Why don’t you pick us up at our hotel?

Because the train is faster, cheaper and goes to the middle of every city on this site, and because a vehicle and a driver would double the price without improving the walk. Our guides live in the city you are visiting; they meet you there.

Do you sell train tickets?

No. You buy your own: tap in with a contactless bank card, use the NS app, or buy at the station. Prices are the same on the day and there are no reservations. We tell you which train to take and where to get off.

What if our train is late?

Tell your guide by email or phone (details come with the confirmation). Dutch trains run every ten to thirty minutes on these routes, so a delay is usually minutes, not hours, and the guide waits.

Can we see two cities in one day with guides in both?

Yes, for pairs that are close: Delft and The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem, Gouda and Utrecht. Say so in your enquiry and we arrange two guides, or one who covers both.

English at launch. Some guides also speak German, French, Spanish or Italian; ask and we will say honestly whether we can arrange it.

How it works: train yourself, meet a local guide at the station

Amsterdam CentraalBuy a ticket or tap in with a bank card
Train, about 35 minutesDirect trains roughly every 15 minutes · single about €10–12
Leiden CentraalFive minutes to the Beestenmarkt, ten to the Breestraat
Meet your local guideNear the station or a central landmark, agreed by email
Walk Leiden for 2–3 hoursThen lunch, museums, or the train back, your call

Typical times, checked 2026-09-10. Confirm on ns.nl before you travel.

Five steps

Pick a city. Seven are 15 to 60 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal. The comparison helps if you do not know which.
Check your date. The form takes a minute: city, date, group size, interests. It is an enquiry, not a booking.
We confirm by email within one working day. A named local guide, a fixed price, a meeting point near the station and the train we suggest. You say yes, or no, or ask for changes.
You buy your train ticket on the day and go. No reservations; tap in with a bank card. We do not sell tickets or take a margin on them.
Your guide meets you at the agreed spot for two or three hours on foot, then leaves you with a plan for the rest of the day.

What it costs

From €185 per private group of up to 4 for two hours, €20 per extra person up to 6; three hours from €255. Plus your train tickets, which were €5–20 each way in September 2026 depending on the city, and any admissions you choose. Full pricing and what is not included.

Why the train

Because it is the best thing about visiting Dutch cities. Every historic centre on this site starts a five-to-twenty-minute walk from its station; trains run every ten to thirty minutes; there is nothing to book. A chauffeur day costs several hundred euros and spends an hour of it on the A4. A do-it-yourself day costs the fare and gives you no one to ask. Ours sits between: you travel independently and meet someone who knows the place.

Who the guides are

Independent local guides: people who know the city well, speak good English and are good company. We arrange them for each enquiry and tell you who your guide is before you confirm. We do not publish profiles until a guide has agreed to be listed, and we do not claim numbers we do not have.

The cities

Haarlem: about 15 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Haarlem station
Utrecht: about 27 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Utrecht Centraal
Leiden: about 35 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Leiden Centraal
The Hague: about 50 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Den Haag Centraal
Gouda: about 50 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Gouda station
Delft: about 60 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Delft station
Rotterdam: about 60 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal; meet near Rotterdam Centraal

Questions people ask

Why don’t you pick us up at our hotel?: Because the train is faster, cheaper and goes to the middle of every city on this site, and because a vehicle and a driver would double the price without improving the walk. Our guides live in the city you are visiting; they meet you there.
Do you sell train tickets?: No. You buy your own: tap in with a contactless bank card, use the NS app, or buy at the station. Prices are the same on the day and there are no reservations. We tell you which train to take and where to get off.
What if our train is late?: Tell your guide by email or phone (details come with the confirmation). Dutch trains run every ten to thirty minutes on these routes, so a delay is usually minutes, not hours, and the guide waits.
Can we see two cities in one day with guides in both?: Yes, for pairs that are close: Delft and The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem, Gouda and Utrecht. Say so in your enquiry and we arrange two guides, or one who covers both.
What languages?: English at launch. Some guides also speak German, French, Spanish or Italian; ask and we will say honestly whether we can arrange it.

How it works