Amsterdam has a never ending selection of things to do and see, no matter what time of the year you’re visiting. While most of the rewarding experiences are found when you step out of the well-trodden tourist paths of the city centre, there are many unmissable experiences within the city limits as well. Ticking all of these from your list might burn a small hole in your pocket, but not if you grab the Holland Pass. The Amsterdam Holland Pass or simply the Holland Pass, is a boon of a pass that gifts you free admission and discounts for over 100 museum and tourist attractions in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Leiden and Utrecht. Those looking to discover the best of Netherlander culture, cuisine and history; look no further than the all-in-one Holland Pass.
What is the Holland Pass?
In simple terms, the Holland Pass is a travel discount card that provides either free or discounted access to 100 odd tourist activities in cities 5 throughout Netherlands - Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Leiden and Utrecht.
Unlike most other city passes, the Holland Pass includes all the major museums and attractions and not just the smaller ones . So, revel in the beauty of the Rijksmuseum, appreciate art for hours at the Van Gogh Museum, click away with your favorite stars at Madame Tussauds and discover the world of Heineken at the Heineken Experience. These are 1% of the choices you have and just in Amsterdam! There’s so much to do you might just want to extend your stay in Netherlands.
Holland Pass Packages
There are 3 versions of the Holland Pass. You can choose either depending on your itinerary and budget.
- Small Package (1 Gold + 1 Silver) - €45
- Medium Package (2 Gold + 2 Silver) - €60
- Large Package (3 Gold + 3 Silver) - €80
Holland Pass Inclusions
- Admission tickets to more than 100 museums and attractions around Amsterdam
- Skip the line entry to museums and attractions
- Comprehensive guide book, full of useful information about the museums and attractions
Validity of Holland Pass
This pass is valid for 1 month after first use.
Who Should Buy The Holland Pass?
The Holland Pass works best for tourists who are traveling through a number of Dutch cities and are interested in covering a good mix of attractions and museums, but don't plan on intensive museum-hopping.
Holland Pass Attractions & Packages
A typical Holland Pass is broken into three parts: gold and silver tickets, a discount card and a printed guidebook.
Highlights of the Gold Attractions
- Rijksmuseum (fast track entry)
- Van Gogh Museum (fast track entry)
- Madame Tussauds (fast track entry)
- Keukenhof Gardens (fast track entry)
- Heineken Experience (fast track entry)
- The Amsterdam Dungeon
- Artis Royal Zoo (fast track entry)
- Body Worlds (fast track entry)
- Stedelijk Museum
- Hop-on, Hop-off Bus and Boat
Highlights of the Silver Attractions
- Canal Cruise 1-hour
- National Maritime Museum
- House of Bols Cocktail & Genever Experience
- The Rembrandt House Museum
- Amsterdam Museum
- Museum of the Canals
- Jewish Cultural Quarter
- Castle Muiderslot (Muiden)
- Diamond Museum
- Cheese Tasting – Henri Willig
What convenience factors does the Holland Pass bring?
The joy of exploring a new city is often killed by the stress involved in planning and figuring out ways to save money. Thankfully, passes like the Holland Pass help save a lot of money and effort by bundling deals and offers into one single pass. Not to forget the added advantage of fast track entry which saves a whole lot of time, especially during peak tourist season.
Savings Galore!
The Holland Pass was crafted keeping in mind the budget travellers and backpackers that comprise a majority of the traveler population in Europe. It doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket and and saves you a lot of money. You can save up to 45% on tickets, so if you’re planning a trip on a budget, make sure to grab this pass.
Additional Discount card
If you are all out of golden and silver tickets and you still want to visit more attractions and museums, you can use the Discount Card that comes with the Holland Pass which gives you 20-50% discounts on tickets and experiences
Skip the Line & Swoosh Past Lines
Would you rather spend your precious few hours standing in queues or exploring the city? The Holland Pass allows you to do the latter with great efficiency. You get to skip the line at some of the top attractions in Amsterdam like The Rijksmuseum, Keukenhof Gardens , Van Gogh Museum, Artis Royal Zoo and Madame Tussauds. If you're in Amsterdam for a short while, the Pass comes extremely handy as you can cover more ground by skipping the long queues.
Complimentary Guidebook
Who doesn’t look a free travel guide!? The Holland Pass gives you a free Netherlands travel guide with bucket loads of information on the museums, attractions, maps and tours covered with the pass and other travel tips as well.
Holland Pass Vs I Amsterdam Card
With a variety of Amsterdam city passes to choose from it can be challenging to pick up the right one that fits in your requirements. Here's a quick comparison between two of the most popular passes in Amsterdam - The Holland Pass vs I Amsterdam City Card.
 |  | |
Holland Pass | I Amsterdam Card | |
| Summary | The Holland Pass allows free entry to 2 to 6 museums/attractions along with a discount card that gives 20-50% off on gate price. It also includes a 1-hour canal cruise in the city of your choice and a handy guidebook packed with tips & information. | The I Amsterdam Card gives unlimited access to almost 44 museums in Amsterdam and free use of public transport for 1, 2, 3,4 or 5 days. The card’s transport and museum element are activated separately as and when first used. It comes with a city guide & magazine listing things to do in the city along with a free canal cruise as well. |
| Price | The Holland Pass is available in 3 ‘sizes’. | The I Amsterdam Pass comes in 5 variants. |
| Validity | Valid for 1 month after first use. | Activated on first use for selected period of time |
| What's Good? | The Holland Pass covers the top museums and attractions in most cities and throws in a few discounted tours, free canal cruises and a guide book ; all of which are almost always useful. The Holland Pass is not needed for kids, hence your child can accompany you free of cost (most museums and attractions in Amsterdam allow free child entry). | The I Amsterdam Card gives free admission to almost all museums in Amsterdam. If you're a museum buff, you can cover as many museums as possible in a short period of time. The transportation card is handy as well if you're planning to move around the city. |
| What’s not so good? | Since the packages come in only 3 sizes, you have to decide prior to buying the pass what all you intend to cover. You must also choose a mix of Gold and Silver attractions as per the package demands, all of which is a lot of planning and makes your plan somewhat rigid. | Though a vast number of museums are covered, it is not humanly possible to cover them all unless you purchase the 5 day pass ( even then it's hard! ). Just to get your money's worth, you'll rush through museums and the joy of it might be lost in between the hustle. Moreover, There is no special price for children so if you're traveling with a child you're paying full price for something the child probably won't even enjoy! |
How & Where To Purchase The Holland Pass?
The Holland Pass can be purchased both online and offline from GWK Travelex stores or at certain hotels in Amsterdam. However, even if you purchase it online, you must exchange it for a physical pass at any of the locations below (except at the museums/attractions with fast track entry) for a physical pass. Once you have the physical pass in your hand, it is activated and valid for a month henceforth. It's best advised to purchase your Holland Pass online as you can score a few discounts and have your pass ready before landing in the city.
Holland Pass has different pick-up locations throughout Amsterdam and surroundings. This means there is always one near the location you’re staying. The best part about these physical pick-up locations is the personal contact with local staff who double as city experts. You can ask your questions, and if something doesn’t work, you can always go back to the pick-up location and ask for help.
Holland Pass Pick Up Locations
- Planes@Plaza -Schiphol Airport (Daily: 07:00 – 22:00)
- GWK Eindhoven Airport (Mon-Fri: 07:00 – 19:30, Sat: 09:00 – 17:00, Sun: 10:00 – 17:00)
- GWK The Hague Central Station (Mon-Fri: 08:00 – 20:00, Sat: 09:00 – 18:00, Sun: 10:00 – 17:00)
- GWK Leiden Central Station (Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri: 08:00 - 19:00, Thu: 08:00 – 20:00, Sat-Sun: 10:00 - 17:00)
- GWK Rotterdam Central Station (Mon-Sat: 08:00 – 22:00, Sun: 09:00 - 22:00)
- GWK Utrecht Central Station (Mon-Fri: 08:00 – 20:00,Sat: 09:00 – 19:00, Sun: 10:00 – 17:00)
- Tours & Tickets Damrak 26 (Daily: 08.00 - 22.00)
Handy tips for using the Holland Pass
If you're planning to buy the Holland Pass, here and few quick hacks and tips that will help you make the most of your pass.
- Most museums and attractions in Amsterdam are free for kids between the age 0-18. If you're traveling with a child, read up on whether the sites you plan to visit allow free entry for kids. That way, you can avoid buying a pass for them.
- If you plan on using the train during your stay, make sure you purchase your train ticket with your Holland Pass for exclusive savings. You can book your train tickets here and show a printed copy at the station with a valid ID proof.
- Most people don't know this, but the Holland Pass comes with a free transportation card that can be used for either of the 3 options below :
- A 1.5-hour Amsterdam city tour
- 24 hours of free public transportation in Rotterdam or The Hague
- A free bike rental in Utrecht
- To make the best of your Holland Pass, make sure you plan your itinerary beforehand to make sure that the passes covers all the attractions on your list.
- While there is no reservation required for most museums and attractions, it is necessary to book in advance for the Van Gogh Museum, Heineken Experience and Amsterdam Icebar. You can make this reservation at any of the Holland Pass pick up centres or online.
- Transport to the Keukenhof Tulip Garden is not included in the Holland Pass.
Holland Pass FAQS
Can the Holland Pass be used by people or just the holder of the card?
Can I use the Holland Pass only in one city or in combination with other cities in Netherlands?
Can I change the date and location of pick-up?
Can I purchase more than one Holland Pass under the same name?
Can I buy the Holland Pass and Train Ticket separately, or do they have to be purchased together?
Holland Pass Reviews
Read through list of attractions you can use it on before buying. Excellent value if you want to use all gold and silver tickets on things you want to see.
Jeanie, Tripadvisor 2018
Overall, a very useful pass. The only drawback was the time it took to wait in the queue at Skiphol Airport at the Travel desk (20 mins)as we had a taxi waiting for us over the road at the Hilton Hotel, so this made me very tense. The pass was useful for the first 24hrs on the tram and, as we had a pass for 2 venues, we used it for the Rjiksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. We also got 10% off the entry into the Oudekerke, oldest church in Amsterdam. The best thing was we could go in the fast queues at the Art Galleries.
Tom Anthony, Tripadvisor 2018
Ready to Grab your Holland Pass?
While you're at it, check out the top Amsterdam Attraction and tours and plan your trip better.
