Booking online tickets for VanGogh?

[bellagirl]

We will be in Amsterdam in mid-July and I'm just wondering if I should pre-book our tickets for the VanGogh and other surrounding museums? Do they get crowded in the summer with long lines? It is the same cost to book online or to pay at the door. I pre-booked for the Accademia last year in Florence only to find we could just stroll in with no line whatsoever(of course,we were there in Nov:D).

Also, just booked our hotel(Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam) and wondering if we could walk,on a nice day)from there to the museum district?

Thanks for any help that is out there!! Shelly:)

[roysmith99]

Hi there,

 

I have spent a lot of time in Amsterdam over the past 15 years. I'd suggest you book your tickets for the Van Gogh museum, so much easier to get into. As for walkig from your hotel to the Museum district, yes you can it would be a pleasnat walk thorugh mucgh of the best parts of the city. So, you'd probabply take a long time to do it.

 

When I have guided friends in the city - we often meet up when they are crusing - I always plan a route that takes in all sights and gets us to the Museums as well.

 

From your hotel you could walk through the red light district; on to Gasson Diamonds; to the Rembrandt House, past the Waterloo Plein and over the river Amstel (if you do you'd miss the Hermitage and the Skinny Bridge though) into the Rembrant Plein passing the Ice Bar, then to the Mundt and the Flower Market - detour briefly to the Begijinhof, down the Leidestraaat (loads of great shops) to the Leidseplein (outdoor bars and eateries), past the American Hotel and the Casino (via the canal bank), across to the Vondel Park, and then Coster Diamonds and arrive at Van Gogh muesum. Of course the Riyksmuesum is there too, as is the refurbished Heineken Experience and the Albert Cuyp Market and yet another red light area.

 

Wow I wish I was there now. Mind you I'd add all sorts of other places in there too.

 

.

[Ine]

We will be in Amsterdam in mid-July and I'm just wondering if I should pre-book our tickets for the VanGogh and other surrounding museums? Do they get crowded in the summer with long lines? It is the same cost to book online or to pay at the door. I pre-booked for the Accademia last year in Florence only to find we could just stroll in with no line whatsoever(of course,we were there in Nov:D).

Also, just booked our hotel(Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam) and wondering if we could walk,on a nice day)from there to the museum district?

Thanks for any help that is out there!! Shelly:)

 

July is highseason so indeed better book online for whatever museum intend to see. Busiest in general are Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum and most certainly Anne Frankhuis.

If you like a nice long walk partly along the canals you can walk. But public transport (trams) is very good and easy too.

Check this for public transport:http://www.gvb.nl/english/Pages/default.aspx

and this map for Amsterdam: Your hotel is in B5 (Scheepvaarthuis is now Hotel Amrath.) http://www.amsterdam.info/print/map/

[Lair Bear]

July is highseason so indeed better book online for whatever museum intend to see. Busiest in general are Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum and most certainly Anne Frankhuis.

 

Perhaps it might also help to check into the 'Museumkaart', a pass that allows you to go to all (or most) public museums in the Netherlands. I stress 'public' because the Ann Frank House is privately owned.

Here are the details:

 

Musem Card for Amsterdam and Museums in Holland

The card represents a personal pass to enter more than 400 Museums in the Netherlands! It is valid one year and it costs €39.95 (€22.45 up to 24 years of age): a cheap way to explore Dutch museums,

 

I might add that with the pass you don't have to make reservations and you can bypass the long lines at the museums of your choice. You can buy it at any one of the participating museums. So, don't wait tobuy it until you get to the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, but pick a smaller one that is close to the docks and not too busy.

Click on 'museums' above to find out more.

[ShipsandDipper]

Perhaps it might also help to check into the 'Museumkaart', a pass that allows you to go to all (or most) public museums in the Netherlands.

 

I was going to suggest the Museumkaart as well. A great value, even if you're only there for a couple of days. With our Museumkaarts, we walked past a block-long line at the Van Gogh museum (in November!) and right into the museum. Worth the price right there. Also used it to get into the Rijksmuseum, the Hermitage Amsterdam, Rembrandt's House, the Amsterdam History Museum, and a bunch of other museums.

[bellagirl]

Thank you to all the wonderful members of CC who sent along such helpful hints. I have one other question--I have already pre-purchased the Holland Pass that is to be picked up at the Schipol airport. In doing research,it says basically the same thing-that it frees up the line for you to enter any museum that is on the list plus it provides canal tours and HOHO bus. Has anyone used this kind of pass instead of the museumkaart??

Thanks again everybody!!:):)

[Lair Bear]

Thank you to all the wonderful members of CC who sent along such helpful hints. I have one other question--I have already pre-purchased the Holland Pass that is to be picked up at the Schipol airport. In doing research,it says basically the same thing-that it frees up the line for you to enter any museum that is on the list plus it provides canal tours and HOHO bus. Has anyone used this kind of pass instead of the museumkaart??

Thanks again everybody!!:):)

I have never used the Holland Pass, but it looks fine for the money if you are going to be in Amsterdam for one day. The limitation is that it allows you to go to only five attractions, but it includes more than museums.

I would be interested in what you are planning to do.

I could not read the fine print on the web site and wonder if the Ann Frank House was included. Also, keep in mind that the HOHO bus has a very limited route, but the canal tour is a 'must'. I wonder if you get special entrance priviledges on the canal tour also.

[bellagirl]

LairBear-Actually, we are in Amsterdam for 3 days pre-cruise and are really focused on the museums more than anything else,so I figured that the Holland Pass would be the way to go. I don't believe it includes Anne Frank HOuse,but that's not a problem-we would go anyway. We are definitely interested in doing the canal cruises and the Holland Pass seems to fit in with this nicely.

Thanks for all your wonderful advice! Shelly:)

[2serendip]

Bellagirl, I've just read the info about the Holland Pass, and I'm confused. Is it true that the pass will allow me to see the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum and also have a complimentary canal tour? I don't think the Anne Frank House is included, but if I could get those other Big Three then it seems like a good bargain.