How To Get To Keukenhof Gardens & What To Expect [2026]

Want to visit the amazing Keukenhof Gardens near Amsterdam and are not sure how to get there? Or what to expect? This guide covers all the details on this amazing park: where to get tickets, how much they cost, how to get here, and all the other tulip activities you can experience while the park is open.

Keukenhof is one of the biggest flower gardens in the world with around 7 million hand-planted flower bulbs in a dazzling array of color on a 79 acre garden, something you can’t miss. And it’s not just tulips, although they are definitely a star with about 800 varieties, there’s also crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, lilies, and more, set traditional English style amongst beautifully wooded gardens and lakes.

About Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof means ‘kitchen garden’. It started as an herb garden in the 15th century for the kitchen at Telylingen Castle, which is now in ruins. In the 17th century, Keukenhof Castle was built, and the estate grew. In the 19th century, the gardens were redesigned into the luscious English landscape that you see today. Now it’s one of the world’s largest flower gardens, visited by over a million people in the few short weeks that it’s open.

Best Time To Visit Keukenhof Gardens

The gardens are open from late March to mid-May. The downside to such a short window is that this park gets really busy. Especially on weekends and especially mid-day. Because of this, it’s best to visit early in the morning or late afternoon during the week, especially Monday through Wednesday.

Although Keukenhof is renowned for its tulips, there are also crocus, daffodil, and hyacinth, each peaking at different times. These peak times fluctuate annually based on weather changes. Generally, however, the key times are as follows:

• March to early April: crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and small tulips.
• Early April to early May: larger tulips, daffodils, muscari, fittalaria, and hyacinths. 
• Early May to mid-May: late-flowering tulips, irises, and alliums.

The busiest days at Keukenhof are the days surrounding the Bloemencorso Bollenstreek flower parade, which in 2026, is Saturday April 18th. This parade travels a 42-kilometer route from Noorwijk to Haarlem with floats covered in flowers.

Tickets for Keukenhof will sell out far in advance on this day and the days surrounding it, as true flower lovers want to see both. If you want the full experience and don’t mind the crowds, this is the best time to go. Of course, if you only want to see the gardens, another day/week is much easier to get tickets for.

Tickets For Keukenhof

In 2026, the park will be open March 19th to May 10th. Tickets are on sale now at the Keukenhof website. They are 21.50€ for adults, 10€ for those aged 4-17, and free for children 3 and under. Parking is 9€.

Tickets are best purchased online, in advance, however they can also be purchased at the box office (usually for a higher price).

Tickets are sold for a specific date and arrival time, so you need to determine what works best for you in advance. Unfortunately, this means you cannot select the day to visit based on the weather.

You need to enter the park at the time designated on your ticket, but, once inside, you can stay as long as you want. If you need to change your date or time after buying your ticket, use the link in your confirmation email to see if your alternative date is still available.

Entrance tickets combined with transportation are also available. These are called combitickets. More details on these below.

Tip: If the regular day ticket you want is sold out, check to see if a combi ticket is available for that day/time. You will pay more, but it may be worth it to you if you really want to visit Keukenhof on a certain day when regular tickets are sold out.

How To Get To Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof is in Lisse, which is 25 miles (40 km) southwest of central Amsterdam. If you are driving, which is the easiest way to visit, the address is:

Stationsweg 166A

2161 AM Lisse

If you are using public transportation, the Netherlands makes it easy to get to Keukenhof on your own with combitickets.

Combitickets

Combitickets include your entrance ticket to the garden and round-trip transportation. There are multiple departure locations for buses to Keukenhof in 2026. The routes are slightly different than previous years, so make sure to review the details.

For 2026, the combitickets for the buses from Harlaam, Leiden, and Hoofddorp cost 33.50€ (for adults). From Europlainen (RAI), the combiticket is 38.50€ (for adults). See keukenhof.nl to purchase tickets, see the cost of children’s tickets, and full details.

Although the combitickets historically included your round trip transportation and your Keukenhof Garden entry ticket, they now also offer just round-trip transportation. This is helpful for those that have already purchased their entrance ticket. See the Keukenhof website for these prices.

Hoofddorp

From Hoofddorp (near Schiphol Airport), Bus 859 departs 4 times an hour, taking 25-minutes to get to the entrance of Keukenhof. Your combiticket does not include the price to get to Hoofddorp. To get to Hoofddorp, take bus 300 or 397 from Schiphol (or the train), 300 from Amstelveen, or 397 from the Amsterdam City Centre. This combiticket is 33.50€ and includes your entrance ticket to the garden (but not the cost of any buses or trains to get to Hoofddorp).

Europaplein (RAI)

Europlainen is the closest bus departure from the Amsterdam city center. For this you will catch Keukenhof Bus 852. To get there, take metro 52 (the metro ticket is separate). The metro departs every 5 minutes and takes about 8 minutes to get to the Keukenhof Bus 852 departure location. Exit the Europaplein metro stop. Keukenhof Bus 852 departs 12 times an hour for Keukenhof and takes about 35 minutes. This combiticket is 38.50€ and includes your entrance ticket to the garden (but not your metro ticket).

Haarlem Station

Keukenhof Bus 850 leaves Haarlem Station for Keukenhof twice an hour. The ride to Keukenhof takes 40-minutes. This combiticket is 33.50€ and includes your entrance ticket to the garden.

Leiden Central Station

Located directly south of Keukenhof, Keukenhof Bus 854 leaves Leiden Central Station from the centre side of the railway station up to 8 times an hour, taking 30-minutes to get to Keukenhof. This combiticket is 33.50€ and includes your entrance ticket to the garden.

Car

Renting a car provides you with the ultimate flexibility, but (of course) is more expensive than the bus. And while driving in Amsterdam is relatively safe, it can sometimes be challenging as the narrow roads are often full of cyclists (they are serious here) as well as the electric trams.

Driving is on the right hand side of the road. Check the driving requirements for your country. Americans can drive in Amsterdam with a valid drivers license and an International Driving Permit (IDP), which can be obtained from AAA in advance of your trip.

The cost to rent a car ranges from about 75€ to 150€ for one day (as of 2026). This (of course) does not include gas or parking.

Most rental car agencies require a credit card for the deposit, so if you do not have one, call in advance to find one that does not. You must be 21 to rent a car, and drivers under 25 may need to pay a young driver surcharge.

Taxi

You can also take a taxi to Keukenhof. Uber is available in the Netherlands (as of March 2026). The current Uber cost from Schiphol Airport to Keukenhof ranges from 35€ to 60€ each way (as of March 2026).

This post may use affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you choose to make a booking or purchase through one of these links. This is at no additional cost to you. If you find my content helpful, please consider booking through me as it is completely win win!

Note: This is for tours and accommodation only, not for tickets made directly on the Keukenhof or Bollenstreek website made through my links.

Tours

Keukenhof Guided Tours

You can also book a 60-minute guided tour of Keukenhof with a Keukenhof guide. For 2026, the cost is 175€ per person: Keukenhof guided tours.

Other Guided Tours

There are also many tours available from operators outside of Keukenhof. They’re perfect if you want the ease of a guide and camaraderie of a group. However, these tours provide limited flexibility, usually visit the gardens at peak hours, when they are busiest, and, of course, cost more. Here are a few that I recommend.

• From Amsterdam: Keukenhof Gardens Ticket and Transfer – $40.49
• Keukenhof From Schiphol Airport With Return – $52.37
• Amsterdam: Keukenhof Gardens Half Day Guided Tour – $70.03
• Amsterdam: Keukenhof & Zaanse Schans Windmills Guided Day Trip – $97.98

What To Expect At Keukenhof Gardens

First and foremost, be prepared for crowds. In 2025, around 1.4 million people visited Keukenhof in the few weeks it was open. This is over 26,000 people every day! That’s a bit crazy if you think about it.

If you want to take pictures, or just want to avoid the crowds, try to be at the park first thing, at 8 AM, or late in the afternoon. The park is open until 7:00 PM with the latest admittance at 6:00 PM.

Second, the park is very large, so be prepared to walk a lot. Keukenhof is 79 acres, which is about the size of 60 football fields! Soccer fields are more than twice the size of football fields, so less than half of those, but still, it’s big!

Review the map below to select which areas you want to see in advance. Otherwise, you may feel a bit lost wandering the park. If you prefer to just roam, however, that’s fine too! It’s all beautiful!

If you will need a wheelchair, you can also reserve this in advance online. For 2026 it is €5.00.

Map

The 2026 map is posted below. You can also pick up the latest map at the park entrance. Trails wind around the park to showcase the floral arrangements. It’s a never ending display of color and texture. There are ponds, fountains, picnic benches, and even a maze made of greenery for kids and adults. Explore as much of the park as you can, but try not to feel too pressured to see it all.

One sight not to miss includes the flowers planted in the wooded area by the meandering stream (my favorite) and the old Dutch windmill on the right hand side of the park. In addition to the windmill, the latter area provides a view of the nearby tulip fields. Try to get to the windmill early morning or later in the afternoon as when crowded, which it usually is, you end up waiting for your turn to walk up and down the steps of the windmill. This can be a little frustrating.

Pavilions

When you need a break, or get hungry, there are several Pavilions to stop for food and beverages, and shops, as well as restrooms. Cash is not accepted at the pavilions. You can bring your own food and beverages into the park, but can only eat food purchased from the pavilion in the pavilion (which is respectful and makes sense).

There are also flower shows at the most of the Pavilions, including tulips, orchids, hyacinth, freesia, roses, and more. If you do buy flowers or bulbs, make sure you review customs rules, so they are not taken away at the airport.

Tulip Field Whisper Boat Cruise

There’s also an optional 45-minute boat cruise to see the tulip fields and learn more about them. This must be booked in advance and seating is limited. The cost for 2026 is €11 for adults and €5.50 for children (4-11 years old). Purchase on Kuekenhof.nl. The pick-up point is behind the windmill.

Rent A Bike At Keukenhof

You can rent a bicycle at Keukenhof and to ride along the flower feilds that surround Keukenhof (not inside the park). For an adult, a bike rental is 12.50€, for a child it is 9.00€. The rental is for 3 hours, although there is a longer rental option.

There are 4 colored signposted Keukenhof Cycle Routes to follow from 5-25 km. They are easy to follow and designed to optimize your flower experience.

• The blue route is 5 km (3 miles) around the Keukenhof Flower fields (< 1 hour). This is best if you have limited time. It also goes by Keukenhof Castle.
• The purple route is 10 km (6 miles) by the flower fields of Lisse and Voorhout as well as other locations (1-2 hours).
• The green route is 15 km (9 miles) and includes flower fields in Lisse, Hillegom, and Noordwijkerhout. You also pass the Tulip Experience Amsterdam and the Tulip Barn (1-3 hours).
• The red route is 25 km (15.5 miles) and includes flower fields, the lake, the sea, and the dunes as well as the Tulip Experience Amsterdam and the Tulip Barn (2-4 hours)

How Much Time To Spend At Keukenhof Gardens

One of the advantages of not taking a tour is that you can be flexible with how long you want to stay. You’ll want to stay at least 3-4 hours at a minimum.

If you’re really into flowers, or photography, or want to add the whisper boat tour, plan to spend even longer. After all, unless you plan to visit annually, this is a limited time event.

More Tulip Events

In addition to visiting Keukenhof Gardens, there’s a lot more going on to celebrate tulips.

Visit Keukenhof Castle

Visit Keukenhof Castle, where Keukenhof Gardens originated when it was built in the 17th century. The castle is located just across the street from the gardens. The grounds are free to walk around, but to tour the inside, you must purchase a guided tour.

Unfortunately, their website is only is Dutch, so you need to use a web translation tool to read it in English.

Bloemencorso Bollenstreek, The Dutch Flower Parade

There’s an annual Dutch Flower Parade with floats made of flowers like hyacinths, daffodils, and, of course, tulips! This is a huge annual event, known to the Dutch as Bloemencorso Bollenstreek. Many volunteers work for about a year in preparation of this parade.

Here is the parade route info for 2026. It travels from the seaside village of Noordwijk to the historic city of Haarlem. There are many places to see the parade, but one of the best is in front of Keukenhof Gardens on Keukenhof Boulevard. For 2026, the Flower Parade is scheduled to pass Keukenhof at 3:45. This is important information for buying your ticket if you want to be there when it passes!

The Bloemencorso Bollestreek parade date for 2026 is Saturday, April 18th. Events usually start prior to this and end afterwards. I will update this when more information is available.

There will be several grandstands for the Flower Parade. They will be in Voorhout, Noordwijk, Sassenheim, and Hillegom. Lisse, near Keukenhof Gardens, is the most popular place to watch the parade. You can buy tickets at bollenstreek.nl. The grandstand tickets sell out quickly, so make sure to buy them in advance. The cost for 2026 ranges from 32€ to 179€ depending on the option you select (some include transportation and food).

As this is a very popular time to visit, Keukenhof WILL sell out early on parade day, and the days surrounding it, as most tulip lovers will want to visit both. If you only plan to visit the park (and not the parade), this would not be the best day to visit due to crowds and availability of tickets.

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival

The Tulip Festival lasts the entire month of April, with the city literally bursting with tulips…everywhere! Over 880,000 tulips, more than one for every person in Amsterdam, are arranged in almost 100 public areas of Amsterdam.

The displays in public areas are free. To learn more, see the Tulip Festival Details.

Tulip Experience Amsterdam

Tulip Experience Amsterdam is a show/selfie garden that also has a picking garden and a museum. It is designed to allow people to take photos, or selfies, without damaging the tulips in the fields. For 2026, this experience will be open March 19th to May 10th.

See their website at Tulip Experience Amsterdam for more details and to buy tickets.

The Tulip Barn

The Tulip Barn is another attraction near Keukenhof with a selfie garden with over 750,000 tulips.

See the Tulip Barn website for more details and ticket costs. For 2026, this experience is available March 27th to May 10th.

Amsterdam Tulip Museum

Although the Amsterdam Tulip Museum is open year round (except select days of course), it’s a great stop to add to your list when visiting Keukenhof. You can learn about the history of tulips, how they came to Holland, and about the tulip mania that swept the Netherlands in the 17th century.

This museum is open daily from 10 to 6. It’s closed Christmas Day and April 27th. The entrance fee is 7€.

Museum De Zwarte Tulp, or The Black Tulip Museum

The Museum De Zwarte Tulp, or the Black Tulip Museum is located in Lisse, about a 10-minute walk from Keukenhof. This little museum is located in a former shed barn and covers the history of the tulip, flower-bulb cultivation, and other details.

I have not been to this museum, but reviews note that there is not much in English. The website does state that there is an audio guide in English though.

During the Keukenhof opening season (March 19 – May 10, 2026)
Hours are Tuesday through Sunday: 10:30 – 5:00. Outside this, hours are 1-5 Tuesday to Thursday and 11-5 Friday to Sunday (closed on Mondays).

This post may use affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you choose to make a booking or purchase through one of these links. This is at no additional cost to you. If you find my content helpful, please consider booking through me as it is completely win win!

Where To Stay In Amsterdam

There are many great places to stay in Amsterdam. I’ve selected a few that get excellent reviews. There are a few in the budget and moderate category, but most accommodation with the best reviews are in the moderate to affordable category.

I’ve noted what other attractions are nearby to provide a sense of the area they are located in.

Budget

• The Bee Hostel offers female only and mixed dorm beds around a 10-minute walk from the Rembrandt House and Dutch National Opera & Ballet. 

Affordable

• The ecological-minded Hotel La Bohème is housed in an historic building in Amsterdam city center. Museum Square (which has The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum) is only a 10-minute walk away. Guests can enjoy a simple Dutch breakfast buffet every morning. 

Moderate

• Amsterdam Central Guesthouse is centrally located in the city center of Amsterdam. The accommodations offers a shared kitchen. The Rembrandt House and Dutch National Opera & Ballet are both 1.4 miles away, while the Royal Palace Amsterdam is 1.9 miles away and the Anne Frank House is 2.1 miles from the property.
• Canal House Inn, set in a traditional Amsterdam mansion, offers modern style rooms with a Nespresso machine and a refrigerator. It’s  a 15-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Railway Station and Rembrandt square.
• Monet Garden Hotel Amsterdam is a boutique hotel near the canals. Most rooms have canal views and garden views. For an extra cost, they offer an extensive breakfast. Theres also a fireplace and a fitness center. Rembrandtplein is 2625’ away and the  Dutch National Opera & Ballet is nearby. 

Splurge

• Canal House offers sumptuous, boutique-style rooms in the heart of Amsterdam on the Keizersgracht Canal. The Amsterdam Tulip Museum and Anne Frank House are less than a 5-minute walk from Canal House and Amsterdam Central Railway Station is less than a 15-minute walk away.
• Right in the heart of the city overlooking the Royal Palace, the National Monument on Dam Square and the Rokin, you will find the newly opened high-end 5-star Suite hotel, Hotel TwentySeven. This luxurious accommodation has sixteen individually designed suites along with a diverse range of personalized services and fine dining experiences like BougainVille, awarded with a Michelin star. The Royal Palace is a 1-minute walk from the hotel.

Want To See More Of The Netherlands?

Amsterdam is truly an amazing city, offering things to see and do for virtually everyone. With its historic architecture standing proud along its beautiful canals, charming houseboat and bicycle culture, world-class museums, featuring famous Golden Age Dutch masterpieces, as well as a museum devoted to Van Gogh, it’s an incredible cultural experience.

To learn more about the Netherlands, see an overview of its top sites, how to get around, safety, scams, important money matters, and more, see my Netherlands Travel Guide.

Safe Travels!

Julie

Have you been to Keukenhof? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please add a comment below.