Our holiday river cruise ends in Amsterdam around New Year. What changes on December 31, January 1 and January 2?
The date decides everything. Holiday sailings can keep you on board over Christmas and New Year; APT's Festive Christmas Markets cruise, for example, spends New Year's Eve in Cologne and ends in Amsterdam. Last year trains and city transport stopped around 20:00 on December 31, and on January 1 most regular trains only returned from about 10:00, with hourly night trains before that. By January 2, a Saturday, the city runs normally; whichever day you disembark, book the ride from the ship ahead.
Last updated:
Fixed prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, Schiphol → any Amsterdam address | €90 | E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, Schiphol → any Amsterdam address | €125 | V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, Schiphol → any Amsterdam address | €140 | S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Business Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km | €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 | €70 | fixed at booking, detours included · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km | €90 | fixed at booking, detours included · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
Schiphol to any Amsterdam address is a fixed price per car, with meet and greet inside the arrivals hall. 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.
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
By date
| Disembark | Getting around last year | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Thu Dec 31 | Normal until about 20:00 | A hotel within walking distance of your celebration |
| Fri Jan 1 | Night trains, then most trains from about 10:00 | A car booked ahead to your hotel or Schiphol |
| Sat Jan 2 | Normal | The Light Festival is still on |
From the ship
River cruise ships berth at several quays, so check yours on the final documents. From the berth to any Amsterdam address up to 10 km is fixed at €50 in Business Class; to Schiphol it is €80, with no holiday surcharge.
Related questions
We fly home from Schiphol on January 1. How do we get there?
Is the Light Festival still on after New Year?
Yes, until January 17, 2027; on December 31 the lights go out at 21:00.
Where do river cruise ships dock in Amsterdam?
At several berths; see where river cruise ships dock.
Sources
- APT: Festive Christmas Markets with Christmas and New Year's Eve cruise (checked October 21, 2026)
- Amsterdam Light Festival: dates and hours (checked October 20, 2026)
- Treinreiziger.nl (December 19, 2025), NS: no trains after 20:00 on December 31 except Schiphol → Amsterdam Centraal until 22:00; night trains from 01:00; Sunday timetable on both Christmas days (checked September 29, 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)
- Wikipedia (Dutch), “Nachtnet”: NS night trains, last edited June 30, 2026 (checked September 24, 2026)
- 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 to 17:00 (checked September 29, 2026)
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