Having now been twice to the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, I’ve done a truly embarrassing amount of research on Keukenhof tickets and alllll the ways to save money on them.

After all, this famous Dutch attraction is far from cheap, and any pennies saved can go directly into the whole “Stroopwafels and Poffertjes fund”, you feel me?

The thing about getting tickets for Keukenhof though is it’s deceptively complicated. I mean… Combitickets? Skip the line tickets? Packaged tours? Which exactly is going to get me the best deal?

The annoying answer is, as with anything in life, “it depends”.

So, to help clear things up, I’ve put together this Keukenhof tickets guide to ensure that you get the best deal possible on your visit!

I’ve spent enough time agonizing over the different options so you don’t have to, so read on for an easy, straightforward guide on how to save some Stroopwafel money during your Keukenhof visit.

Types of Keukenhof Tickets You Can Buy

Here is a quick breakdown of the various Keukenhof tickets that are available for you to buy online:

Regular Entry Tickets:

In 2022, Keukenhof has introduced timed tickets that are only valid at the date/time that they’re purchased for. This should help with crowd control and ensuring they don’t exceed the maximum visitor cap that has been established for safety and hygiene reasons.

Each time I’ve gone, I’ve just gotten my ticket off GetYourGuide in advance and walked right in.

Combitickets:

Combitickets are special tickets offered by Keukenhof that combine your transport TO/FROM Keukenhof and your entry ticket to the gardens for some nice savings.

Which one you get depends on where you’re coming from.

NOTE: Once upon a time, they used to offer a confusing range of Combitickets that included options for both bus and train, but they have since simplified the system to just be bus tickets combined with your entry ticket so know that the term ‘Keukenhof Express’ refers to a bus, not a train or anything else.

All-inclusive tours:

If you want the least stressful option, there are approximately ten million tour operators that offer day trip packages to Keukenhof that include an entry ticket and transportation 😉

Surprisingly, this can actually be cheaper than doing it all yourself!

For example, here is one from Amsterdam on sale for €32.55, which is 4 euros less than the cost of the Amsterdam Combi-Ticket which is €36.50 this year.

The downside is of course that you don’t have complete freedom over your trip and you do get stuck on a bus full of fellow tourists.

That said, some tours combine your Keukenhof visit with another fun Dutch activity, which can be ideal if you’re short on time, like…

• A visit to Giethoorn, one of my favourite villages in the Netherlands
• A visit to Zaanse Schans for its fun windmills
• A full-on windmill cruise

Attraction bundles: 

Lastly, if you intend to visit other main attractions in Amsterdam and the Netherlands, there are several bundle tickets you can buy that give you a discount. More on this below!

Considerations to Make When Booking Your Keukenhof Tickets

So, which of the tickets above should you buy?

Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to determine the best Keukenhof tickets for you.

A quick note on the Keukenhof Express: The Keukenhof Express is actually a very confusing little thing (in my opinion) because it’s not just one bus, it’s multiple routes that run from different start points to Keukenhof directly. So, in reality, there isn’t one single “Keukenhof Express”, there are multiple that are labelled with different numbers. They are 852 (from Europaplein Metro Station), 854 (from Leiden), 858 (from Schipol Airport).

1. Where will you be visiting Keukenhof from?

Your departure point will be the main determinant in which Keukenhof tickets you should buy.

If you stay in Lisse (which I definitely recommend – it’s a lovely bite-sized town with dirt cheap sushi!), then you should buy a skip-the-line ticket in advance to ensure you don’t get stuck in any line-ups. Click here to get one that comes with a downloadable voucher that you can present directly at the gate.

If you are coming from Amsterdam on a day trip, honestly, the least stressful option is to book an Amsterdam to Keukenhof tour starting at 34 euros here, which can actually be cheaper than the official Combi-Ticket.

If you are coming from Schipol Airport, Leiden or Haarlem, then you can simply hop on one of the Keukenhof Express buses and use a Combiticket Bus + Entry for savings.

If you are coming from anywhere else, you basically need to find a way to either Schipol Airport, Leiden or Haarlem, and then catch the bus from there.

9292 is a great free website for planning journeys within the Netherlands, so you can use that to plan your journey to any of these points.

2. When do you want to arrive at Keukenhof?

As I mentioned in my full Keukenhof guide, timing is one of the most important factors when it comes to whether or not your Keukenhof visit will be as magical as you always dreamed.

If you plan to arrive via Keukenhof Express buses, the earliest time slot for most of the timetables is 7:30am, which means you’ll arrive at Keukenhof just about at opening time.

I arrived at this time on my recent visit and found it to be reasonably empty up until 11ish.

That said, if you want to get there before all the day trip crowds, your only choice really is to either stay in Lisse like I did and walk over, or rent a car. In both these cases then, getting a regular Skip the Line ticket makes the most sense.

3. Do you intend to do any other major attractions in Amsterdam and Holland during your trip?

Another thing to consider is getting a bundle ticket of some kind if you plan to visit other attractions in the area. This could mean huge savings across the board.

Here are a few common combo tickets that you can buy when you visit Keukenhof:

Go City Amsterdam Pass

These savings passes start at €114 euro for their All Inclusive Pass and €69 for their Explorer Pass, and basically give you access to a number of veeeery popular attractions in and around Amsterdam including Keukenhof.

The All Inclusive Pass is valid for a set time period, during which you have access to all the attractions included.

The Explorer Pass is valid for 60 days, and you can pick/choose which attractions to include (paying for a set number of attractions).

Depending on what attractions you intend to do while in Amsterdam, this might be a great deal to take advantage of. Click here to check prices and reviews!

Keukenhof & Zaanse Schans Combo Day Tour: 

If you’re looking for a packed day full of Dutchy goodness, this combo tour brings you to Keukenhof and the windmill village of Zaanse Schans for just under 70 euros. Click here to check reviews and availability.

Keukenhof + Sightseeing Windmill Cruise:

If you’d like to bundle your visit to Keukenhof with a little scenic cruise to see windmills, this bundle is less than 60 euros. Click here to check reviews and availability.

Volendam/Marken, Zaanse Schans & Keukenhof:

For just under 100 euros, you can enjoy this full day whirlwind tour of Holland, with a visit to Keukenhof, a tour of Zaanse Schans Windmill village, tours of the fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, and a cheese factory visit.

This is definitely a jam-packed bundle, but good value for money if you have a short amount of time in Holland! Click here to check reviews and availability.

4. Is your top priority cost or convenience?

Last but not least, what’s your main priority?

Usually for travel, it boils down to a trade-off between cost and convenience.

Cost-wise, it’s mostly cheapest to just do the trip yourself and buy either a bundle ticket of some kind or a Combiticket.

BUT you do have to navigate everything by yourself and risk getting stuck in long line-ups for public transportation (I’ve heard that the line-ups for the Keukenhof Express during weekends can be atrocious).

On the other hand, booking one of the many Keukenhof tours available out there might be a better option if convenience is your top priority.

Honestly, tours like this one can actually be cheaper than Combitickets, or only slightly pricier by a few euros, so if you’re a big group, or a family, or just prefer the ease of mind of guaranteeing yourself a seat/spot, then I would just book a tour.

NOTE: This means you’re guaranteed to arrive with a whole horde of other tourists, but I found that crowds thinned out considerably once you walked deeper into the garden.

Keukenhof Gardens Tickets FAQ

Alright, I think I’ve answered most of the main questions you might have about Keukenhof tickets, but juuuust in case, here are some final frequently asked questions (in case you skimmed above or wanted to skip my overly verbose explanations).

Can you buy Keukenhof tickets online?

Yes! You can easily buy all the tickets mentioned above online.

Click here to buy your regular entry ticket in advance.

Click here to book an Amsterdam to Keukenhof day tour (starting at 34 euros)

Click here to shop for Keukenhof attraction bundles.

Which Keukenhof bus should I take?

As I mentioned earlier, the term Keukenhof Express is a little bit confusing because there are multiple. The bus you should take depends on where you are coming from.

For Keukenhof Express trains, you have the 852 (from Europaplein Metro Station), 854 (from Leiden), 858 (from Schipol Airport).

You could also catch the 50 bus from Haarlem and the 90 bus from Katwijk, Noordwijk, Noordwijkerhout.

Which Keukenhof tours are the best?

To be honest, most Keukenhof tours offer an identical service: transfers to/from Keukenhof along with your ticket.

Unless you are booking something unique or special, there won’t be a huge difference in terms of what you get. If you’re looking for a reliable option, here is a 5 star rated one that starts at only 34 euros.

How far in advance should I buy tickets to Keukenhof?

I’d definitely recommend getting your Keukenhof tickets before you arrive as you should secure your timeslot if you are 100% set on going. Tickets are 3.50 euro more expensive when you buy them in-person, and they can sell out during peak periods.

NOTE: If you find that the official website is sold out of tickets, do check on third party sites like GetYourGuide for tours/combo tickets. I find they often have availability even if the main site doesn’t.

Even this tour from Amsterdam has availability for tomorrow!

Any more questions about Keukenhof tickets?

I hope you found this guide helpful! If you have any more questions about buying tickets for Keukenhof, let me know in the comments and I can try to help you out! Safe travels, and have fun frolicking amongst the flowers!