Ferry over the River IJ: a free boat trip

Between the city centre of Amsterdam and North Amsterdam lies the IJ, the oldest part of Amsterdam's port. It is in fact a bay of the previous Zuiderzee (now known as the IJsselmeer). It is possible to cross the IJ 24 hours a day by ferry on a free trip, which lasts about five minutes. Admittedly such a straightforward crossing is hardly adventurous but from the ferry you do get a wonderful view of the expanse of water, the shipp¬ing and the banks of the IJ.

The ferry, the 'Buikersloterwegveer', leaves daily landing stage number 7 behind Central Station (the Ruyterkade), and travels between 6.30 and 21.00 every 7.5 minutes; the rest of the time it leaves every quarter of an hour.

A smaller ferry, the 'IJ-Veer', leaves from landing stage number 8, which transports passengers to a more easterly point on the Northern bank of the IJ; this ferry only runs from Mondays to Fridays between 6.35 and 18.05.

- Ferry landing stages, behind Central Station