Dutch windmills at Kinderdijk
As I mentioned before, I had a niece from abroad visiting me and on the first day, she came together with a friend and on top of their must see list was the UNESCO World Heritage Kinderdijk. I have never been there before and I personally would spend my precious time here doing something else, but their wish is my command. It took us forever to get there, but we were still able to take beautiful shots of the windmills at Kinderdijk.
Note: every day, the bus comes once an hour and it takes around 30 minutes (one-way).
Inside the bus, you can buy a special ticket to and from Kinderdijk for 4 euro directly from the bus driver. Make sure you have enough spare change for that. It is a small ticket with two empty square boxes for the stamps. The bus driver will stamp the ticket with an old-school time and date stamp, which we don't see often anymore since the digitization and the OV-chip card. I used the OV-chip card myself and it was €3.30 one way, so buying the special ticket would have been wiser.
Time schedule (check the official website for any changes)
From the Erasmus bridge to Kinderdijk: 10:35 12:35 14:35
From Kinderdijk to the Erasmus bridge: 10:03 12:03 14:03 16:03
Sometimes, there are an extra early (8:35) and late (16:35) waterbus leaving from the Erasmus bridge.
Time schedule (check the official website for more details)
From the Erasmus bridge to Kinderdijk: 10:30 - 16:00 (every :00 and :30)
From Kinderdijk to the Erasmus bridge: 10:05 - 17:35 (every :05 and :35)
Bus €4 ±30 min.
waterbus 202 €7.14 ±30 min.
waterbus 20 + Driehoeksveer €5.44 ±40 min.
Note: It is cheaper to buy the ticket in the bus than use an OV-chipcard, but with with the waterbus, it is the other way around and it is cheaper to use an OV-chipcard.
Benefits/disavantages bus (personal experience):
Since there was only 1 bus per hour, I had to wait for 30 minutes in an quiet and lifeless place. The bus ride was relatively comfortable, except for how hot it was inside (warm day and I sat at the back of the bus) and slight bumpiness on the road. But it is relatively cheap, hassle-free (can just buy a ticket at the bus driver), and don't have to worry and watch the time too obsessively.
Benefits/disavantages waterbus 202 (never taken it): The stop is near the Erasmus bridge, so you can take beautiful pictures, while you wait. Great view during the trip along the river. It doesn't run often (watch the dates and times carefully). Most expensive option and you need to get an OV-card to get the lowest fare. An OV-card costs €7.50 for just the card and you still need to add money on the card to travel.
Benefits/disavantages waterbus 20 + Driehoeksveer (never taken it): The stop is near the Erasmus bridge and you can also enjoy a great view during the trip along the river. It runs more frequently than waterbus 202, but with the extra transfer, you run more risks of delays or sudden cancellations. But you can take that time to explore the town Ridderkerk.
- by foot. There is a signposted Kinderdijk foot trail (9-13 km) on clean and paved paths. There are some side paths made with wood chips and several connecting wooden bridges.
- by boat. You can choose from the canal hopper and the canal cruiser (seen in the picture underneath). The canal hopper takes you to four visiting points and you can hop on and off at every stop. The canal cruiser takes you on a tour along the windmills (without any stops) and it takes around 30 minutes.
Adults: €7.50
Kids (4-12 years old): €5.50
Kids (under 4 years old): free
Tour boat
Adults: €5
Kids: €3
I got there around 16:00 and the woman at the ticket office, just let us four in without charging us any money, since it was close to closing time. After closing hours, you are allowed to freely walk along the paths and see the windmills, but you cannot get on the tour boat or go inside the windmills.
You can buy the tickets on the spot or get your tickets online beforehand with 10% discount. With the Rotterdam Welcome Card, you can even get 25% discount for 4 persons.
An entrance ticket includes entry to the Museum wind mills Nederwaard and Blokweer and you can also see a muti-screen movie about Kinderdijk in the visitor center Wisboomgemaal.
How to get to Kinderdijk by public transport
- By bus.
We started from Rotterdam-Blaak (near the famous Markthal, which has both a metro station and a train station) and we took the train to station Rotterdam-Lombardijen. Right outside that train station (and there is also one outside metro station Zuidplein), you can find bus 90 (to Utrecht), which takes you to the front entrance of Kinderdijk.Note: every day, the bus comes once an hour and it takes around 30 minutes (one-way).
Inside the bus, you can buy a special ticket to and from Kinderdijk for 4 euro directly from the bus driver. Make sure you have enough spare change for that. It is a small ticket with two empty square boxes for the stamps. The bus driver will stamp the ticket with an old-school time and date stamp, which we don't see often anymore since the digitization and the OV-chip card. I used the OV-chip card myself and it was €3.30 one way, so buying the special ticket would have been wiser.
- By waterbus 202 - directly, without transfers
You could also take the waterbus 202 from the stop near the Erasmus bridge. But at the time, it had a winter break, so that wasn't an option for us. It only operates from 1 May - 31 October and from the Erasmus bridge, you can get to the entrance of Kinderdijk within 30 minutes. It arrives every 2 hours, so you really need to get the times right. You also need to watch your time and leave before 16:03.Time schedule (check the official website for any changes)
From the Erasmus bridge to Kinderdijk: 10:35 12:35 14:35
From Kinderdijk to the Erasmus bridge: 10:03 12:03 14:03 16:03
- By waterbus 20 + Driehoeksveer
First take the waterbus 20 from the Erasmus bridge and go to Ridderkerk De Schans (about 30 minutes). When you get there, you need to get on the Driehoeksveer (small ferry boat). Then, it only takes 5 minutes for you to arrive at Kinderdijk.Time schedule (check the official website for more details)
From the Erasmus bridge to Kinderdijk: 10:30 - 16:00 (every :00 and :30)
From Kinderdijk to the Erasmus bridge: 10:05 - 17:35 (every :05 and :35)
Comparison chart
Costs (return) Travel time (one-way)Bus €4 ±30 min.
waterbus 202 €7.14 ±30 min.
waterbus 20 + Driehoeksveer €5.44 ±40 min.
Note: It is cheaper to buy the ticket in the bus than use an OV-chipcard, but with with the waterbus, it is the other way around and it is cheaper to use an OV-chipcard.
Benefits/disavantages bus (personal experience):
Since there was only 1 bus per hour, I had to wait for 30 minutes in an quiet and lifeless place. The bus ride was relatively comfortable, except for how hot it was inside (warm day and I sat at the back of the bus) and slight bumpiness on the road. But it is relatively cheap, hassle-free (can just buy a ticket at the bus driver), and don't have to worry and watch the time too obsessively.
Benefits/disavantages waterbus 202 (never taken it): The stop is near the Erasmus bridge, so you can take beautiful pictures, while you wait. Great view during the trip along the river. It doesn't run often (watch the dates and times carefully). Most expensive option and you need to get an OV-card to get the lowest fare. An OV-card costs €7.50 for just the card and you still need to add money on the card to travel.
Benefits/disavantages waterbus 20 + Driehoeksveer (never taken it): The stop is near the Erasmus bridge and you can also enjoy a great view during the trip along the river. It runs more frequently than waterbus 202, but with the extra transfer, you run more risks of delays or sudden cancellations. But you can take that time to explore the town Ridderkerk.
What is the best way to view the windmills at Kinderdijk?
- by foot. There is a signposted Kinderdijk foot trail (9-13 km) on clean and paved paths. There are some side paths made with wood chips and several connecting wooden bridges.
- by boat. You can choose from the canal hopper and the canal cruiser (seen in the picture underneath). The canal hopper takes you to four visiting points and you can hop on and off at every stop. The canal cruiser takes you on a tour along the windmills (without any stops) and it takes around 30 minutes.
Tickets for Kinderdijk
Entrance ticketsAdults: €7.50
Kids (4-12 years old): €5.50
Kids (under 4 years old): free
Tour boat
Adults: €5
Kids: €3
I got there around 16:00 and the woman at the ticket office, just let us four in without charging us any money, since it was close to closing time. After closing hours, you are allowed to freely walk along the paths and see the windmills, but you cannot get on the tour boat or go inside the windmills.
You can buy the tickets on the spot or get your tickets online beforehand with 10% discount. With the Rotterdam Welcome Card, you can even get 25% discount for 4 persons.
An entrance ticket includes entry to the Museum wind mills Nederwaard and Blokweer and you can also see a muti-screen movie about Kinderdijk in the visitor center Wisboomgemaal.
I apparently, really liked this windmill as I made three different pictures of it without noticing.
