consider taking the bus from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. Bus tickets can cost you as little as $6 (€5.60)if you book with Flixbus, a popular coach line that offers early morning trips between the two cities.

However, there aren't too many buses offering trips between these two places, and the times the coaches leave can be awkward. For example, Flixbus often offers trips after midnight and early morning, which might work for a traveler interested in spending a night out on the town in Amsterdam but not a family.

Fortunately, they also offer trips at more reasonable hours, but because they are the most affordable transportation option, tickets sell out quickly. Time-wise, a coach will take about an hour and a half to drive from Rotterdam to Amsterdam.

Things to do when you get to Amsterdam

No matter how you look at it, Amsterdam is a charming and enchanting city that feels like a fairytale destination.

With more than 100 attractions, from food stalls, parks, and churches to museums, flower markets, and monuments, there is something for every type of traveler. But what should you do when driving from Rotterdam to Amsterdam?

To help you answer this question, we've shared a few of the best places to visit if you're planning a trip to this incredible city.

Van Gogh Museum

If you're a fan of the famously troubled artist Vincent Van Gogh, you'll want to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. This museum boasts the largest collection of artworks by this artist—more than 200—with some of his most famous pieces permanently on display.

Besides artwork, the museum also has a collection of Van Gogh's personal effects that help you learn a little more about his life and who he was as a person. There are also more than 500 drawings by Van Gogh and his contemporaries, including Monet, Gauguin, and Bernard.

Anne Frank House

One of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam is the Anne Frank House. Often, visitors will wait in long queues for hours to walk through the home and learn more about Frank's story. If you want to visit but avoid the queues, you can get your tickets in advance to tour this museum unlike any other in the world.

Whether you book with a tour company or wander through Anne Frank's house on your own, you'll see the hidden room behind the movable bookcase where Frank hid during the persecution of the Jews. The tour also includes a glimpse into her diary.

Vondelpark

Many might find walking through a park boring, but if the idea excites you, including a trip to Vondelpark in your travel itinerary is best. This beautiful park is free to enter and is the largest park in Amsterdam, with plush green grass banks, towering trees, and a gorgeous rose garden.

Its picture-perfect setting makes it the best place to have a picnic and enjoy birdsong while people-watching or an outdoor outing with friends and family while laughing over sparkling tea and sandwiches. There are also several statues and fountains to explore, and if you feel adventurous, you can also hunt for the park's treehouse and ponds.

Rijksmuseum

Thousands of visitors flock to Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum every year, making it one of the city's most popular attractions.

Considering the museum is home to over 5,000 paintings and tells more than 800 years of Dutch history, it's not hard to imagine why people are drawn to it.

Regardless of when you plan to visit, you'll encounter many exhibitions and world-famous paintings, such as 'The Night Watch' and 'The Milkmaid.'

Herengracht

There are three famous canals found in the center of Amsterdam, and the Herengracht is one that you should consider visiting if you want a glimpse into how the wealthy live in Amsterdam.

This canal was established in 1612 and is famous for its gorgeous Golden Bend section. This section allows visitors to drift by and admire the inner gardens and stately mansions of some of the most breathtaking places to live in Amsterdam.

When is the best time to visit Amsterdam?

Amsterdam gets busy during the summer, which is the city's peak season. That's why if you're traveling from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, it's best to visit in April and May, which fall before the summertime.

If these months are too expensive or if you struggle to get accommodation, you can consider visiting between September and November before winter settles in.

If you're struggling to decide on when to travel, think of it this way: the best time to visit if you're a backpacker is typically during December and January. These months often offer excellent travel deals on attractions, accommodation, and food.

On the other hand, if you're a honeymooner, you might find that the best time to visit Amsterdam is during November and April, the shoulder season. The city is most beautiful during these months, and there are far fewer tourists.

In addition, if you love to travel during festival season, you'll want to plan your trip to Amsterdam during April, as some of the best festivals, like the Tulip Festival, occur during this month.