Delft day trip from Amsterdam: trains, tickets and what to see in a day

Delft is an easy day trip from Amsterdam: direct Intercity trains leave Amsterdam Centraal several times an hour, the ride takes about an hour, and the old town starts a ten-minute walk from Delft station. You need no reservation and no advance ticket; tap a contactless bank card in and out at the gates. Leave Amsterdam by 09:00 and you have a full day for the Markt, the two churches, the Vermeer Centrum and Royal Delft, and you are back in Amsterdam for dinner.

This post covers the trains and tickets in detail, the short versions from Rotterdam, The Hague and Schiphol, what to do once you arrive, the days to avoid, and an honest answer to whether Delft beats Haarlem or Leiden for a day out.

How do you get from Amsterdam to Delft by train?

Take a direct Intercity from Amsterdam Centraal towards Rotterdam or Dordrecht via The Hague and get off at Delft. The journey is roughly an hour, and Delft’s official visitor site confirms the connection is direct, with no change.

Practical notes:

• Frequency. Intercities on this line run several times an hour through the day. Check the exact departure on the NS journey planner the morning you travel, because engineering work at weekends sometimes reroutes trains via Haarlem or replaces a section with buses.
• Direction. Boards show the final destination, not Delft, so look for trains to Rotterdam Centraal, Dordrecht, Vlissingen or Breda that call at Den Haag HS and Delft. Trains via Leiden to Den Haag Centraal terminate there; from Den Haag Centraal you would need a second train, so pick the direct one.
• Other Amsterdam stations. The same trains also stop at Amsterdam Sloterdijk on some routes and at Amsterdam Zuid on others. If you are staying south of the centre, Amsterdam Zuid can save you a tram ride into Centraal; check the planner.
• Seating. No reservations exist on Dutch domestic trains. Sit anywhere in second class. Trains are busiest between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays; after 09:00 you will normally find seats easily.
• Arriving. Delft station is modern and underground. Come up the escalators, turn right along the canal and you are on the Markt in ten minutes on foot. The visitor site says five minutes to the first sights; ten is realistic with a map.

For the basics of Dutch public transport, our sister site has a fuller guide on how to use Dutch trains, trams and buses.

How much is the train from Amsterdam to Delft?

NS lists the Amsterdam to Delft route from €17.30 for a single second-class ticket at the time of writing, so a return is around €35 per adult. Check the NS site for current child fares.

There is no discount for booking early on a domestic route, so there is nothing to gain from buying weeks ahead. Three ways to pay:

1. Contactless bank card or phone (OVpay). Hold your card to the gate at Amsterdam Centraal, do the same at Delft. You travel second class and the day’s fares are charged in one payment the next day. No registration is needed. Use one card per person, and use the same card to tap out that you tapped in with.
2. E-ticket from the NS app or site. Fixed price, works from a phone screen at the gates. Useful if you want to travel first class or if two people share one bank card.
3. Ticket machine. At every station, card payment only at most machines. Slower and no cheaper than tapping in.

If you plan more museum days in the Netherlands, remember that a Museumkaart makes Royal Delft free, which changes the sums for a Delft day. NS explains the contactless option on its debit card page.

Getting to Delft from Rotterdam, The Hague and Schiphol

From Rotterdam Centraal and from The Hague, the train to Delft takes about 12 minutes. From Schiphol Airport there is a direct train, so you can even do Delft on the way in or out.

From Rotterdam

Intercities and Sprinters run from Rotterdam Centraal to Delft throughout the day, and the ride is about 12 minutes. Delft is close enough that many people staying in Rotterdam treat it as an afternoon rather than a day trip.

From The Hague

Trains from Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag Hollands Spoor reach Delft in about 12 minutes. HTM tram 1 also runs from The Hague through to Delft station and the edge of the old town, which is handy if your hotel is on the tram line or you are coming from Scheveningen, but it is slower than the train. Delft and The Hague make a natural pair for one day.

From Schiphol

There is a direct train from Schiphol Airport to Delft; NS lists the route from €13.10. Lockers at Delft station (below) mean you can do Delft with a suitcase on your last day before flying.

What can you see in Delft in one day?

A full day covers the Markt with the Nieuwe Kerk, the Oude Kerk with Vermeer’s grave, the Vermeer Centrum, a canal walk along Oude Delft, and Royal Delft in the afternoon. We have written the hour-by-hour version in our Delft in one day post, so here is the compact plan.

• 10:00 Markt. Arrive on the square between the Nieuwe Kerk and the town hall. Buy the €10.00 combination ticket for both churches at either entrance.
• 10:15 Nieuwe Kerk. The tomb of William of Orange and the royal burial vault. The tower (€7.50 extra, children 6 to 16 only with an adult) gives the best view of the town.
• 11:30 Oude Kerk. A ten-minute walk along Oude Delft. The leaning tower, and the graves of Vermeer and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek.
• 12:30 Lunch on the Beestenmarkt or the Markt.
• 13:30 Vermeer Centrum. Voldersgracht 21, €15.00, about an hour. There are no original Vermeers in Delft; this is where you learn about the man and his city. If you want to walk the places connected to him afterwards, our Vermeer’s Delft post lists them.
• 15:00 Royal Delft. A 20-minute walk south along the water to Rotterdamseweg 196. €17.50, free with a Museumkaart, audio tour included, painters at work, and the factory shop. Allow 90 minutes, then walk 15 to 20 minutes back to the station.
• 17:15 Train back. You are in Amsterdam Centraal before 18:30.

If you would rather skip Royal Delft, use the afternoon for a canal boat and the Oude Delft canal, and take the tower climb at a slower pace. Museum Prinsenhof, the former convent where William of Orange was assassinated, has been closed for renovation since 5 January 2025, so leave it out of your plans this year.

Which days should you avoid?

Avoid Sunday if the churches matter to you: the Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk are used for services on Sunday and are not open to visitors. Every other paid sight is open seven days a week.

Day by day:

• Sunday. Churches closed to visitors. Royal Delft, the Vermeer Centrum and the shops are open. Quiet and pleasant, but you lose the tower view.
• Monday. All three main sights open. No market.
• Thursday. The general market fills the Markt and the Brabantse Turfmarkt, with a flower market alongside it. The square is lively and the photos of the Nieuwe Kerk across an empty square are not possible. Good day if you like markets, bad day if you came for the square itself.
• Saturday, April to October. The antiques, curiosa and book market runs along the canals around the Oude Kerk. Busy and worth it. There is also a general market on the Brabantse Turfmarkt and Burgwal every Saturday.
• Public holidays. Royal Delft closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January; check the churches and the Vermeer Centrum individually around Christmas and King’s Day.

Market days are set by the municipality of Delft.

Can you leave luggage at Delft station?

Yes. Delft station has NS luggage lockers, priced at €6 for a small locker and €8 for a large one per 24 hours, paid at the screen next to the lockers. You can rent one for up to three days.

Delft is on the NS list of stations with lockers, and it is one of the smaller stations, so the lower nationwide tariff applies rather than the €10 and €16 charged in Amsterdam Centraal. Details are on the NS luggage page. This makes Delft a workable stop between an Amsterdam hotel and a Rotterdam or The Hague hotel, or on the way to Schiphol.

Is Delft worth a day trip from Amsterdam?

Yes, if you want a compact historic town with a strong story (William of Orange, Vermeer, Delft Blue) and you are happy with an hour on the train each way. If you want the shortest possible train ride, Haarlem wins; if you want a bigger old town with more museums, Leiden is the stronger choice.

The honest comparison:

• Delft. About an hour from Amsterdam. The most photogenic square of the three, the royal tombs, Royal Delft as a genuine factory visit. Small: you will have seen the centre by mid-afternoon, which is fine for a day trip and too little for two days.
• Haarlem. Much closer to Amsterdam: NS lists the fare from €5.50 against €17.30 to Delft, and the ride is a fraction of the time. Bigger than Delft, a fine main square and the Frans Hals Museum, and easy to pair with the beach at Zandvoort. Less of a single story than Delft.
• Leiden. Roughly halfway to Delft on the same line. The largest old town of the three, the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and the Hortus, and Rembrandt’s birthplace. More to do, less concentrated.

If you have only one day out of Amsterdam and you want the strongest single experience, choose Delft. If you have two, do Delft and Leiden on separate days, or combine Delft with The Hague for the Mauritshuis. For Delft’s own sights in more depth, and to decide whether Royal Delft earns its place in your day, see our post on the Royal Delft factory tour.

What if it rains?

Delft is a good wet-weather day trip because the three paid sights are all indoors and within a short walk of each other, and the fourth is 20 minutes away by bus or canal boat.

A rain order: Vermeer Centrum first (opens 10:00), then the Nieuwe Kerk across the square, then lunch, then the Oude Kerk, then bus or the Delft City Shuttle to Royal Delft rather than the walk. Skip the tower in heavy rain; the stairs are fine, the view is not. If the forecast is hopeless, The Hague is 12 minutes further and the Mauritshuis is fully indoors.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the train from Amsterdam to Delft?

About an hour on a direct Intercity from Amsterdam Centraal, stopping at Leiden and The Hague on the way. Add ten minutes on foot from Delft station to the Markt. Always check the NS journey planner on the day, as weekend engineering work occasionally adds a change or a bus section.

Do I need to book train tickets to Delft in advance?

No. Dutch domestic trains have no reservations and no early-booking discounts. Tap in with a contactless bank card or phone at the gate, or buy an e-ticket in the NS app on the day. The price is the same whenever you buy, and the from-price NS lists for the route is €17.30 one way.

Can I use my credit card on Dutch trains?

Yes. Any contactless debit or credit card, or a phone with a card loaded, works at the gates. Tap in at Amsterdam Centraal, tap out at Delft with the same card, and the fare is charged the next day. You travel second class this way; for first class buy an e-ticket instead.

Is one day enough for Delft?

Yes. Delft’s old town is compact, and a day covers the two churches, the Vermeer Centrum, a canal walk and Royal Delft without rushing. Two days would only make sense if you plan to add The Hague or Rotterdam, both about 12 minutes away by train, using Delft as a quiet base.

Is Delft open on Sundays?

Mostly. Royal Delft, the Vermeer Centrum, the shops and the cafes are open on Sunday. The Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk are used for services and closed to sightseers, so if the tower or William of Orange’s tomb is a priority, come on another day.

Which is better for a day trip, Delft or Haarlem?

Haarlem is much closer to Amsterdam (NS lists the fare from €5.50 against €17.30 to Delft) and bigger. Delft has the stronger story and the more distinctive sights: the royal tombs, Vermeer, and a working Delft Blue factory. Pick Haarlem for convenience and a museum afternoon; pick Delft if you want somewhere that feels clearly different from Amsterdam.

Can I combine Delft with The Hague in one day?

Yes, and it is one of the best pairings in the Netherlands. The two are 12 minutes apart by train. Do the Mauritshuis and the Binnenhof in The Hague in the morning, then Delft in the afternoon, or the reverse. From Amsterdam it is a long day, so start early.

See Delft with a local guide

If you would like the day to make sense without planning it yourself, our private walking tour of Delft takes two hours, costs from €160 per group and starts at a time that suits your train. For a self-paced alternative, the Delft audio tour guides you through the old town from your phone.