Where does my river cruise ship dock in Amsterdam, and how will my driver find it?
Amsterdam has no single river cruise terminal: ships moor at quays along the IJ, most often at De Ruijterkade East and West right behind Amsterdam Centraal, but also beside the Passenger Terminal, at Javakade and Westerdoksdijk, and at Coenhaven and Kwadrantweg in the Westpoort port area, well outside the center. Your cruise line assigns the berth, so send us your ship’s name and berth; from Schiphol any of these Amsterdam berths is a fixed €90 per car in Business Class.
Last updated:
Schiphol → any river cruise berth in Amsterdam: fixed per car
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, Schiphol → your ship’s berth in Amsterdam | €90 | E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, Schiphol → your ship’s berth in Amsterdam | €125 | V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, Schiphol → your ship’s berth in Amsterdam | €140 | S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Mercedes-Maybach (Ultra), Schiphol → your ship’s berth in Amsterdam | €250 | Maybach S-Class · up to 2 passengers, 2 bags · confirmed by dispatch, not instant |
From a central hotel: De Ruijterkade is about 6 km, Coenhaven about 10 km (€50 and €50 in Business Class). Berths in Zaandam or Koog aan de Zaan are outside Amsterdam and priced per km. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. 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.
Amsterdam’s river cruise berths, and how far each is from Schiphol
| Berth | Where it is | From Schiphol by road |
|---|---|---|
| Ruijterkade Oost | Behind Amsterdam Centraal, east side (De Ruijterkade 153) | 21 km · 26 minutes |
| Ruijterkade West | Behind Amsterdam Centraal, west side (De Ruijterkade 5) | 20 km · 24 minutes |
| Passenger Terminal Amsterdam | Piet Heinkade 27, east of Centraal; river berths beside the ocean terminal | 22 km · 27 minutes |
| Javakade | Java Island, Eastern Docklands | 26 km · 27 minutes |
| Westerdoksdijk | Westerdoksdijk 40, west of Centraal | 20 km · 23 minutes |
| Coenhaven | Westerhoofd 1, in the Westpoort port area | 19 km · 22 minutes |
| Kwadrantweg | Kwadrantweg 13, in the Westpoort port area | 18 km · 20 minutes |
Berths and addresses: Cruise Port Amsterdam and the Port of Amsterdam. The port also lists turnaround berths in Zaandam and Koog aan de Zaan. Distances: OpenStreetMap routing without traffic.
What is included in the price
- Flight tracking from the moment you book: an early or late landing moves the pickup, at no extra cost
- Your chauffeur inside the arrivals hall your flight feeds into, holding an iPad sign with your name (or a company name, or no name)
- A message or call from the chauffeur around landing, so you find each other quickly
- Luggage carried from the hall to the car, which waits in the Privium section at the front of P1, a covered walk of about two minutes
- The first 60 minutes of waiting at Schiphol
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car; English-speaking chauffeur and 24/7 dispatch
- The ship’s name and berth you send us go to the chauffeur with the booking, so the car heads for the right quay
Finding out where your ship is
- Check your final documents or the line’s app. That is where the berth is usually confirmed, sometimes only days before sailing.
- Ask the cruise line if it only says “Amsterdam”. Or call Cruise Port Amsterdam about the berth: +31 20 509 1009, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
- Check again close to the date. Berths are assigned per call; the one in your latest documents is the one to give us.
- Send us the ship and berth. The chauffeur then drives to that quay, not to “the cruise terminal”.
Related questions
Can I walk from Amsterdam Centraal to my river ship?
If it lies at De Ruijterkade, yes: those quays are directly behind the station on the IJ side. With large suitcases, in rain, or if the berth is Javakade, Coenhaven or Kwadrantweg, take a car.
How far is Coenhaven from the city center?
About 6 km by road from Amsterdam Centraal, roughly 12 minutes without traffic, in the Westpoort port area. It is not a walk from the center, and a car needs the exact berth, which is why we ask for it in advance.
Is the river cruise terminal the same as the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam?
No. The Passenger Terminal on the Piet Heinkade is mainly for ocean ships, though river ships also moor beside it; most river ships use the quays at De Ruijterkade. See Schiphol to the cruise terminal for ocean sailings.
Is Amsterdam limiting river cruises?
Yes. The city council has confirmed a limit of 1,150 river cruise calls in 2028, down from 2,125 in 2023, so the berth you sailed from before may not be the one you get now. Double-check it close to the date.
Can you collect us at the end of the cruise too?
Yes, from the ship to your hotel, Amsterdam Centraal or Schiphol. See when to book the pickup after disembarkation, and if your flight is in the evening, what to do with the day.
Sources
- Cruise Port Amsterdam — river cruise berths: Passenger Terminal (Piet Heinkade 27), Ruijterkade Oost (De Ruijterkade 153), Ruijterkade West (De Ruijterkade 5), Westerdoksdijk 40, Coenhaven (Westerhoofd 1) and others; berth questions +31 20 509 1009, weekdays 09:00–17:00 (checked September 29, 2026)
- Port of Amsterdam — river cruise berths and facilities, incl. Javakade, Westerdoksdijk and the turnaround berths at Coenhaven (Westerhoofd), Kwadrantweg, Zaandam and Koog aan de Zaan (checked September 29, 2026)
- Cruise Hive (April 22, 2024) — Amsterdam City Council confirms a maximum of 1,150 river cruise calls in 2028, down from 2,125 in 2023 (checked September 29, 2026)
- OpenStreetMap road routing (OSRM) — distances quoted as “about … km” (checked September 24, 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.
