Is Amsterdam worth a day trip?

Yes: 8.4 hours in Amsterdam, £138 for the whole day, 17 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Amsterdam?

About 8.4 hours in Amsterdam. Landing to take-off is 11.6 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Amsterdam airport into town?

Train 17 min, €6. A day ticket on local transport is GVB day ticket €9.

What does a day in Amsterdam cost, not counting the flight?

About £51 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 19:08. That allows 17 min to get back to the airport and 120 min there, including 30 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 21:25 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 40 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 30 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 8.4 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Amsterdam.
From London Gatwick, back by 21:40.

Netherlands·Wed 18 Nov · 8.3 hours in the city

£138

the whole day

8.3 hours

in the city

21:40

back in London Gatwick

Flying from another London airport? Compare all six

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

8.3 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

15km

to the centreFrom Amsterdam centre (AMS)

Daylight

8.7 hours

08:05 to 16:47Sunrise 08:05, sunset 16:47

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 20 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:25
Leave London Gatwick
easyJet, direct
10:47
In the city
Lands 09:50, 40min immigration, 17min from the airport
19:08
Leave the city
17min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
21:40
Back in London Gatwick
Flies 21:25

Leave London GatwickeasyJet, direct07:25
Land in Amsterdam1h 25min09:50
In the city40min immigration, 17min from the airport10:47
Leave the city17min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration19:08
Fly home1h 25min21:25
Back in London Gatwick21:40

Typical weather for this date

10°C

average high

5°C

average low

6 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Amsterdam's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

Amsterdam’s Christmas markets open 3 Dec

Also on in Amsterdam

Coming up in Amsterdam: Amsterdam Light Festival (Edition 15), 26 Nov to 17 Jan

Things to do in AmsterdamShow

Amsterdam Canal CruisesTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Stedelijk Museum AmsterdamTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Moco Museum AmsterdamTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
ARTIS Amsterdam Royal ZooTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Amsterdam · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in AmsterdamShow

What a day in Amsterdam costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£138/ all in, per person

Train to city centre and back£10

Local transport£8

Lunch£18

Dinner£15

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Rijksmuseum£21 (€25)

Van Gogh Museum£21 (€25)

Anne Frank House£14 (€16.50)

Vondelpark, Begijnhof, Albert Cuypmarkt, GVB ferries from behind Centraal Station to Amsterdam-Noord, BloemenmarktFree

On the ground£51

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£87

Google Flights price. Checked 22 hours ago.

Getting to Gatwickfrom free

All in, per person£138

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 22:11. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

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Built by Josh and Samar

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Gatwick

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-2 hours, with a free shuttle bus (10-12 min) to the terminal. Source

Train

From London (Gatwick Express, Victoria)Price not published30 min
Source
From London (Southern / Thameslink, Victoria / London Bridge / St Pancras)Price not published30-45 min
Source

Coach

National Express from LondonPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From London£100-£160 one way~30 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £10
Drop-off zone: £10 for 10 min, then £1/extra minute up to 20 min, maximum daily charge £30, maximum stay 30 min, payable by midnight the next day. Source
Short Stay£70
"12-24 hours" walk-up (roll-up) rate. Source
Premium Short Stay£87.50
"12-24 hours" walk-up rate. Source
Long Stay£38
"2-24 hours" band (first 2 hours free). Source

More parking

Mid StayNo same-day price
Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Premium Parking / Robotic Parking (South Terminal only)No same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Cophall Parking£4.21
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-15 min. Source
Airparks Park & Ride£4.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-12 min. Source
APH Park & Ride£4.36
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Day trip to Amsterdam.
From London Gatwick, back by 21:40.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Amsterdam.From London Gatwick, back by 21:40.

Day Trip Flight Details

Become a founder

Become a founder

Related reading

Things to Do in Amsterdam in November: A Sunday with Ajax at Home

Related reading

Things to Do in Amsterdam in November: A Sunday with Ajax at Home

Day trip to Amsterdam.
From London Gatwick, back by 21:40.