My husband and I will be in Amsterdam for a few days and want to do some daytrips out of city. We would love to go on a bike ride but definitely want it to be more leisurely and not like an all day thing. We would really like to spend afternoon at Zaanse Schans farms we would take the train from Amsterdam to there and back. How much time do we really need for this? Looks like train ride is 40 min each way. Ideally we would go do this in morning and come back to Amsterdam station rent a bike and head to the waterlands for afternoon. Would like to bike to Monnickendam and maybe take ferry across to marken then bike back to Amsterdam before it gets dark. Any ideas on average bike time for this part or the best routes to go or ways to cut out some time. Is this doable for one full day? Thanks!
Posted by
1230 posts
I think thats too much for one day. Choose one. I would choose the latter, simply because it looks more adventurous to me and thats how I roll, but ymmv. Looks like the ride to Monnikendam is an hour each way. Have you checked ferry schedules? Ive only ferried from Volendam, but thats another 20-30 minutes each way, plus waiting for the ferry on either side of the commute. You will probably spend at least an hour on Markem, and maybe have a meal. Thats 4 hours so far and that's if everything is very time-efficient. And thats without getting to the bike rental and renting.
We bike everywhere when we go to AMS, so if you like it, keep the bikes and use them for getting around the city. Thats a unique adventure of its own
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Last yr I went to Z Schans by bus from Ams central easily done. To see the area easily can take half day.
It is beautiful relaxing and u could have lunch or snack there. Spend the remaining time in Ams on a canal cruise or Museum visit.