Timing & safety for evening canal boat tour

We used Jack in February 2024. We were the only people on the boat that night. Our hotel was right on a canal and he offered to drop us off there instead of where we were picked up, which was really nice! This canal tour was excellent!!! Our hotel recommended him, and it was a highlight for us.

As for walking around late at night, I would not worry. On this trip it was my daughter (mid 30's) and myself (late 50's) and we felt safe everywhere we walked, even late at night, FWIW.

You could always take the tram back to your hotel.. check the 9292 or GVB apps

When exactly do you plan to be in Amsterdam? I ask because the sun doesn’t set at 9:30 until mid May. In general, the city center of Amsterdam is safe to walk around in. But like in any big city you have to be aware of your surroundings. In Amsterdam essentially, you need to be aware of cyclists. Never ever cross the street without looking! And please watch out where you walk. The number 1 annoyance for locals is tourists walking on the cycle path. They generally don’t have the patience to politely ask you to move out of the way.

A lot of the Amsterdam sidewalks are made of small paving stones, not poured concrete. The surface isn't totally smooth, with individual stones occasionally missing or set too high; it's easy to stumble if you don't watch what's right in front of you. That was my concern, rather than more traditional safety considerations. I was in Amsterdam for two weeks in August/September. I usually returned to my hotel--in an area with far fewer pedestrians than you will encounter--shortly before 10 PM, and I was totally comfortable walking alone as a 73-year-old woman.

Thanks for the kind replies. I was not aware of the uneven surface on some of the sidewalks...that is definitely a concern as my night vision/depth perception isn't great. I am always very careful when walking in the dark, so we will probably just take a taxi/Uber back to the hotel.

I agree with the suggestion to take the tram. It's a fairly short walk to a stop that will take you within a block of your hotel.

Don’t exclude/rule out the tram. There is a stop close to the Singel and your hotel. Easy and cheap and safe mode of transportation in Amsterdam.

Will be taking Captains Jack canal cruise in mid May 2026. I understand sunset is late but wondering what would be best start time to get taste of little daylight and evening? Thanks

I’m trying to decide if it would be better to take the 7:00 or the 9:00. I’m leaning 9:00 for golden hour light at the beginning of the tour, but will it still be interesting once its dark? Does the tour get better as it goes along, or is the best part at the beginning or end? I am asking this because as a photographer I want the best light at the most interesting and photogenic spots. Thanks for the tram suggestions, I will look into that…do you get tickets when you get on the tram or in advance? How far in advance to book the canal boat tour?

We did the canal tour at 7pm, but that was in early February so it was very dark. It was still a fantastic experience and we saw a lot. As for photography, I am of no help, but there is a lot to see during the entire cruise.

You can use your credit card, debit card or Apple/Google Pay on Amsterdam trams. Refer to this website: https://www.ovpay.nl/en. I think I tapped both in and out. I've been on some city-transit vehicles that had two tap devices, only one of which worked for credit/debit cards. I don't remember whether that happened in Amsterdam. If there are two separate devices, they'll be located near each other, possibly across the aisle from each other. If the first doesn't work, try the second. Or ask a nearby passenger; English is spoken by essentially everyone under 50? 60? 70? who has been through the Dutch educational system.

If you want more details and some personal reports about Amsterdam transit, see this earlier forum thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/netherlands/paying-for-amsterdam-public-transit.

The trams are easy to use; just be sure you get the tram going in the right direction. Trams are frequent enough that I didn't worry about their schedules, but if you want schedule/routing information, the CityMapper app is one option.

In theory, all machines on the trams will accept VISA and Mastercard credit cards but no AmEx. In addition to the OVpay website, you can check https://gvb.nl/en/customer-service/how-does-ovpay-work. GVB is the municipal public transport company.