How do I get to and from a New Year's Eve canal cruise in Amsterdam?
Check your ticket for two times and two places: boarding and return. On December 31 the Light Festival is lit only until 21:00 and festival boats stop early (KINboat's last departure that night is at 19:30), while last year trams, buses and metros stopped around 20:00. If your cruise returns after that, book a car for 15 to 30 minutes after the boat docks, and dress for a cold night on the water.
Last updated:
Fixed prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km to or from a New Year's Eve 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 or from a New Year's Eve 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 or from a New Year's Eve cruise | €90 | fixed at booking, detours included · 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. 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.
Before you book a cruise
- Where does it board, and where does it return?
- Is the boat covered and heated?
- Is there a toilet on board?
- Can you get off early with tired children?
The rides
Hotel to the jetty and back inside Amsterdam, up to 10 km, is fixed at €50 each way in Business Class, with no holiday surcharge. The driver waits a street away from the quay, not at the boarding point.
Related questions
Is the Light Festival art on at midnight?
No; on December 31 it switches off at 21:00.
How cold is it on the water in late December?
December lows at Schiphol average 1.5 °C (35 °F), and it feels colder on open water.
Where do KINboat cruises leave from?
From its booth at Prins Hendrikkade 33A, opposite Amsterdam Centraal.
Sources
- Headout: KINboat Light Festival cruise (checked October 21, 2026)
- Amsterdam Light Festival: dates and hours (checked October 20, 2026)
- Wikipedia: climate of Amsterdam Schiphol (KNMI normals 1991 to 2020) (checked October 20, 2026)
- I amsterdam, New Year’s Eve tips for 2025: public transport stopped 20:00 to 01:00, taxis still available, night buses from 01:30, show on Museumplein (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.