I grew up on a bike, so cycling itself wasn’t a thing I had to learn when I moved to the Netherlands. What I learned in Amsterdam was how quickly you can leave the city and be in the middle of nature or open fields where animals graze, how much freedom you have when you travel on your bike. The first time I followed the Amstel River south I was amazed how the countryside starts almost immediately, that within twenty minutes the buildings just stop and the fields takes over.
There are many bike routes in this country, and a great biking infrastructure. There are routes for beginners and for seasoned bikers, and you can do any route, starting from wherever you want, because you can take the bike in the train with you. There are even dedicated routes for mountain biking.
But if you want to just start directly from Amsterdam on a regular bike and not involve a train (or take it only for a part of the ride), I put together a list of routes that go out from the centre in every direction. Cycling is the loveliest way I know to act on the Dutch love of a dagje weg, and if you’d rather reach a town by train and explore on foot, see my day trips from Amsterdam guide too.
One practical thing before you go. The Netherlands has a wonderful system of numbered fietsknooppunten (bike nodes), little green signs at every junction. Plan your ride as a string of numbers at routeplanner.fietsersbond.nl and you can cross the whole country following signs alone.
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Easy bike trips from Amsterdam
Under 25km. Comfortable for anyone, on any bike, on any given afternoon.
Amsterdamse Bos (South-west) | ~8km from centre
Amsterdamse Bos is where I go when I don’t want to think about where I’m going. It’s roughly 1,000 hectares, which is about three times the size of New York’s Central Park, with 50km of cycle paths threading through woods, past a rowing lake, alongside meadows where the only sensible thing to do is stop and sit for a while. It’s eight kilometres from the centre to the forest and it’s well worth the ride.
On the way down, near the southern edge of the Amstelpark, look out for the Riekermolen, a drainage mill from 1636 standing on the bank of the Amstel. There’s a small bronze statue of Rembrandt sitting beside it, because this is roughly where he used to come to sketch the polder.
There’s no fixed route here, which is the whole point. Ride in, follow whatever path looks good, and turn for home when you’ve had enough. Or go for pancakes at Boerderij Meerzicht first.
Amstel River to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (South) | ~20km return
This is the first ride I’ve done from Amsterdam, so it holds a certain nostalgia for me. It’s really easy: you follow the Amsteldijk south along the east bank, past houseboats, and the city is gone pretty soon. The road stays quiet, the river keeps you company, as do the animals you encounter along the way (cows, sheep, goats). You can return to Amsterdam on the other bank of the river, for a bit of variety.
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is a small village ten kilometres south, with a row of terraces along the water that fill up the moment the sun appears.
Durgerdam (North-east) | ~21km loop
Durgerdam is a small village, one street of old fishermen’s houses lined up along the water. More city and less nature on this one, but the destination offers a scenic view and it’s an easy ride. You can get there through the route in Amsterdam Noord (which involves the free F2 ferry from behind Amsterdam Centraal), or through Amsterdam Oost (East).
Het Twiske (North) | ~24km return from Centraal
Take the free Buiksloterweg ferry from behind Centraal, then ride north through Noord for about forty minutes until the city disappears. Het Twiske is a 650-hectare nature reserve of peat lakes, wetlands and meadows. It sits in the municipalities of Landsmeer and Oostzaan, although it’s so close to Amsterdam Noord that it hardly counts as leaving.
There are many swimming spots, enough looping paths to fill half a day, and in summer you can see the Scottish Highland cattle wandering about among the wildflowers.
Moderate bike rides from Amsterdam
25 to 36km return (or get the train back to shorten it). For anyone reasonably fit who fancies a proper outing. You can take the bike with you in the train here but not on the bus.
Waterland: Broek in Waterland & Monnickendam (North) | ~30km return
If I had to pick one ride from this whole list, it would probably be this one. You head north out of the city and within a quarter of an hour the landscape changes completely, flat polders, water-filled ditches, farmhouses. Broek in Waterland is one of the most carefully kept villages in the country, and you can stop your ride here to enjoy the afternoon, or head further to Monnickendam.
Monnickendam, a few kilometres on, has a 15th-century harbour, and it’s worth the extra distance. I usually stop here for something to eat before turning back. I’ve written about the first ride here: Cycling to Waterland from Amsterdam. And More About Monnickendam here: Monnickendam: a Quiet Hidden Gem near Amsterdam.
↪ Want to join a guided tour? Check out: Amsterdam: Cheese Tasting, Windmill & Countryside Bike Tour.
Weesp (East) | ~30km return or train back
I’ll be honest: I haven’t ridden out to Weesp yet, though it’s been on my list for a couple of summers now. People who have done it tell me it’s one of the loveliest old town centres in the region. It’s about fifteen kilometres east through the Diemerpolder and past the young woods of the Diemerbos, and you arrive at a town of 17th-century canal houses, stone gates, and the slow Vecht river. Weesp officially became part of Amsterdam in March 2022, although it doesn’t feel remotely like Amsterdam.
You can ride there in about an hour, have lunch, and take the train back from Weesp station (it’s direct to Centraal, around fifteen minutes). Or ride both ways for a comfortable 30km. I’m told the second option is the better one. I’ll report back when I’ve finally done it.
Zaanse Schans (North-west) | 20km one way + train back
Zaanse Schans is on every tourist list, although not many tourists arrive there by bike. You take the free Buiksloterweg ferry from behind Centraal, head northwest through Zaandam, and you cycle about 20 km past by het Twiske and a lot of Dutch polders on your way to the windmills.
You can take the train back from Zaandam station (ten minutes to Centraal).
↪ Want to join a guided bike tour? Check out:Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans E-Bike Tour with Windmills & Cheese.
Practical tips for cycling from Amsterdam
Navigation. Use the fietsknooppunten node network. Plan at routeplanner.fietsersbond.nl, or download Komoot for GPS. You can also pick up a printed node map from the tourist offices near Centraal.
The IJ ferry. Several of these routes (Durgerdam, Het Twiske, Zaanse Schans, and some Waterland routes depending on where you start) begin with a free ferry across the IJ from behind Centraal. The ferries run around the clock, take bikes, and cost nothing. Use the F2 ferry for Durgerdam and the Buiksloterweg ferry for Twiske and Zaanse Schans. They leave from different jetties on the north side of the station, so check the signs.
Trains and bikes. Dutch trains take bikes outside rush hour (roughly 6:30 to 9:00 and 16:00 to 18:30 on weekdays). You’ll need a fietskaart (bike ticket), around €7.50, from the machine or the NS app.
Bike rental. Black Bikes, Macbike, and A-Bike all have central branches, and you should expect €12 to €15 for a full day.
Wind. Since the country is flat, wind is the only real variable you have to plan around. A headwind can turn a gentle 20km into a slog. Check the forecast, and where you can, ride out into the wind so it pushes you home.
Start early. On hot days the popular spots, the Amsterdamse Bos, Ouderkerk, the swimming lakes, fill up fast. Before 9am you’ll have the paths more or less to yourself. Before 10am is still good. After 2pm on a summer weekend you’ll have to lower your expectations a little.
For more warm-weather ideas beyond the saddle, see my guides to Amsterdam in spring and the best summer day trips from Amsterdam.
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