Should I see the Amsterdam Light Festival by boat or on foot?
By boat if you want warmth, a seat and the artworks that sit on the water; on foot if you want photographs, your own pace and an evening that costs nothing. A cruise along the route takes about 75 minutes, either on a covered, heated canal boat or on an open boat closer to the art, while the walking route is 4.5 km over bridges and uneven pavement and can be done in full or in sections. Many visitors do both: cruise first, then walk the stretch they liked best.
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Fixed rides and a driver by the hour: prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km to a Light Festival cruise | €50 | fixed at booking, detours included · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km to a Light Festival cruise | €70 | fixed at booking, detours included · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km to a Light Festival cruise | €90 | fixed at booking, detours included · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Business Class, for a Light Festival evening | €65 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, for a Light Festival evening | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, for a Light Festival evening | €100 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
Rides inside Amsterdam up to 10 km have a fixed price per car (€50 in Business Class); a detour around closures does not change it. Longer rides are priced per kilometer and shown before you book. By the hour: minimum 2 hours, 40 km included per hour, and the day starts and ends in the same city. The driver waits between stops. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
Which option suits whom
| You are | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Traveling with grandparents | Heated cruise | Seated and warm, no bridges |
| A photographer | Walk | Time for angles from the quays |
| A family with a stroller | Heated cruise, or one short walking stretch | Bridges and uneven pavement on the route |
| A couple | Open boat | Closer to the artworks |
| A group with its own plans | A boat booked for your group | The festival's partner boat companies take requests |
What it costs
Stromma showed €22.75 to €29.75 for its heated canal cruise and from €25.75 for an open electric boat on October 20. Walking the route is free; the festival app with the route and audio guide comes out in mid November.
What to wear
December at Schiphol averages a high of 6.9 °C (44 °F) and a low of 1.5 °C (35 °F), with rain on about 14 days. On an open boat, add a hat, gloves and a waterproof layer.
Cruise first, then walk
Board soon after dark, eat nearby, then walk back past one or two artworks and meet your driver at a quiet corner away from the jetties. A ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km is fixed at €50 in Business Class.
Related questions
Do cruises sell out?
They are sold per departure time, so popular evenings can fill up; book your time slot ahead.
Is the walking route marked?
The festival app, out in mid November, has the route and an audio guide, and you can walk it in full or in parts.
Can I bring a stroller on a cruise?
Ask the boat company before you book.
Sources
- Amsterdam Light Festival: dates and hours (checked October 20, 2026)
- Amsterdam Light Festival: cruise (checked October 20, 2026)
- Amsterdam Light Festival: walk (checked October 20, 2026)
- Stromma: Amsterdam Light Festival cruises (checked October 20, 2026)
- Wikipedia: climate of Amsterdam Schiphol (KNMI normals 1991 to 2020) (checked October 20, 2026)
- Amsterdam Light Festival FAQ, cruises every 30 minutes, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., about 75 minutes; be at the jetty 15 minutes early; departure points differ per company (checked September 29, 2026)
Book it, or ask dispatch first
Book online in a few minutes (no account, no app), or send your flight number and address on WhatsApp and dispatch replies in English, 24 hours a day.