Tips for Zaandam mini-bus and coach tourism

Useful tips for Zaandam bus groups with ‘what to see’ and ‘what to do’ items and  ‘bus- friendly’ or must see tourist sites in Zaandam. Check our list of attractions before planning your bus tour with a stop or departure in Zaandam. Let us know if your favourite attraction or ‘bus-stop’ is not there and you think we should add it to our list of Zaandam highlights.

What to see and visit during your tour in Zaandam with a rented bus with driver

Would you see what Zaandam has to offer, step into the bus and be surprised by the following highlights:

The Zaanse Schans

"De Zaanse Schans" is a beautiful place on the waterfront in the North of Zaandam. It is a place where unique wooden buildings including many mills. Since 1961, various wooden buildings are placed at the Zaanse Schans which is a beautiful picture of the wooden houses, mills and others buildings of the past. Yearly attracts the "Zaanse Schans" about 900,000 visitors. There are several shops and a museum built where you can find everything about the area. In the stores you can buy great souvenirs, but also clogs, jewelry and antiques. There are also on the "Zaanse Schans" many craft demonstrations where you can see how people made products like, clogs, cheese and chocolate. The "Zaans museum" shows cultural and historical area products, and in addition, there are stories about the people there, who they live and work. The "Zaanse Schans" itself is freely accessible and the museum costs €9,00 per person for adults and €5,00 per person for children from 4 to 17 years. There are still some other museums can be found in the area; so is there a clock museum and a "Albert Heijn" museum. For groups there are different packages. There is an arrangement where you go with a guide through the "Zaanse Schans" and visits one of the mills. Of course the "Zaanse Schans" is also for groups freely accessible so if you want to walk around freely you can do this too.

Zaanse Schans, Zaandam

Windmills on the Zaan River, Netherlands credit: Bogdan Migulski CC BY 2.0

Police museum

The police museum is according to their website for more than 30 years the most comprehensive museum on the history of the Dutch police. The museum is located on the West side in Zaandam. The museum shows everything about the Dutch police, of the emergence of the police until now. It has a large collection of uniforms, photos and stories about history. The museum was started over 30 years ago by Mr. Theo Kalf. The museum is open only a few days in the month, every first and third Sunday of the month from 12: 00 to 16: 00. It is closed during the months of July and August. A visit costs €2.50 per person for adults, and €1.50 per person for children. For groups from 10 persons it costs €50,00 and €5,- per extra person.

Museum Shop "Albert Heijn"

Zaanstad is the place where it all started, ever here, Mr. Albert Heijn born and started his first grocery/convenience store. Nowadays almost in any town or city you can find an Albert Heijn. In the Zaanse Schans in Zaandam is a museum store opened on the first "Albert Heijn” of the Netherlands. In 1987, Mr. Albert Heijn started this shop after he had taken over the grocery store of his parents. In the museum shop is the original design of the shop retained. Admission is free and the museum is open from Monday to Sunday from 10:30 to 16:00.

Albert Heijn in Zaandam

Albert Hein Zaandam credit: Alix Guillard CC BY-SA 2.0

Shopping

The centre of Zaandam is refurbished the last years, by means of the project "INVERDAN" the shopping center is completely renewed with great new shops. Zaandam has about 125 stores including stores like the Men At Work, the H&M, the WE, the Xenos and many others. The Mall is located near the station and the water Zaan.
Good food and specialties in Zaandam.
A regional dish from Zaandam is the "Jan in the bag", also called "brother". It is a dish that is traditionally made in a pillowcase or a linen bag. It is made with flour, milk, raisins and eggs. It is a kind of sandwich that is served with butter and syrup.

Network of Brands

Network of Brands credit: Randolph Croft CC BY 2.0

Restaurants in Zaandam:

"AZISA"

AZISA is a restaurant made up of Japanese, Chinese and Thai culture. In the restaurant you can eat à la carte for 22.50 euros per person. The restaurant is sleek and spacious and according to their website there is a pleasant Asian atmosphere. You can here several small dishes such as sushi, King prawns, vegetable skewers, spareribs, and so on. The restaurant is located at the Dam in the centre of Zaandam. "AZISA" is open every day from 17:00 to 23:00.

"Aan tafel"

"Aan tafel” is a restaurant that is open since 2012 at the Dam in the centre of Zaandam. The restaurant says on the website that they have a friendly service and an enthusiastic kitchen brigade to to provide you with the best possible care. It is possible to have dinner here with groups as prior reservation. A 3-course meal, consisting of a starter, main course and dessert, costs average of about €30. The menu offers various meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, and outside the menu there are often also week dishes or month dishes listed on the chalk board. At the restaurant "Aan tafel", it is also possible to make a reservation for events or meetings. 

Aan tafel

Transport options to and from Zaandam

The city Zaandam is situated in the province of North Holland, North of Amsterdam. The city is in 1981 caused by merging the villages: Oostzaandam and Westzaandam. Zaandam is known for its historic buildings and mills. The city has about 75,000 inhabitants and is part of the municipality of Zaanstad.

Zaandam Zaanse groene huisjes hotel Inntel

Zaandam Zaanse groene huisjes hotel Inntel credit: David van der Mark CC BY-SA 2.0

Transfers to and from the airport in Zaandam

Zaandam is approximately 25 km away from the airport Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). There are 15 companies who will transport you from the airport to Zaandam and back. One of these companies is "Taxi Company Calf Zaandam" located at Zwartemeer in the North of Zaandam. According to their website it is possible to to pay with your debit or credit card, which according to them is very special in the Zaanstad region. The company has a fixed rate for transportation of Zaandam to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol; the amount for up to 4 people is € 42.50 and for up to 7 people, this amounts to €62.50
Another company that regulates the airport transport in Zaanstad region is "Avista Taxi Service". This company drives you around in a luxury Audi A8 or a Mercedes Benz E class. For €40,- the driver transfers you from Zaandam to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The company is located in the South of Zaandam at the Linnaeusstraat.
Another company is called "Taxi Merchant", located at the Zuidervaart in Zaandam. The company claims on their Web site that they are one of the cheapest taxi companies in the province of North Holland. The company will take you for about €37,- from Zaandam to the airport with up to 4 people

Tours of Zaandam

When you are going to make a tour in Zaandam with a car or a bus it is always nice to stop at the "Zaanse Schans"; a neighborhood in Zaandam where you can find many mills and old buildings. In addition, other places that definitely worth Zaandam to visit are many old churches, the Baptist orphanage, several museums and several parks.

Walking tour of the city

In Zaandam is it possible to make a tour by bike, so does "Bicycle file free" made several bicycle routes. One of these routes is a bike ride from Zaandam to Amsterdam about 10 kilometers where you will cycle through the centre of Zaandam. You will be brought to Amsterdam by ferry from Zaandam, after which you can cycle to the centre of Amsterdam.

It is also possible to go on a walking trip in Zaandam. Thus, the NS for example marked a nice route from about 13 kilometers. During this route you see the "Zaanse Schans" and the nature reserve "Hunters plas". In addition, you will see the old fashioned green wooden cottages in Bartelsluis.

Zaandam

Zaandam credit: Paul Rysz CC BY 2.0

Night Life

In Zaandam are several entertainment venues to spend the night. One of these entertainment venues is "Las Vegas" located at the Klaas Kanstraat, right in the centre of the city. The pub has a bit of the atmosphere from the 50 "s with an American-dinner appearance. There are also regular themed parties. Another pub in Zaandam is "The Mail Company" located on the Dam in the centre of Zaandam. "The Mail Company" is a restaurant during the day and in the evening it is converted into a party café. They are open on Friday and Saturday and say on their website that they have the best DJ’s and equipment’s.

Cafe central

Cafe central. credit: Randolph Croft CC BY 2.0
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More about Zaandam

Would you like to organize a bus tour to see all these beautiful highlights? Request quotes and compare the different bus and coach hire companies:

Bus tours in Zaandam
Coach hire in Zaandam