During the season (mid-March to mid-May), the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket covers all four Keukenhof shuttle bus lines — from Schiphol, Amsterdam Europaplein, Hoofddorp and Haarlem. No park entry included.
Keukenhof is closed for the season. Shuttle buses run mid-March to mid-May.
Season
Mid-March to mid-May
Shuttle lines
4 routes covered
From Schiphol
~30 minutes
Compare the 4 shuttle routes
Each line drops you at Keukenhof's main entrance. All four are covered by the Region Travel Ticket — no separate bus ticket needed.
Arriva 858
Schiphol Airport → Keukenhof
~30 minutes
Every 15-30 minutes during park hours
Departs from Schiphol Plaza bus area
Best for: arriving by plane the same day
The most popular option. If your flight lands at Schiphol and you're heading straight to Keukenhof, this is the simplest move. Drop your luggage at the airport storage first — buses don't take large suitcases.
Arriva 852
Amsterdam Europaplein → Keukenhof
~35 minutes from Europaplein
Every 15-30 minutes during park hours
Take metro 52 from Centraal first (10 min)
Best for: travellers staying in central Amsterdam
The direct route from central Amsterdam. Total Centraal → Keukenhof: about 45 minutes including the metro hop. Both legs are on the Region Travel Ticket. Europaplein is on the south end of metro 52, easy to find.
Arriva 859
Hoofddorp station → Keukenhof
~15-20 minutes
Every 15-30 minutes during park hours
From Hoofddorp NS station, exit south
Best for: hotels in Hoofddorp or the airport south side
The shortest ride of the four. Useful if your hotel is in Hoofddorp (one NS stop past Schiphol) or you're approaching from the south side of the city. NS train to Hoofddorp is included in the Region Travel Ticket too.
Connexxion 50
Haarlem station → Keukenhof
~40 minutes
Every 30 minutes during park hours
From Haarlem NS station bus terminal
Best for: combining Haarlem + Keukenhof in one day
If you're already doing a Haarlem day trip — a beautiful Dutch town 15 minutes by NS train from Amsterdam Centraal — bus 50 lets you tag Keukenhof onto the same day without a detour. NS to Haarlem is also covered by the Region Travel Ticket.
All four lines on one ticket
The Region Travel Ticket bundles everything you need to reach Keukenhof from any of these starting points.
Buying the Keukenhof shuttle on its own at the bus is about €11 return. A 1-day Region Travel Ticket is €23.00 and covers all four shuttle lines plus the NS train to Hoofddorp, Haarlem and Zandvoort, plus Bus 397 Airport Express, plus unlimited GVB tram, bus, metro and ferry inside Amsterdam. The math is one-sided: if you're doing the Keukenhof day anyway, the Region Travel Ticket is cheaper than the Keukenhof shuttle alone.
The standard Amsterdam Travel Ticket does NOT cover the Keukenhof shuttle lines. Only the Region version does. If you've already booked the standard version, you can either upgrade or pay the bus fare separately at the gate (~€8 return) — but in most cases the Region Travel Ticket still works out cheaper overall.
Here's how a typical Amsterdam → Keukenhof → Amsterdam day looks, end to end.
1
Morning: pick up your OV-chipkaart
If you haven't already exchanged the Region Travel Ticket voucher, do it at the grey-blue-red machine in Amsterdam Centraal (5 minutes, 24/7). One card, one swipe per ride from here on.
2
Metro 52 from Centraal to Europaplein
Direct metro, 10 minutes, every 4 minutes during the day. Tap in at Centraal, tap out at Europaplein. GVB coverage in both directions — included in your ticket.
3
Bus 852 from Europaplein to Keukenhof
Arriva bus 852, about 35 minutes, every 15-30 minutes. Same card scan — no second ticket needed. The bus stops at the main Keukenhof entrance.
4
3-4 hours at Keukenhof
Plan around three hours minimum, four if you want the pavilions and not just the gardens. Pre-book the park entry online to skip the queue — gates open 08:00, last entry ~17:30.
5
Back the same way — or via Schiphol
Bus 852 back to Europaplein, metro 52 back to Centraal. Or, if you want to add an airport-area stop on the return, take bus 858 to Schiphol and the NS train back to Centraal (all covered).
Combine with Haarlem or Zandvoort
Three day-trip options the Region Travel Ticket unlocks for the same price.
The Region Travel Ticket also covers NS trains to Haarlem and Zandvoort aan Zee, plus the regional buses to Volendam, Edam and Zaanse Schans. Three cheap day-pairings:
Haarlem + Keukenhof. NS train Amsterdam Centraal → Haarlem (15 min), wander the centre and Grote Markt, then Connexxion bus 50 to Keukenhof (40 min). Back via the same route or bus 858 → Schiphol → NS.
Zandvoort + Keukenhof. NS train Amsterdam Centraal → Haarlem → Zandvoort (35 min total), beach morning, then back to Haarlem and Connexxion 50 to Keukenhof for the afternoon. Long day but doable on a sunny April weekend.
Schiphol arrival + Keukenhof. If you're landing at Schiphol on the same day, take bus 858 straight to Keukenhof, then NS train back to Amsterdam Centraal afterwards. Saves a trip into the city first.
Honest tips most other sites skip
Worth knowing before you book
Park entry is separate. The Region Travel Ticket covers transport only. Book Keukenhof entry on the official site or via GetYourGuide to skip the gate queue. Buying at the gate is more expensive, and on busy April weekends the gate sells out.
The standard Travel Ticket does NOT cover these buses. Only the Region version. If you've already booked the standard Travel Ticket, you'll need to either upgrade or pay ~€8 return for the shuttle separately at the bus — the Region Travel Ticket usually works out cheaper end-to-end.
Weekends in April are very busy. Expect crowds at the entrance even with a pre-booked ticket. A weekday morning is a calmer visit. Tulip peak is around mid-April, but late March and early May still show plenty of blooms with fewer people.
The buses know to drop you at the main entrance. You don't have to figure out a stop — all four lines end at Keukenhof. The same stop is the pickup point for the return.
No large luggage on the shuttle buses. If you're arriving at Schiphol on the same day, drop bags at the airport storage before bus 858. Cabin bags are usually fine, but full suitcases are turned away by some drivers during peak hours.
The shuttle stops running mid-May. The exact end date moves slightly each year — Keukenhof closes around 11 May 2026, after which the shuttle lines stop. Bus 858 from Schiphol does run year-round, but only the seasonal route serves Keukenhof.
FAQ
Only the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket. During the Keukenhof season (mid-March to mid-May), it covers Arriva bus 858 from Schiphol, 852 from Amsterdam Europaplein, 859 from Hoofddorp station, and Connexxion 50 from Haarlem station. The standard Amsterdam Travel Ticket does NOT cover these lines.
No. The Region Travel Ticket covers transport only. Keukenhof entry is a separate ticket — book it on the official Keukenhof website or via GetYourGuide. Booking ahead is almost always cheaper than the gate price, and on busy days the gate sells out.
Keukenhof typically runs from mid-March to mid-May each year. The 2026 season runs roughly 19 March to 11 May. Check the official Keukenhof website for the exact dates of the current season.
From Schiphol airport: Arriva 858 (most popular). From central Amsterdam: metro 52 to Europaplein, then Arriva 852. From Hoofddorp station: Arriva 859. From Haarlem: Connexxion 50. All four end at the Keukenhof main entrance and are covered by the Region Travel Ticket.
From Schiphol: ~30 minutes (bus 858). From Amsterdam Centraal: ~45 minutes total (metro 52 to Europaplein 10 min + bus 852 ~35 min). From Haarlem: ~40 minutes (bus 50). From Hoofddorp: ~15-20 minutes (bus 859). Plan to spend 3-4 hours in the park.
Yes — weekends in April are very busy, with long queues at the gate even with a pre-booked entry. A weekday morning is a calmer visit. Tulip peak is around mid-April, but late March and early May still show plenty of blooms with fewer crowds.
Get the Region Travel Ticket
From €23.00 · Covers all four Keukenhof shuttle lines · Free cancellation up to 24h
