Free ferry ride to North Amsterdam

Of all the free things to do in Amsterdam, this probably doesn’t even deserve to be in the top half of the list, but depending on where you are from this might be an interesting way to spend an hour or so, and again, it’s totally free. Amsterdam and everything you’ve heard of in the city is in the larger southern portion of the town, but there is a district across Het IJ (the river IJ) that is mainly residential, and free ferry services take you from just behind Centraal Station across the river several times per hour during the day and well into the evening.

With the exception of the unique Botel, which is now anchored in North Amsterdam so its guests need to use the free ferry service to go back and forth, there wasn’t much to see across the river when I first wrote this. That’s changed. The Eye Filmmuseum sits right next to the Buiksloterweg landing, and next door the old Shell tower is now the A’DAM Tower, with the A’DAM Lookout observation deck on top (open daily 10am to 10pm as of 2026). Out at NDSM you’ll find the STRAAT street art museum, plus restaurants and cultural spaces. The ride itself is still a treat, though, especially for those on limited budgets who are looking for ways to entertain themselves.

Getting to the ferries

When you arrive at Centraal Station, whether it’s by train or on foot from the city center, just go in the opposite direction of the city, and out the back exit. If you are facing the water, you’ll need to head just a bit left once you get close, and you’ll easily spot the ferry landing.
There are three different destinations, with one going more or less straight across the river, and the other two going right or left to some degree. If you want the quickest free mini-cruise you’ll take the center boat.

The three routes from Centraal Station

1. NDSM Werf - This one takes a left and goes much farther than the other two. If you really want to kill time and get a nice view of Amsterdam from the water, as well as its rather industrial harbor area, this is the one to take.
2. Buiksloterweg: This one takes a slight right across the river, and is the shortest of the three. It’s the busiest route, with boats every few minutes around the clock, and it’s the one for the Eye and the A’DAM Tower.
3. Ijplein - This one takes more of a right and ends up in a purely residential area, with some shops a few blocks past the landing, but probably not really worth exploring.

ferry routes and travel info

Getting on the ferries

Unlike more elaborate ferry services, these are dual-headed people and bicycle movers that could not be more basic. There is no fare for anyone, so just jump on board and watch the clock for when it leaves. You’ll be getting off from the front of the thing, so just shove your way forward and join the locals.

If you are feeling adventurous and/or have more time to kill you might want to walk around the neighborhood once you arrive, but if not you can certainly just go right back on the ferry you came on. This makes for a fast and easy tour of the harbor area. Plenty of visitors ride over these days, mostly to the Eye and the Lookout, but most of them never see the NDSM route.

Some who live in North Amsterdam have a great deal of pride in their mellow neighborhood, and it’s quite convenient to reach it from the city center so it does offer quite a nice alternative to the madness of the rest of the city. Away from the waterfront there still isn’t a lot to do or see, so the neighborhoods behind it are probably only worth exploring if you’ve got quite a bit of time on your hands and not much money.

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