Centraal station: the best way to the canal ring and museum quarter for four people

Tram 2 and tram 12 both run from Centraal via the Dam to Leidseplein and on to Museumplein. Tap a contactless card or phone on the reader when you board and again when you get off. GVB charges 1.16 euros plus 0.217 euros per kilometre in 2026, so expect about 1.70 euros, which is our calculation and not a published fare. A GVB 1 hour ticket is a fixed 3.40 euros if you want a set price. Trams run in the street and crowd at busy times, but they have low floors and space for a case. We could not confirm first and last tram times, so check the GVB planner for late returns.

Metro 52 runs from Centraal via Rokin to Vijzelgracht and De Pijp in four to six minutes. Pay the same way as on the tram, with a contactless card tapped in and out, and expect about 1.60 euros, our calculation from the 2026 per-kilometre rate. The deep platforms mean escalators and long walks inside the station, and Vijzelgracht is still about 10 minutes on foot from Leidseplein. It suits hotels near De Pijp, the Amstel or the south of the canal ring more than the museum quarter. We could not confirm first and last metro times.

The Dam is about 10 minutes on foot and the canal ring starts shortly after it. Leidseplein is around 2.5 km and takes about 35 minutes with a wheeled case. Cobbles, canal bridges and cyclists make a large suitcase hard work, so this is best with a backpack or if your hotel is near the Dam. Cyclists use the lanes at speed, so keep clear of the red tarmac.

Taxis are metered. The national 2026 maximum for a taxi with up to four seats is 4.31 euros to start, 3.17 euros per kilometre and 0.52 euros per minute. For 3 km and about 12 minutes in town that comes to roughly 18 to 28 euros, which is our estimate and not a fixed fare. Use the official rank and look for a meter, a tariff card in the window and a TCA sign if you are unsure. Ask for the price range before you set off.