Amsterdam Booking Guide: What to Reserve, What to Wing

Most Amsterdam guides give you a vague "book in advance" and leave you to figure out the rest. That is not helpful when you are staring at a Van Gogh Museum calendar that shows "sold out" for your entire trip.

Here is the actual playbook: specific release times, real price comparisons, and the truth about museum passes.

TL;DR:

• Anne Frank House: Tickets drop every Tuesday at 10:00 AM CET for 6 weeks later
• Van Gogh Museum: Check for cancellations around 5:00 PM daily (unofficial)
• I amsterdam City Card: Only worth it if you skip Van Gogh and visit 3+ included attractions per day
• OVpay beats every other transit option

The Ticket Game: What Sells Out (And What Doesn't)

Anne Frank House — The Hardest Ticket in Amsterdam

This is non-negotiable: if you want to visit the Anne Frank House, you must play the ticket game.

How it works:

• Tickets release every Tuesday at 10:00 AM CET
• They go on sale for a visit exactly 6 weeks later
• No tickets are sold at the door. Ever.
• Popular time slots sell out within minutes

The Strategy:

1. Set a calendar reminder for Tuesday, 9:55 AM CET
2. Be on annefrank.org/en/museum/tickets at 10:00 sharp
3. Choose the earliest morning slot (9:00 AM) — they sell slowest
4. Evening slots (after 7:00 PM) also have less competition

Price: €16 adults, free for under 10

Van Gogh Museum — The Last-Minute Strategy

Unlike Anne Frank, the Van Gogh Museum is easier to get into. But "easier" still means booking ahead.

Official rules:

• All tickets require a time slot booked online
• Price: €25 per adult (free under 18)
• The museum is NOT included in the I amsterdam City Card since June 2022

The Unofficial 5 PM Strategy: Locals know that cancelled or released tickets often appear around 17:00. If you are in Amsterdam without a ticket:

1. Check tickets.vangoghmuseum.com at 5:00 PM
2. Look for time slots later that evening or the next morning
3. Be flexible — this works best on weekdays

Pro tip: Students pay only €15 with valid ID.

Rijksmuseum — The Easy One

The Rijksmuseum rarely sells out except during peak summer weekends.

• Book 1-2 days ahead for peace of mind
• Price: €22.50 adults
• IS included in I amsterdam City Card

Queue Reality Check

| Museum | With Booking | Without Booking | |--------|--------------|-----------------| | Anne Frank House | 5-10 min | Impossible (no door sales) | | Van Gogh Museum | 5-15 min | N/A (booking required) | | Rijksmuseum | 10-20 min | 45-90 min | | NEMO Science | 5 min | 15-30 min |

Opening time (9:00-9:30 AM) always has the shortest queues. Avoid 11:00 AM–2:00 PM.

Museum Pass ROI: Is the I amsterdam City Card Worth It?

The I amsterdam City Card seems like a great deal: free museums and free public transport. Let's do the math.

Card Prices (2025-2026):

• 24 hours: €65
• 48 hours: €95
• 72 hours: €120
• 96 hours: €140
• 120 hours: €155

What's Included:

• 70+ museums (including Rijksmuseum, NEMO, Stedelijk, canal cruise)
• Unlimited GVB public transport
• NOT included: Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House

The Honest Calculation (72-hour example):

| Attraction | À la carte | |------------|-----------| | Rijksmuseum | €22.50 | | Stedelijk Museum | €22.50 | | NEMO | €19.50 | | Canal Cruise | €18 | | 3-day GVB pass | €18.50 | | Total | €101 |

72h City Card: €120

Verdict: The card is worth it only if you visit 4+ museums per day AND use public transport heavily. If you are a casual museum-goer who walks a lot, buying à la carte is cheaper.

The Museumkaart Alternative: For €75/year, the Museumkaart gives unlimited access to 500+ Dutch museums, including Van Gogh. Tourists can use it, but you must register within 31 days. Great if you are visiting for a week or returning later.

Daily Time Structure: A Realistic Schedule

Here is what a well-planned Amsterdam day actually looks like.

The Morning (9:00-12:30)

Peak strategy time.

• 9:00 AM: First museum entry (shortest queues)
• Museums take 2-3 hours each
• 12:00: Leave for lunch before the rush

The Afternoon (12:30-17:00)

Avoid museums. This is when tour groups peak.

• Walk the neighborhoods (Jordaan, De Pijp, Noord)
• Rent a boat (no queues, pure Amsterdam)
• Do the Mokum Tour audio walk

The Evening (17:00-21:00)

Second window for museums.

• Many museums stay open until 21:00 or 22:00 on Fridays
• Van Gogh is open until 21:00 on Saturdays
• Rijksmuseum until 17:00 daily

The "Rainy Day" Pivot

If it rains:

• 90% of tourists have the same idea: Rijksmuseum
• Alternative: House museums (Van Loon, Willet-Holthuysen)
• Or just embrace it — Amsterdam looks beautiful in the rain

Transit Pass Comparison

| Option | Cost | Best For | |--------|------|----------| | OVpay (tap bank card) | Per ride (~€1.50-2.50) | Everyone | | OV-chipkaart | €7.50 + credit | Nobody (the €7.50 is sunk cost) | | GVB 24h pass | €9.50 | 4+ rides in a day | | GVB 48h pass | €14.50 | Heavy tram users | | GVB 72h pass | €18.50 | Only with City Card |

The Answer: Just use OVpay. Tap your debit/credit card or phone at the reader. Same price, no €7.50 card fee. Read our full public transport guide for details.

The System: Pre-Trip Checklist

6 weeks before:

• [ ] Set Tuesday 10 AM alarm for Anne Frank tickets
• [ ] Book Van Gogh time slot

1 week before:

• [ ] Book Rijksmuseum (if you want a specific slot)
• [ ] Reserve restaurant for special dinner

Day of:

• [ ] Use OVpay for transit
• [ ] Morning museums, afternoon walks
• [ ] Check Van Gogh at 5 PM for last-minute slots

Skip the stress, keep the stories. While you figure out logistics, we handle the context. Mokum Tour gives you the history, the stories, and the "why" of everything you are looking at. Get your audio guide →

What to Wing

Not everything needs a reservation.

Just show up:

• Vondelpark (it's a park)
• The Jordaan (wander freely)
• NDSM Ferry (free, no booking)
• Brown cafés (walk in)
• Albert Cuyp Market (open 9-5 Mon-Sat)

Book same-day:

• Boat rentals (Mokumboot, Sloepdelen)
• Bike rentals
• Most restaurants (except high-end)

Amsterdam rewards planning for the big museums. For everything else? Just walk and discover.