The Zaanse Schans is a free, open-air village of working windmills, green wooden houses and craft workshops on the river Zaan, 17 minutes by train or 24 minutes by express bus from Amsterdam Centraal. Walking the village and watching the mills turn costs nothing; you pay only for what you go into — a windmill (€7.50), the Zaans Museum (€17) or the all-in Zaanse Schans Card (€29.50). Plan two hours for a stroll, four for the museums and mills. Below: the 12 best things to do, what’s free, 2026 prices and how to get there.
- Entrancefree (village, dike path, workshops)
- From Amsterdambus 800 in 24 min or train in 17 min
- Paidwindmill €7.50 · Zaans Museum €17 · Card €29.50
- Time needed2 h stroll, 4 h with museums and mills
- Best timebefore 10:00 or after 16:00, windy days
The 12 best things to do in Zaanse Schans
1. Walk the Kalverringdijk past the windmills (free)
The dike path along the Zaan is the reason people come: eight historic mills in a row, with the sawmill, oil mills and paint mill still working on wind power. The path is open around the clock; go before 10:00 or after 16:00 to have it almost to yourself. Best photo: from the wooden viewing tower behind the car park, or from across the river in Zaandijk (Julianabrug).
→ The eight windmills and which ones you can visit
2. Climb inside a working windmill
Three mills are open to visitors almost daily: De Kat (the last working wind-powered paint mill, 09:00–16:30), Het Jonge Schaap (sawmill rebuilt in 2007 from 1680 drawings, 09:30–16:30) and De Bonte Hen (oil mill of 1693, March–October). Inside you climb to the cap, feel the whole structure shake and see the stones and saws at work. De Huisman (mustard) has a free shop but the mill itself is visited by groups on request; De Zoeker and De Gekroonde Poelenburg open only on special days. Single mill €7.50, all mills + Molenmuseum €15.
→ Windmill tickets & opening hours · Two mills are included in the Zaanse Schans Card
3. Zaans Museum & Verkade Experience
The best indoor stop: the story of the Zaan region as the Netherlands’ first industrial area, the famous Monet painting of the Zaan, and the Verkade chocolate and biscuit factory where you operate the 1920s machines yourself. Daily 10:00–17:00, €17 adults / €9 children, free with Museumkaart and I amsterdam City Card. Card payment only.
→ Zaans Museum: tickets and what to see
4. Watch clogs being carved at the Kooijman workshop (free)
Every 15–20 minutes a craftsman turns a block of poplar into a wooden shoe in under five minutes, with commentary in English. The giant clog outside is the most photographed object in the village. Daily 09:00–18:00 (Mar–Oct), 09:00–17:00 in winter, free.
5. Taste cheese at the Catharina Hoeve cheese farm (free)
A reconstructed 17th-century farmhouse where cheesemakers in traditional dress show how Gouda-style cheese is made, followed by free tasting of a dozen varieties (smoked, cumin, goat, truffle). Open daily, free; the shop vacuum-packs for travel.
6. Cruise past the mills on the Windmill Hopper
A 25-minute boat trip along the Zaan gives the view you can’t get from the dike: all the mills from the water, plus the merchant houses on the far bank. Two operators run it: the Windmill Hopper from ‘t Glop next to De Huisman (every 30 minutes, April–September, not on Thursdays, €12.50 / €8.50) and Dutch Boat Tours from the main jetty at the village entrance (year-round, several departures a day, live skipper-guide in English, from about €10). The second one is the one you can book online below.
→ Windmill cruise: times, prices and where to board
7. Museum Zaanse Tijd (clock museum)
The most surprising museum in the village: 400 years of Dutch clockmaking in a merchant’s house on the Kalverringdijk, from 17th-century Huygens-type pendulum clocks to the 1755 Knip world clock with 17 time zones and the typical Zaanse clocks. €15 / €7.50, 10:00–17:00 in summer, 11:00–16:00 Oct–Mar, free with Museumkaart and included in the Zaanse Schans Card.
8. Smell the chocolate and taste the liqueur (free)
Three small workshops you can walk into for free: Blik op Cacao (cocoa and chocolate making, the smell that hangs over the whole village), De Tinkoepel (pewter casting) and the Tweekoppige Phoenix distillery, where Zaanse liqueurs and jenever are distilled on site with tastings.
9. Bakery museum and the Albert Heijn shop of 1887
The Bakkerijmuseum In de Gecroonde Duyvekater bakes the traditional Zaanse duivekater loaf in a 1650s bakery (Apr–Oct Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00, weekends only in winter, free to enter). Around the corner, the first-ever Albert Heijn grocery shop is a tiny museum with the original counters (weekends only).
10. Take a guided bike or walking tour
The village is small, but the polder behind it is where the region’s story is: a small-group guided bike tour (2.5 h, e-bikes optional) takes you along the Zaan dike, through Zaandijk and to the mills at Westzaan that tour buses never reach. Prefer to walk? There is a self-guided audio walk with an AI guide on your phone.
→ Guided bike tour · Walking tour
11. Combine it with Volendam, Edam and Marken
Most visitors do the Zaanse Schans as half of a day trip. Guided day tours from Amsterdam add Volendam’s harbour, Edam’s cheese town and the island village of Marken, with transport and a guide included — the easiest way to see all four in one day. On Wednesdays in July–August the tours stop at the Edam cheese market.
→ Day trips from Amsterdam compared
12. Stay the night and see the mills at sunrise
The village empties after 17:00 and the light on the mills at sunrise and sunset is the best of the day. You can sleep in the village itself at a six-room B&B in a house of 1700, in a boutique hotel on the Zaandijk bank facing the mills, or at the hotels by Zaandam station, two train stops away and 12 minutes from Amsterdam.
What is free and what costs money
| Free | Paid (2026) |
|---|---|
| Walking the village, dike path and viewing tower, 24/7 | Inside a windmill: €7.50 adult / €3.75 child; all mills + Molenmuseum €15 / €7.50 |
| Clog workshop, cheese farm & tasting, cocoa, pewter and distillery demos | Zaans Museum + Verkade Experience €17 / €9 (65+ and students €14, family €46) |
| Bakery museum, Albert Heijn museum shop, Jisper Huisje (exterior) | Museum Zaanse Tijd €15 / €7.50 |
| Mills seen from the water: no, the cruise is paid | Boat cruise €10–12.50 / €8.50 |
| Toilets at the Zaans Museum and De Kraai restaurant | Zaanse Schans Card (officially “Ticket Zaanse Schans”: Zaans Museum, Molenmuseum, Museum Zaanse Tijd, 2 mills of your choice, audio tour, Heritage Chambres, 10% at De Kraai): €29.50 adult / €20 child 4–17 |
| Parking: €15 per car per visit (08:00–19:00) |
Is there an entrance fee for the Zaanse Schans in 2026? No. The municipality’s plan for a €17.50 entrance ticket was postponed in January 2026 to 2027 at the earliest, and the new city council that took office in spring 2026 favours a voluntary contribution instead. Until further notice the village is free to enter; only the museums and mills charge. We update this page when that changes.
Worth it? If you go into the Zaans Museum plus two mills, the Zaanse Schans Card (€29.50) already saves you money against separate tickets (€17 + €15) and adds the clock museum and the audio tour. If you only want one windmill and the free workshops, buy a single mill ticket at the door.
→ The Zaanse Schans Card explained: what it includes and whether it’s worth it
Opening hours
The village itself never closes. Attractions open roughly 09:00–17:00; high season is April–September, low season October–March, when De Bonte Hen and the Windmill Hopper stop and museum hours shorten. The information desk is open 09:00–17:00 and parking 08:00–19:00. Most museums and mills close on 25 December and 1 January. The official day-by-day opening calendar is on dezaanseschans.nl.
How to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam
- Express bus 800 “Zaanse Schans Express” (new since December 2025): EBS bus 800 from Amsterdam Centraal (IJ side bus station) to the stop Zaandam, Zaanse Schans, about 24 minutes, every 15 minutes in season (mid-March to mid-October), roughly 09:00–18:00; it stops at the village entrance. Pay with a bank card (OVpay) or the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket. A combi-ticket (return bus + Zaanse Schans Card, €39.50 adults) is sold via localbus.nl. Note: the old bus 391 no longer serves this route — guides that still mention it are out of date.
- Train: Sprinter from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, 17 minutes, 2–4 per hour, then a signposted 15-minute walk over the bridge. Best option outside bus season and in the evening.
- Car: 20 minutes via the A8; parking at Schansend 7, Zaandam, €15 per visit (coaches €55). New motorhome site at Willem Prinsplein 2.
- Tour: half-day and full-day tours from Amsterdam include transport — see below.
Best time to visit
Coach groups arrive between 10:30 and 15:00, especially on weekends and in July–August. Arrive at opening (09:00–09:30) or after 16:00 for the mills without crowds; the free parts are pleasant in the evening light when everything else is closed. The official “busy times” calendar on dezaanseschans.nl shows expected crowd levels per day. Windy days are best: more mills run.
Tip: the official “busy times” calendar on dezaanseschans.nl shows expected crowd levels per day — a green day in May or September is the best Zaanse Schans you will get.
Events in 2026
- National Mill Day, 9 May 2026: all mills open and turning, free demonstrations.
- Luilak at De Bonte Hen, 22 May 2026: the oil mill runs from dawn on the Saturday before Whitsun.
- Pinksterzaan, 25 May 2026: Whit Monday folklore and market day.
- Folkloredag, 15 August 2026: the 55th folklore day with costumes, crafts and music through the village.
- Open Monumentendagen, 12–13 September 2026: normally closed buildings open.
- IFIKX festival, 10–16 October 2026, at the Zaansche Molen mills.
2027 dates are published by the Zaanse Schans in early spring; we add them as soon as they are confirmed.
Book this experience
Zaanse Schans Card: museums, 2 windmills & audio tour (Tiqets) Skip the queue at the Zaans Museum desk.
Zaanse Schans windmill cruise (Tiqets)
Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken day trip from Amsterdam (Tiqets)
Half-day Zaanse Schans tour from Amsterdam (GetYourGuide)
Stay nearby
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zaanse Schans free to visit?
Yes. Walking around the village, the dike path and the craft demonstrations are free. You pay for the museums, going inside a windmill and the boat trip. The planned €17.50 entrance fee has been postponed to 2027 at the earliest.
How long do you need at the Zaanse Schans?
Two hours for the village and one windmill; about four hours with the Zaans Museum and a cruise; a full day if you combine it with Volendam and Marken.
How do I get from Amsterdam to the Zaanse Schans?
Express bus 800 from Amsterdam Centraal (24 minutes, every 15 minutes in season) or the Sprinter train to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans (17 minutes plus a 15-minute walk).
Which windmills can you go inside?
De Kat (paint) and Het Jonge Schaap (sawmill) daily, De Bonte Hen (oil) from March to October. De Huisman (mustard) has a shop; the mill, De Zoeker and De Gekroonde Poelenburg are visited on request or on special days. De Os and Het Klaverblad are not open to visitors.
Is the Zaanse Schans worth visiting?
Yes, if you want to see working windmills and Dutch crafts within half an hour of Amsterdam. It is busy midday in summer; come early or late, or add a bike tour into the polder for the quiet version.
Can I use the Museumkaart or I amsterdam City Card?
Both give free entry to the Zaans Museum; the Museumkaart is also valid at Museum Zaanse Tijd. Neither covers the windmills or the boat.
Is the Zaanse Schans open in winter?
Yes. The village is open year-round; De Kat, Het Jonge Schaap and the museums stay open, while De Bonte Hen and the Windmill Hopper close from October to March (the Dutch Boat Tours cruise runs year-round, weather permitting).
Plan the rest of your day
- Zaanse Schans Card: prices and what's included
- Windmills of the Zaanse Schans
- How to get to Zaanse Schans
- Day trips from Amsterdam
- Hotels near Zaanse Schans
- Volendam
- Edam
- Marken
- Windmills of Holland
- Dutch cheese markets