Parking at Amsterdam cruise port | Discover the world with the dream ship from Amsterdam. Whether America, the historic cities on the Baltic Sea or Western Europe, Amsterdam is the ideal starting point for a wonderful sea voyage. Once you have checked in on the ship, all’s right with the world.
While people often choose to travel by plane for cruises in the Mediterranean, travelling by car is more popular for departures from Amsterdam. But where to park the car? Here is an overview of parking options for cruisers departing from Amsterdam.
Where is the cruise terminal in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam is connected to the North Sea thanks to the Noordzeekanaal. This allows cruise ships to reach the cruise harbour of Amsterdam via the canal. Please note that there are two cruise terminals at the port of Amsterdam. The Amsterdam Passenger Terminal, with the abbreviation PTA, a modern new building, which is located near the Central Station and the Felison Terminal, where cruise ships also dock and depart.
The Felison Terminal is located about 35 kilometres or about 40 minutes by car from Amsterdam in IJmuiden, near the North Sea coast. Everything you need to know about travelling to and parking at this terminal can be found at the end of the article.
Travelling to the PTA by plane, train and bus
If you arrive by train or as part of the airport transfer at Centraal station, you now have a 15-minute walk to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. To get to the cruise terminal, take the north exit behind the station and turn right along the IJ. The bus station is also located here.
If you find lugging around a lot of luggage too much of a hassle and prefer a more comfortable journey, you can also use public transport from here – tram 26 in the direction of IJburg directly to the Cruise Terminal (Muziekgebouw stop) or bus number 48. Taxis leave from the south side of the station.
Travelling by car
If you are travelling by car, it is best to make a note of the official address of the cruise terminal in advance:
- Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA), Piet Heinkade 27, 1019 BR Amsterdam
or, of course, the address of a reserved parking space.
It is best to take the Zeebrug exit on the A10 ring road around Amsterdam, then take the s114 towards the city centre until you reach the lane towards Centraal Station. From here it is about one kilometre to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam.
Parking options for the time at sea – overview
Parking in Amsterdam is always an adventure. You should definitely think about the various parking options for your vehicle during your stay on board a cruise ship. Here is an overview of my recommended alternatives:
- Parking Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA)
- Parking with transfer
- Valet parking at the harbour
Here are some details of the proposed car parks.
Parking at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA)
The largest multi-story car parks for parking your vehicle for several days are located flexibly and without reservation, no more than 10 minutes walk from the terminal:
| Parking | Price / day | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Centrum Oosterdok Oosterdokskade 154, 1011 DK Amsterdam | approx. € 20,00 | Payment on site |
| Piet Heingarage Piet Heinkade 59, 1019 GM Amsterdam | approx. € 38,00 | Payment on site |
- Advantages: Proximity to the cruise terminal, flexible entry and exit
- Disadvantages: Obviously not cheap, less security guarantee
Car parking with free transfer
Parking with transfer means that you drive your vehicle directly to the pick-up point of a secure car park outside the port area and are then chauffeured to the Cruise Terminal by the car park staff on a free in-house shuttle bus in a maximum of 30 minutes. The same applies on your return.
| Parking with transfer | Price / 1 week | Reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Poortparking not covered | approx. € 175.00 | Booking |
| Covered Poortparking | approx. € 240.00 | Booking |
- Advantages: Cheapest parking option, high security standard
- Disadvantages: Allow for transfer time, covered car park only with appropriate booking
Valet parking
Valet parking is a very convenient solution, although not as popular in Europe compared to the United States. But what exactly is valet parking? You arrive at the cruise terminal and hand over your vehicle to an employee of a reliable car park operator. They will park your car in a safe place for the duration of your cruise. On arrival, the car will be back at the terminal. Ideal for long-term parkers and cruise travellers.
| Parking at the harbour | Price / 1 week | Reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Valet parking near harbour | from approx. 220,00 € | Book Online |
| Valet parking | from approx. 175,00 € | Book Online |
- Advantages: Directly at the terminal, no lugging luggage, secure parking, can be booked directly
- Disadvantages: practical and convenient but expensive, online bookings only
Schiphol Airport is about 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station. Another alternative would be the long-term car parks at the Capital Airport. Please read all about it in Parking at the airport. But it doesn’t get any cheaper here, either. You can also find a lot of exciting information about Parking in the Dutch capital in Parking in Amsterdam.
What is the best solution?
Close to the cruise terminal, covered or uncovered car park, valet parking yes or no?
Nobody wants to miss the departure of their ship. Whether it’s heavy traffic, traffic jams or a long journey, there are many reasons to arrive in Amsterdam very early or even a day before the ship departs. There should therefore be enough time to find a car park with a high security standard. There are the usual risks with the car parks at the terminal, as with all public car parks. Valet parking is great but expensive.
✅ My favourites are therefore the cheap, uncovered and secure parking spaces outside the port area, combined with a free transfer to the cruise terminal, as described above in the section Parking with free transfer.
In general, Amsterdam is located in a relatively temperate climate zone. This means little ice, snow, hail, or heavy rain. And there are no extreme heat waves in summer either. A little more wind, but that should do less damage to cars. Above all, you can save money here and spend it later on a shore excursion.
Enough time for a short trip to Amsterdam?
Of course, a cruise from Amsterdam can always be combined with an extensive visit to the famous canal city. You can find everything you need to know about the most important sights, accommodation and transport tips in this blog.
If you are unfamiliar with Amsterdam with its picturesque canals and traditional gabled houses and arrive the day before or only board the cruise ship very late in the evening, you can consider a short trip from the Passenger Terminal to the city centre. However, you should allow 4 to 5 hours for this.
✅ My suggestion: What you definitely have to do is the obligatory canal cruise from the departure point: Prins Hendrikkade, directly opposite the station, lasting approx. 1 hour. Afterwards, there is still enough time for a walk to the nearby Singelgracht, the 9 Straatjes or the authentic Jordaan neighbourhood to get to know Amsterdam like on the postcards. A visit to the world-famous Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum can be a bit tight. To avoid waiting times at the entrance, be sure to buy tickets online in advance. This also applies to many other attractions in the city. The list of the most important tickets can be found under Online Tickets Amsterdam. Don’t miss out on a typical portion of Dutch fries on Damrak 41 at the Manneken Pi shop.
Cruisers arriving the day before naturally have a wide choice of centrally located accommodation. My favourites are listed under Top 10 hotels in Amsterdam. You can also leave your car safely for the duration of the cruise in a nearby Parc Valet, but without a transfer to the cruise terminal.
Hotel tips: If you want to get a breath of fresh sea air the evening before your departure and get that seaside feeling, you can start your cruise experience in luxury with an overnight stay in one of my following hotel tips:
🏨 Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre – Luxury hotel directly at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. Rooms with impressive views of the river, city or harbour. Free WLAN. Ideal starting point for excursions to the nearby centre of Amsterdam.
- Address: Piet Heinkade 11, 1019 BR Amsterdam, 408 rooms, double room from approx. 175,00 €
🏨 Hotel Jakarta Amsterdam by WestCord – Very cool building design. In the eastern harbour area, where the cruise ships pass right by the window, large and comfortable rooms, 4-star with indoor pool, maximum 10-minute walk to the cruise ship terminal.
- Address: Javakade 766, 1019 SH Amsterdam 200 rooms, double room from € 175.00
Departure from the Felison Terminal
The harbour in the centre of Amsterdam has existed since the 13th century. Nowadays, it is one of the most popular mooring points for cruise ships in the Netherlands. Port Amsterdam is the second largest harbour in the northernmost Benelux country after Rotterdam, one of the largest in Europe and equipped with the modern Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA).
As mentioned above, the Felison Cruise Terminal is located outside the world-famous canal town of IJmuiden, at the mouth of the North Sea Canal. An ideal starting point for cruises, for example to the fjords of Norway or ferry connections to the British Isles.
The input for the sat nav must be:
- Felison Terminal IJmuiden | Sluisplein 33 | 1975 AG IJmuiden | Niederlande
Travelling and parking are stress-free here. The quickest way to get to the terminal by car is via the A9 and A22 motorways. From the lJmuiden/Beverwijik exit, follow the signs for IJmuiden and later Felison Cruise Terminal.
Parking at Felison Cruise Terminal
Parking is no problem here, the terminals are equipped with generous parking spaces for both short-term and long-term parkers. The car parks are secure and inexpensive. Payment can be made on site, but if you want to be on the safe side, it is cheaper to reserve your parking space online in advance.
| Felison Terminal | Price / day | Online Ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Car park | approx. 7,50 € | Book Online |
Of course, any departure from the Felison Cruise Terminal can also be combined with a short stay in Amsterdam. However, for cruisers who want to arrive a day in advance, I have three suggestions for overnight accommodation near the harbour of IJmuiden.
🏨 Leonardo Hotel Ijmuiden Seaport Beach – Distance to the beach 150 metres, comfortable rooms with a view of the marina or Kennermermeer. Sauna and fitness centre. Parking available for a fee, WLAN free of charge, distance to Felison Terminal 3.6 kilometres or a maximum of 10 minutes by car. Ideal for relaxing before a sea voyage.
Address: Kennemerboulevard 250, 1976 ground floor IJmuiden, 146 rooms, double room from approx. 85,00 €
🏨 Augusta Hotel – Chic hotel in art deco style with a very good restaurant and bar/lounge. Romantic rooms with every comfort. Distance to Felison Cruise Terminal approx. 500 metres, free parking.
Address: Oranjestraat 98, 1975 DD IJmuiden, 25 rooms, double room from approx. 95 €
🏨 Hotel Rauw aan de Kade – Located in the fishing harbour, own restaurant and delicious fish restaurants around the corner, modern and comfortable rooms, free WiFi, free parking, breakfast included in the room rate. Distance to Felison Cruise Terminal approx. 600 metres.
Address: Kruitenstraat 13, 1976 DM IJmuiden, 30 rooms, double room from approx. 105,00 €
Hotel Rauw aan de Kade online booking
Important notes
In general, parking during your cruise can be described as safe for all my suggestions. I assume you know that valuables should be stowed in the boot and not visible inside the car. Experienced car park users also leave the glove compartment open to show that there is nothing to take!
All stand fees mentioned in this article are subject to change. The current fees of the respective providers always apply. The exact parking conditions can also be found on the website of the respective provider. When arriving or departing at night, please check the opening times of the car parks. There are generally no extra charges. Prices may change at certain times such as public holidays, school holidays or special events.
