Can we see Giethoorn and Volendam or the Zaanse Schans windmills in one day?
It can be done, but it is a long day: Giethoorn to Volendam is 130 km, about 1 h 48 by car, because Giethoorn lies in the northeast while Volendam and the Zaanse Schans are close to Amsterdam. With a chauffeur for 11 hours, Giethoorn in the morning and Volendam or the Zaanse Schans in the afternoon costs €715 in Business Class or €880 in Van Class per car; with small children or grandparents we suggest two days.
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By the hour: an 11-hour day
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, Giethoorn and Volendam | €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, Giethoorn and Volendam | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, Giethoorn and Volendam | €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 |
About 269 km with Volendam or 264 km with the Zaanse Schans, within the 440 km included in 11 hours. The day starts and ends in Amsterdam. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20–26, 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.
The day, hour by hour
| Time | Plan | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30am | Pickup in Amsterdam | 116 km, about 1 h 39 |
| 9:15am–11:15am | Giethoorn: a private boat with a skipper for 2 hours | — |
| 11:15am–12:30pm | Lunch | — |
| 12:45pm | On to Volendam or the Zaanse Schans | 130 km to Volendam (1 h 48) or 128 km to the Zaanse Schans (1 h 43) |
| 2:45pm–5pm | Volendam or the Zaanse Schans | — |
| 5pm | Back to the hotel | 23 km from Volendam (28 minutes) or 20 km from the Zaanse Schans (22 minutes) |
About 10 hours door to door, so we suggest booking 11 to keep a margin. Drive times on a clear road (OpenStreetMap routing).
Or over two days
| Day | Plan | Business Class | Van Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Giethoorn, 8 hours | €520 | €640 |
| Day 2 | Zaanse Schans, Edam and Volendam, 5 to 6 hours | €325–€390 | €400–€480 |
The Zaanse Schans, Edam and Volendam loop is about 65 km in all, so most of the hours are spent visiting, not driving.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
- Waiting at every stop, as part of the hours booked
Volendam or the Zaanse Schans?
The Zaanse Schans is an open heritage village of windmills, green wooden houses and museums, with a cheese factory and a warehouse where clogs are made, and people still live there; parking is limited, so the chauffeur drops you close by and waits. Volendam is 23 km north of Amsterdam and closer to the route home from Giethoorn. On a day that starts in Giethoorn, pick one of the two.
Related questions
Is such a long day too tiring for young children?
Usually yes: it includes about 3 h 55 in the car. With young children or elderly parents, split it: Giethoorn one day, the windmills and Volendam another.
Can Edam be added to the same day as Giethoorn?
Not comfortably. On a separate day, Edam, Volendam and the Zaanse Schans fit into 5 to 6 hours by car from Amsterdam.
How long is the drive from Giethoorn to the Zaanse Schans?
About 128 km, roughly 1 h 43 on a clear road, and from the Zaanse Schans to central Amsterdam only 20 km.
Sources
- De Zaanse Schans — the heritage village: windmills, museums and traditional crafts (checked October 8, 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.