The world-famous Kinderdijk site is a must-see for anyone visiting Rotterdam. Home to two canals and 19 windmills, this remarkable complex of waterways, historic buildings and swaying reedbeds is one of the most photographed places anywhere in the Netherlands.
We visited Kinderdijk on a warm, humid summer evening and were instantly captivated. It is every bit as beautiful in reality as it appears in pictures. And the best thing? Kinderdijk is easily accessible from Rotterdam by public transport.
Whether you want to travel overland via the metro and bus or set sail on the waterbus, visiting Kinderdijk from Rotterdam is a breeze. Here is our guide to visiting Kinderdijk from Rotterdam by public transport.
Kinderdijk: a short summary
Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most famous collections of windmills in the world.
The site’s story starts in medieval times when villagers were struggling to drain the excess water from the polders – low-lying land protected by a series of dykes. The problem worsened over the years until, in the 18th century, the Kinderdijk windmills were built to help pumper water away from the polders and into nearby rivers and reservoirs.
Today, the windmills are maintained in full working order – just in case they are needed again. Remarkably, most of the windmills at Kinderdijk are still inhabited by local families, some of whom have a connection with the site that stretches back centuries. It is worth keeping this fact in mind as you wander around Kinderdijk – this is not just an open-air museum, but it is also someone’s home.
Exploring Kinderdijk: the key facts
Free to enter: It is completely free to walk around the canals and paths at Kinderdijk – you do not have to pay a thing. However, there are two small museums and the pumping station that charge an entrance fee. These are open from 9am to 5.30pm. Off-peak tickets cost €16.00 for an adult, which includes a boat trip along the canal to view the windmills up close.
How long do you need: We recommend spending 2-3 hours at Kinderdijk. This gives plenty of time to explore the different collections of windmills without feeling too rushed. For context, we arrived by bus at 6.45pm and left at 9pm on the bus.
Kinderdijk was the highlight of our time in Rotterdam and is absolutely worth a visit, even if you are travelling from Amsterdam or further afield. For the best experience, we recommend timing your Kinderdijk visit to avoid the crowds – early morning or evening is best.
Why we wanted to visit Kinderdijk (and why you should too!)
We were staying in Rotterdam for two nights after attending a wedding on the nearby island of Voorne-Putten. It was our first time staying in South Holland, and we knew there was plenty to explore.
We came up with a route that would allow us to visit some of South Holland’s most popular cities by train from Rotterdam. It all sounded very exciting – the perfect way to get a taste of this popular Dutch region.
The moment we saw photos of Kinderdijk, we knew we had to add it to our itinerary. We immediately started researching how to get to the famous windmills of Kinderdijk from Rotterdam. Here’s why we were so desperate to visit:
- Picture perfect: The Kinderdijk windmills look like they’ve been peeled straight out of the pages of a fairytale.
- Free to visit: Whilst you can pay to visit the on-site museums, it is completely free to walk along the canals and enjoy the views of the windmills at Kinderdijk.
- Steeped in history: The Kinderdijk windmills played a crucial role in shaping the surrounding landscape. We wanted to see it for ourselves.
To our delight, we discovered that these famous, UNESCO-listed windmills were easily accessible by metro and bus from Rotterdam. This meant it would be easy to add an evening stop at Kinderdijk onto our big day of city hopping.
How to get from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk by public transport
There are two ways to reach Kinderdijk from Rotterdam by public transport.
Firstly, you can catch the metro and bus – a journey of around one hour that meanders through the quiet towns and villages on the outskirts of Rotterdam before dropping you off just outside the entrance to Kinderdijk.
The second method is probably the most popular – you can catch the waterbus from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk. Unsurprisingly, this option is very popular among tourists, particularly during the busy summer season.
Travelling from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk by metro and bus
To reach Kinderdijk from Rotterdam by metro and bus, you will need to travel east out of the city. You will start your journey on the metro – either the tram or the subway. Then, you will complete your trip to Kinderdijk by bus. Here’s how to do it:
Kinderdijk from Rotterdam by metro and bus: quick facts and summary
- Distance: Kinderdijk is just 11km from Rotterdam.
- Bus route: The 489 bus from Kralingse Zoom to Nieuw-Lekkerland stops right outside the entrance to Kinderdijk. We found it very easy to keep an eye out for the bus stop.
- Journey time: The bus takes 48 minutes to travel from Kralingse Zoom to Kinderdijk. On both legs of our journey, the bus was on time.
- Ticket cost: A day ticket on Rotterdam’s RET network costs €9.50. This will cover your journeys to and from Kinderdijk and any other travel you do in Rotterdam on the day.
Here is a quick summary of our recommended route:
- Catch metro lines A, B or C to Kralingse Zoom. This is a 10-minute journey from central Rotterdam.
- Catch the 489 bus from Kralingse Zoom (Stand D) to Kinderdijk, Molenkade bus stop. The bus takes just under 50 minutes.
- Walk 30 seconds down the ramp, and you have entered the world-famous Kinderdijk site. Enjoy!
The details: which bus to catch from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk
In our experience, the best bus to catch to Kinderdijk is the 489. This is what we did during our visit, and it could not have been easier.
How to get from central Rotterdam to Kralingse Zoom
We were staying in central Rotterdam at the budget-friendly Social Hub. From the hotel, we caught the metro from Oostplein to Kralingse Zoom, which took just over 5 minutes. With three metro lines – A, B and C – to choose from, the next service will only ever be a few minutes away.
From Kralingse Zoom to Kinderdijk
The bus to Kinderdijk begins its journey at Kralingse Zoom, a busy metro station near the Erasmus University campus.
When we stepped off the metro, we took the short journey down the stairs from the platform and into the atrium. We spotted a sign for the buses and walked out through the double doors. The bus stops were right in front of us – all part of the same station complex.
The 489 bus from Kralingse Zoom to Kinderdijk leaves from stand D. The final destination is the town of Nieuw-Lekkerland – keep an eye out for it on the front of the bus.
When we arrived, we had ten minutes to wait until the next departure. There was a small group of passengers waiting at stand D, so we wandered over to join them.
Before long, one of the buses parked on a quiet corner of the bus station spluttered into life and rolled our way. This was it – we were on our way to Kinderdijk.
The journey was pleasant if unspectacular. We crossed over the vast river before hitting some post-match traffic after the day’s Feyenoord match. Despite the jams, it didn’t take long before we made up time and were back on track.
We passed through the small towns of Ridderkerk and Alblasserdam before starting to strain our eyes to see if we could spot the windmills in the distance on our right. After catching a couple of glimpses, the bus swung around a corner and we spotted our stop – right next to the small on-site car park. We had arrived.
Alternatives to catching the bus from Kralingse Zoom
There are a couple of alternatives to catching the bus to Kinderdijk from Kralingse Zoom.
- Take the 23 tram to Rotterdam Beverwaard before boarding the 489 bus when it goes past. From central Rotterdam, this is a slightly longer route. However, it may suit you if you are already in the southeast of the city near Feijenoord or Reyerroord.
- Take metro lines A, B or C to Capelsebrug metro station before boarding the 194 bus to Krimpen. Note that, when you reach Krimpen, you will need to catch the short ferry across the river from Krimpen to Kinderdijk. The ferry runs from 6am to midnight. A ticket costs €0.80 for a single trip for a foot passenger.
How to buy tickets for the metro and bus to Kinderdijk
If, like us, you are doing lots of travelling around Rotterdam, we think the best option for buying a ticket is to purchase a day pass for Rotterdam’s RET network.
The day ticket costs €9.50. This will cover your journeys to and from Kinderdijk and any other travel you do in the Rotterdam region on the day.
You can buy your RET day ticket from:
- Ticket machines at metro stations.
- The RET app – recommended!
- RET service points and ticket offices around the city.
Note: If you choose the route that involves the 194 bus and the ferry from Krimpen, you will need to pay for the ferry separately.
Alternatives to the RET day ticket
If the day ticket doesn’t seem quite right for you, there are some alternatives:
- You can simply tap in and out on the metro, tram and bus using your contactless bank card. This works in the same way as the London Underground and is a very easy way to travel around. For the latest rates, click here.
- A 2-hour ticket for the RET network costs €4.50. However, we don’t recommend this option as you will certainly have to buy two of these tickets to cover your outbound and return journeys.
- A tourist day ticket, which covers the Rotterdam and The Hague region, costs €15.50. If you plan to do lots of travel beyond Kinderdijk on the same day, with think this represents excellent value. It even gets you on the waterbus. You can buy the tourist day ticket from ticket machines and offices across the region.
Travelling from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk by waterbus
For tourists, the most popular way to travel by public transport to Kinderdijk is via waterbus. From central Rotterdam, the journey takes 40 minutes, with services departing from 08:20 in the morning to 16:40 in the afternoon.
Note that the last return journey from Kinderdijk to Rotterdam departs at 17:30. If you want to visit the windmills later in the evening, you will need to catch the normal bus.
Kinderdijk from Rotterdam by waterbus: quick facts and summary
- Journey time: The journey from the Erasmasbrug stop in central Rotterdam to Kinderdijk takes 40 minutes by waterbus.
- The route: The waterbus route takes you through Rotterdam’s built-up east, sailing along the Nieuwe Maas before leaving the city behind. You will pass fields, factories and small towns before eventually disembarking at the Kinderdijk Molenkade stop.
- Ticket cost: A day ticket for the waterbus costs €15.50. If you don’t need a day ticket, a return ticket from Erasmusbrug to Kinderdijk costs €9.60.
- Timetable: The waterbus runs from Erasmusbrug to Kinderdijk every day of the week. You can check the latest timetable here.
How to buy tickets for the waterbus from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk
There are three easy ways to buy your ticket for the waterbus from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk:
- Like with the metro and bus, you can tap in and out on the waterbus using your contactless card.
- Alternatively, you can buy your tickets on board from the crew.
- Finally, you can buy your tickets for the waterbus online in advance.
If you choose to buy the Tourist Day Ticket, this is also valid for the waterbus to Kinderdijk.
For many, a trip on the waterbus to Kinderdijk is a highlight of their trip to Rotterdam. However, to catch the windmills at sunset, we still recommend checking out the normal bus, which runs much later into the evening.
Alternatives to public transport for your journey from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk
Whether you choose to catch the road bus or the waterbus, we highly recommend using public transport to visit Kinderdijk from Rotterdam. The services are quick, clean and frequent. Buying tickets is a breeze, whilst the different combinations of day tickets mean you can certainly get your money’s worth.
However, if you would rather visit Kinderdijk under your own steam, here’s a quick summary of your options:
- Cycle: It takes just over an hour to cycle from Rotterdam’s central station to Kinderdijk. There are two main routes, each roughly 16 kilometres long. Both routes involve a ferry. The first cycle route takes you along the northern banks of the Nieuwe Maas before you board the ferry at Krimpen. The second route sees you cross onto the southern shores of the Nieuwe Maas before hopping on a ferry at Ridderkerk. When you arrive at Kinderdijk, cycling is a wonderful way to explore.
- Car: Not many people choose to drive to Kinderdijk. It can take between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on traffic. When you arrive at Kinderdijk, parking spaces are very limited. With such a great public transport network on offer, we highly recommend leaving the car at home.