Harbours in Amsterdam: Getting there, harbour information and sailing destinations on the IJ

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Amsterdam is located on the IJ, the wide waterway between Markermeer and the North Sea Canal, and on its northern shore lie two harbours for visiting yachts. Here you can read how to get to the harbours in Amsterdam for the start of your trip, which harbour is where, where to park and shop, what the sailing weather is like around Amsterdam, which sailing destinations lie on the Markermeer and along the North Sea coast, and what skippers should know when mooring and passing through the locks.

Which harbours are there in Amsterdam?

Visiting yachts moor in Amsterdam at two locations: in the Sixhaven on the northern shore of the IJ, directly opposite Amsterdam Centraal station, and in the Amsterdam Marina, nearly three kilometres further west on the northern shore on the site of the former NDSM shipyard. Both harbours lie on the same shore of the IJ, but are separate facilities with their own entrances.

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Feature	Sixhaven	Amsterdam Marina
Location	Northern shore of the IJ, opposite the central station	Northern shore of the IJ, NDSM shipyard site in the west
Type	Yacht club harbour with visitor berths	Marina with annual and visitor berths
Berths	Visiting boats up to 15 m, longer by arrangement	350 berths for boats from 7 to 30 m
Advance booking	not possible	recommended
Mooring fee per metre per night	€2.85 (2025 rate)	3 €
Route to the central station	Ferry across the IJ, a few minutes	NDSM ferry, 14 minutes

Information as of November 2026.

Arriving for your trip start in Amsterdam

You arrive at Schiphol Airport or Amsterdam Centraal station by plane or train. Both harbours lie on the other side of the IJ, so you take the ferry, bus or taxi for the final stretch.

From Schiphol Airport to the harbours

Schiphol lies south-west of the city, about twelve kilometres as the crow flies from the central station. As things stand (November 2026), eight Sprinter trains per hour run daily between the airport station and Amsterdam Centraal, and the journey takes 17 minutes.

At the central station, go to the back, towards the water. This is where the ferries of the municipal transport company depart, taking pedestrians and cyclists across the IJ free of charge. For Sixhaven, take the ferry to Buiksloterweg. It runs round the clock, and during the day you rarely wait longer than a few minutes. From the landing stage it is about a five-minute walk to the harbour. For Amsterdam Marina, take the ferry to the NDSM-Werft: it takes 14 minutes and runs twice an hour, four times during rush hour. From the landing stage it is about a five-minute walk to the marina. Alternatively, bus lines 35, 38, 391 and 394 run from the central station to the NDSM-Werft, and from the stop it is about a six-minute walk. If you have a lot of luggage, a taxi will take you from the airport straight to the harbour.

By car, train or ferry

By car, you reach Amsterdam via the A10 ring road. For Amsterdam Marina, take exit S118 Tuindorp Oostzaan and drive as far as the IJ. By train, you arrive at Amsterdam Centraal, and from there you continue by ferry. From Great Britain there is a ferry connection from Newcastle to IJmuiden at the mouth of the North Sea Canal. As things stand (November 2026), it sails overnight every day, and the crossing takes about 16 hours and 45 minutes.

Sixhaven or Amsterdam Marina?

The two harbours are on the same bank but almost three kilometres apart, and each has its own ferry from the central station. So tell your taxi driver “Sixhaven, Sixhavenweg” or “Amsterdam Marina, Werfkade”. If you board the wrong ferry, you will end up at the wrong end of the north bank. On the south bank, west of the central station, there is also the City Marina IJdock.

Parking

The Sixhaven site has no parking for guests; you park on-street in the surrounding area for a fee. Around Amsterdam Marina there is on-street parking, for example in the commercial area on Strekkerweg, around 700 metres from the marina. Parking in Amsterdam is expensive; the P+R sites on the edge of the city are cheaper. From there you continue by bus, train or metro.

Arrived early: city centre

If your flight lands long before the meeting on board, the city centre is right in front of you: from the central station to the Dam, the central square of the old town, it is a good 800 metres as the crow flies. The ferry to Sixhaven runs round the clock, and the ferry to Amsterdam Marina runs twice an hour, four times during rush hour. Around the NDSM-Werft there are several cafés and restaurants on the waterfront.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Both harbours have showers and sanitary facilities. Sixhaven has its own sanitary pavilion with washing-up area, washing machines and dryers; access is included in the harbour dues. Amsterdam Marina also has washing machines and dryers, as well as accessible sanitary facilities.

Shopping for the trip

On the harbour side of the IJ, the Dirk van den Broek supermarket is on Meeuwenlaan, about ten minutes' walk from the Sixhaven. Behind it is the Jumbo Foodmarkt, with stalls selling fresh produce. On the south bank, the ferry to Central Station takes you to an Albert Heijn about 700 metres from the harbour, and the station itself has a small AH to go. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays there is a market on Van der Pekstraat from 10 am until about 6 pm, roughly ten minutes' walk from the harbour.

Right next to the Amsterdam Marina, on NDSM-straat, there is a HEMA with a fresh food section. As things stand (November 2026), it is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm and on Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm. A PLUS supermarket is about 1.2 kilometres away, and an Albert Heijn about 1.6 kilometres. HEMA and PLUS are closed on Sundays, while the AH to go in Central Station is open daily from 5 am to midnight. There are several restaurants at the NDSM shipyard, and one is right in the marina building.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

In the Netherlands the European emergency number applies for all emergencies on land. On the water the Kustwacht is responsible — the Dutch coastguard. They also alert the KNRM sea rescue service.

The nearest pharmacy from Sixhaven is around 550 metres away in the area around Centraal station, on the other side of the IJ. From Amsterdam Marina it's around 800 metres to the nearest BENU pharmacy. The nearest hospital is BovenIJ Ziekenhuis in Amsterdam-Noord, around 2.7 kilometres from Sixhaven and 2.4 kilometres from Amsterdam Marina.

• 112: emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service
• On the water: Kustwacht, 24 hours on VHF Channel 16 and DSC Channel 70, callsign "Den Helder Rescue"
• In an emergency, you can reach the Kustwacht by phone on 0900-0111, or from abroad on +31 88 958 4040

Where is Sixhaven?

Sixhaven lies on the north bank of the IJ in the Amsterdam-Noord district, directly opposite Centraal station, just east of the mouth of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal. The entrance lies on the east side of the harbour behind a steel breakwater. Across the water it's a good 500 metres as the crow flies to Centraal station.

The harbour belongs to the watersports club Dok en Scheepsbouw; volunteer harbour masters welcome guests and allocate berths. After the construction of the North-South metro line the harbour was completely rebuilt and now has floating pontoons with LED lighting. You cannot reserve in advance; you report to the harbour master on arrival. You pay the harbour dues on the day of arrival via a QR code on the pontoon; by e-mail you receive the receipt with the access code for the gate. The site is fenced and video-monitored.

Sixhaven facilities

The pontoons have shore power (6 amps) and drinking water, plus free Wi-Fi with no password. Electricity, water, showers and Wi-Fi are included in the harbour fee, which is €2.85 per metre per night. The washing machine costs €4 including detergent and the dryer €2.50 (as of the published 2025 tariff). In the Dokhuis, the clubhouse with a terrace overlooking the IJ, drinks and small snacks are available in season from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. Next to it are a playground and bicycle racks.

Where is Amsterdam Marina?

Amsterdam Marina lies on the north bank of the IJ in the west of the city, on the site of the former NDSM shipyard at Werfkade. It's around three kilometres as the crow flies to Centraal station, around five minutes on foot to the ferry jetty at NDSM-Werft.

The marina has 350 berths for boats from 7 to 30 metres. The floating pontoons are 2.5 metres wide and have a hardwood deck, leaving plenty of room to manoeuvre. Rafting up is not permitted; the harbour master will assign you a berth. The site is secured with an access system, monitored by CCTV and patrolled by a security service.

Amsterdam Marina facilities

Every berth has shore power at 16 amps, and every four berths share a water connection. Electricity, water, sanitary facilities and Wi-Fi are included in the berthing fee, which is €3 per metre per night (as of November 2026). There are also washing machines and dryers, a restaurant in the marina building and winter storage. The harbour office is staffed daily from 9 am to 5 pm in summer. The nearest fuel stations are on the Voorzaan in Zaandam and at the Oranjesluizen.

What is the weather like in Amsterdam for sailing?

During the winter months, the wind in the Netherlands blows most frequently from the south-west, bringing most of the rain with it. The Dutch meteorological service KNMI issues a wind warning for the IJsselmeer and Markermeer and for the coast at IJmuiden as soon as wind force 6 or greater is forecast.

On the IJ, in the Nordseekanal and on the Markermeer there are no tides. The water level of the Markermeer is controlled by the water authority Rijkswaterstaat: in summer it keeps the level slightly higher to store fresh water, from October onwards it lowers it to around 40 centimetres below NAP, the Dutch reference level. Because the Markermeer is shallow, a short, steep chop builds up within an hour in strong winds. From IJmuiden on the North Sea, however, tides and currents apply.

Where do you head from Amsterdam?

From Amsterdam there are two routes out: eastwards through the Oranjesluizen to the Markermeer and on to the IJsselmeer, westwards through the Nordseekanal and the locks at IJmuiden to the North Sea. The harbours on the Markermeer lie within easy day sails.

• Marken: around 10 nm, the former island with its wooden houses is now connected to the mainland by a causeway.
• Volendam: around 15 nm, the old fishing village lies opposite Marken on the Gouwzee.
• Hoorn: around 23 nm to the north, the old harbour town in the north-west of the Markermeer.
• Enkhuizen: around 27 nm, on the dyke between Markermeer and IJsselmeer. Through the lock there you continue into the IJsselmeer, more on this in the profile of the harbours in Enkhuizen.
• IJmuiden: around 12 nm through the Nordseekanal to the sea locks, beyond which lies the North Sea.

All distances are rounded over-water distances on the usual course; for precise planning refer to the chart. Further north, behind the Afsluitdijk, lies the Wadden Sea with the Port of Harlingen.

What can you do ashore in Amsterdam?

From the Sixhaven you can reach the city centre by ferry in a few minutes, from the Amsterdam Marina in around a quarter of an hour. A few destinations are enough for a harbour day; most lie within walking distance of the central station.

• Canal ring: The ring of canals around the old town was laid out as a harbour city at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sitesince 2010. It begins just behind the central station.
• NDSM-Werft: On the former shipyard next to the Amsterdam Marina, artists now work in around 80 studios. There is a museum for street art, restaurants by the water and once a month a large flea market in the shipyard halls.
• Market in Van der Pekstraat: The street market in Amsterdam-Noord lies near the Sixhaven and is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Ferry across the IJ: On the crossing you see the harbour front at the central station and the ship traffic on the IJ from close quarters.

For skippers: Berthing, locks and sea weather in Amsterdam

The Amsterdam Marina monitors VHF channel 31; at the Sixhaven the harbour master assigns you a berth on arrival. On the IJ and in the Nordseekanal you monitor the channels of the traffic centres if you have a radio on board.

Registration and Berthing

• Sixhaven: reservations are not possible. You report to the harbour master on arrival, and he decides on the berth. It is best to call about five minutes before you arrive, and he will then agree a berth with you directly. Boats over 15 metres can only enter by arrangement with the harbour master. Harbour master's phone: +31 6 14713801.
• Amsterdam Marina: a reservation is recommended for visitor berths, by phone on +31 20 631 0767. In high season, a call the day before is usually enough, but for events you need to reserve earlier. If you are arriving at night, reserve your berth in advance. Call up on VHF channel 31 before entering.

Harbour rules

The harbour regulations of the Sixhaven and the harbour bye-laws for the Nordseekanal area set out amongst other things (as of October 2026):

• A maximum of 13 people may travel on a sports or leisure boat in the harbour area; separate rules apply to commercial passenger vessels.
• In the Sixhaven you must leave the harbour by 12 noon on your departure day, otherwise a further day part is charged. You may not stay longer than three weeks.
• Open fires are prohibited on board and on the pontoons; barbecuing is only permitted at the locations assigned by the harbour master. Dogs must be kept on a lead, cycling on pontoons and on the premises is prohibited.
• Anyone sailing their own boat into the canals of the city centre requires a vignette from the city.

Approach via the Oranjesluizen

From the Markermeer you reach the IJ through the Oranjesluizen at Schellingwoude. The northern chamber is intended for leisure craft and is marked with a "Sport" sign; in high season the other chambers also lock leisure craft when busy. As of the current position (October 2026), leisure craft do not lock between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the last locking is at 9:45 p.m. The lock monitors VHF channel 18, the traffic centre Schellingwoude monitors channel 60. Only boats with low masts fit under the fixed sections of the Schellingwouderbrug; for higher ones the bascule opens at set times.

On the IJ, follow the marked routes for leisure craft: towards Oranjesluizen south of buoys IJ3 to IJ11, westbound north of buoys IJ10 to IJ14. Ferries cross constantly in front of the central station, keep to the starboard edge and look astern regularly. To reach Sixhaven, after a good lookout you may briefly use the port side of the fairway to reach the entrance on the harbour's eastern side. Do not enter the Noordhollandsch Kanaal immediately next to it.

Approach from the North Sea via IJmuiden

From the North Sea, you reach Amsterdam through the locks at IJmuiden and the North Sea Canal. Every boat needs an engine ready to start immediately, capable of at least 6 km/h, with a maximum speed of 18 km/h. Keep to the starboard shore; leisure craft are not permitted to enter the harbours west of Amsterdam. In poor visibility, a small boat must carry a radar reflector.

VHF channels change by section: channel 61 off IJmuiden, 22 for the locks, 3 in the North Sea Canal, 4 in the Westhaven section and 5 in the city section in front of the central station. Amsterdam Marina is the first of the two harbours when approaching from the west.

Through Amsterdam with mast up

The Staande-Mast-Route, on which boats with mast up travel through the city at night and onwards south, is closed indefinitely as of the current situation (October 2026), because the Schinkel bridges on the A10 cannot open due to a technical defect. Reopening is not expected before 2030 at the earliest. The route via Haarlem is also currently blocked. Anyone wishing to head south with mast up must go via IJmuiden onto the North Sea, which requires a seaworthy boat. The current status of closures is reported by the official Waterway information.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Amsterdam?

For Amsterdam and the sailing trip destinations, the KNMI marine radio weather report applies. It is issued four times a day, is valid for 24 hours in each case, and gives warnings, wind, visibility and fog risk for the IJsselmeer and Markermeer districts as well as IJmuiden on the coast. The Kustwacht broadcasts the weather report daily at 08:05, 13:05, 19:05 and 23:05 local time on VHF channels 23 and 83. The current version is available on the KNMI website.

Trips from Amsterdam on Törnfinder

An overview of trips throughout the country can be found under Sailing in the Netherlands, trips on the inland sea under Sailing on the IJsselmeer. All dates are listed under Trips.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Schiphol Airport to the harbours in Amsterdam?

By train in around 17 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal station and from there by free ferry across the IJ. To Sixhaven take the ferry to Buiksloterweg, to Amsterdam Marina the ferry to NDSM-Werft.

Are the ferries across the IJ free?

Yes, for pedestrians and cyclists the ferries operated by the city transport company are free. The ferry to NDSM-Werft takes 14 minutes, the crossing to Buiksloterweg only a few minutes.

Which harbour is closer to the central station?

Sixhaven. It lies directly opposite the central station, a good 500 metres as the crow flies across the IJ. Amsterdam Marina lies further west at NDSM-Werft.

Where do I park at the trip start in Amsterdam?

Pay-and-display in the vicinity of the harbours or more cheaply at a P+R car park on the city outskirts. At Sixhaven there are no guest parking spaces; around Amsterdam Marina you park on the street in the business area at Strekkerweg.

Are there showers in the harbours in Amsterdam?

Yes, both harbours have showers, washing machines and dryers. At Sixhaven, showers, electricity and Wi-Fi are included in the harbour dues.

Can I travel through Amsterdam with mast up?

Not at present; the Staande-Mast-Route through the city is closed indefinitely. You can still reach the harbours on the IJ with mast up, though, from Markermeer via Oranjesluizen and from the North Sea via IJmuiden.

Are there tides in Amsterdam?

No, on the IJ, in the North Sea Canal and on Markermeer there are no tides. Tides and tidal streams begin only beyond the locks at IJmuiden on the North Sea.