The Grote Markt in Haarlem with St Bavo church, a statue and walkers in the square
Photo: Jan-Willem Doornenbal / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Day trip

Haarlem Day Trip from Amsterdam: Train, Grote Markt, Museums and Hours

How to do Haarlem as a day trip from Amsterdam: the 15 minute train, Grote Markt, the Grote Kerk, Molen De Adriaan, the hofjes, Teylers Museum, the Frans Hals Museum and the Corrie ten Boom House.

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The short answer. Haarlem is worth a day. The train from Amsterdam Centraal takes about 15 minutes, the main square is a short walk from the station, and the old centre is small enough to cover on foot. Start at the Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk, add Molen De Adriaan and the hofjes, then pick one or two museums from Teylers, the Frans Hals Museum and the Corrie ten Boom House.

Roam Amsterdam read 9 guides on this, all in English. All 9 name the Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk (St. Bavo). Molen De Adriaan comes next with 8, then the Frans Hals Museum, Teylers Museum, the Corrie ten Boom House and the hofjes with 7 each. Train times, hours and closing days below come from the operators’ own pages and from the tourism sites, not from those guides. They change, so check the links. If you’re choosing where to base yourself, the where to stay in Amsterdam guide covers that, and the best day trips from Amsterdam guide shows where Haarlem sits among the others.

Getting there

The tourism site Visit Haarlem says the train from Amsterdam takes less than 20 minutes and that trains run on average every 7 to 10 minutes. The Amsterdam tourism site puts the ride at about 15 minutes. Bus 300 also runs directly between Amsterdam and Haarlem, several times an hour, according to Visit Haarlem’s access page. Three of the guides say the walk from the station to the Grote Markt takes about 10 minutes. One suggests taking the Intercity if there’s one, since it makes a single stop. Tap in and out as you would on any Dutch train, and see the Amsterdam travel tips guide for how to pay.

What to see

Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk

Named by 9 of 9 guides read.

The main square is the centre of the day. The Grote Kerk, also called St. Bavo, is the Gothic church on it, and the guides mention its organ, which one says a young Mozart played. Cafe terraces line the square. Four guides mention a weekly market, which they place on Saturday.

Molen De Adriaan

Named by 8 of 9 guides read.

The windmill stands on the Spaarne river, a short walk from the square. Guides say you visit it on a guided tour of about 45 minutes. Its opening times change with the season, so look at the mill’s site before you plan around it.

Molen De Adriaan windmill beside the Spaarne with lit houses reflected in the water at dusk
Photo: sagesolar / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The hofjes

Named by 7 of 9 guides read.

Haarlem’s hofjes are almshouse courtyards tucked behind plain doors. The tourism site counts 21 public ones, and the guides name Hofje van Bakenes, Proveniershof and Teylers Hofje among them. One guide says most can be visited on weekdays and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 and are closed on Sunday, and the tourist office has a route. They’re easy to miss, so ask at the office on the Grote Markt for a map.

Teylers Museum

Named by 7 of 9 guides read.

It’s described as the oldest museum in the Netherlands, with art, fossils and scientific instruments. The museum’s site lists it open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays, at Spaarne 16. The tourism site says it’s free with the Amsterdam City Card.

The front of Teylers Museum on the Spaarne with a stone facade and flags above a tram line
Photo: Joost J. Bakker IJmuiden / Flickr (CC BY 4.0)

Frans Hals Museum

Named by 7 of 9 guides read.

The museum has the largest collection of Frans Hals’s work, with Golden Age paintings and a second site on the square. Its visit page lists it open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00 at Groot Heiligland 62. Mondays aren’t listed.

Corrie ten Boom House

Named by 7 of 9 guides read.

This is the family home where Jews and resistance members were hidden in the Second World War, and you see it on a guided tour. The museum’s reservations page says it’s open Tuesday to Saturday and closed on Sundays, Mondays and national holidays. Tours run about 75 minutes, admission is free with a donation afterwards, and the page tells you to book well in advance and arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. The address is Barteljorisstraat 19, just off the Grote Markt. One guide says English tours are limited, so reserve before you go.

A few less common stops

The Gouden Straatjes shopping streets are named by 6 guides, the Jopenkerk brewery in a former church by 5, a canal cruise by 3 and the medieval Amsterdamse Poort gate by 3. They’re good for filling the gaps between museums.

A day plan

Morning. Train to Haarlem Centraal and walk to the Grote Markt. See the Grote Kerk, then take a Corrie ten Boom House slot if you’ve booked one.

Midday. Lunch on the square or at the Jopenkerk, then the hofjes on the way to the Spaarne.

Afternoon. Molen De Adriaan, then Teylers or the Frans Hals Museum, and the train back. Three guides say a full day fills easily, and two say an afternoon gives an overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the train from Amsterdam to Haarlem?

About 15 minutes, according to the Amsterdam tourism site. Visit Haarlem says less than 20 minutes, with trains every 7 to 10 minutes on average.

Is Haarlem worth a day trip?

All 9 guides read name the Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk. Three say a full day fills easily with the windmill and a few museums, and two say an afternoon is enough for an overview.

Is the Frans Hals Museum open on Mondays?

Its visit page lists Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00 and doesn’t list Mondays.

Do you need to book the Corrie ten Boom House?

Yes. It’s visited on a guided tour and its reservations page tells you to book well in advance. It’s closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Can you walk around Haarlem?

Yes. The guides call the old centre compact, and the walk from the station to the Grote Markt takes about 10 minutes.

Rest of the trip: things to do in Amsterdam and Amsterdam travel tips.

Sources: 9 guides in English, and 7 official pages

Guides in English

Official pages

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