Stadtteilführer

Getting Around

Amsterdam
Amsterdam Central Station is just 15 minutes away by train, with frequent connections throughout the day.

Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol can be reached in around 30 minutes by train via Amsterdam Sloterdijk.

By Car
Amsterdam is about 20–25 minutes away, depending on traffic. Highways A8 and A7 provide easy access to North Holland.

By Bike
Cycling to Amsterdam takes around 30–40 minutes, passing through scenic landscapes and Amsterdam North. Free ferries connect cyclists to the city centre.

Explore the Region
Zaandam is an ideal base for day trips to Edam, Volendam, Alkmaar, and the North Sea coast.

Nice To Know

Zaandam takes its name from the dam built in the Zaan River, a key moment that shaped the region’s future. During the Dutch Golden Age, the Zaan area became the world’s first industrialised region, with more than 1,000 windmills powering shipbuilding, food production, and trade.

Shipyards in Zaandam built vessels for the Dutch East India Company, helping establish the Netherlands as a major maritime power. In 1697, Russian Tsar Peter the Great stayed in Zaandam to learn the shipbuilding trade, living and working as a carpenter. His wooden house still stands today as a museum.

Artists were drawn here too. In 1871, Claude Monet painted the windmills, wooden houses, and changing light of Zaandam, capturing the city’s unique character. Later, companies like Verkade brought chocolate and biscuit production to the city, shaping Zaandam into the modern place it is today.