Royal Palace: Tickets and Tours

Your Royal Palace in Amsterdam tickets allows you to explore the home of the Dutch monarchy for centuries and its splendid halls for yourself. Although the Dutch Royal Family doesn’t reside here anymore, the grandiose building still plays an important role in Dutch society.

Originally built during the Dutch Golden Age to serve as Amsterdam’s town hall, the building was converted into a palace in the early 17th century.

Today, the Royal Palace is one of three palaces that is still at the disposal of the king. It’s mainly used as a reception palace where the royal family receives international guests on state visits.

The palace remains a working building, despite being open to the public — and visitors to the Royal Palace can retrace the steps of countless international politicians, as well as legendary figures like Napoleon Bonaparte.

Here's all you need to know about the Royal Palace, one of the most captivating attractions in Amsterdam.

How much do Royal Palace tickets cost?

Tickets to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam are quite inexpensive — a welcome juxtaposition to the wealth and opulence on display in this grand building.

• Adults (aged 18 and over): €12.50
• Children (aged 17 and below): Free
• Students: €9
• Guided tour during the week: €95 per tour guide
• Guided tour during the weekend: €125 per tour guide

The cost for a guided tour of the Royal Palace is per group of 15 persons. Groups larger than 15 people will need to hire an additional guide.

Visitors to the Royal Palace should consider booking a ticket online — enabling them to skip the ticket purchasing queue when arriving at the Royal Palace. Apart from choosing the date of your visit, you may also choose a preferred time slot.

Who is eligible for discounts?

Students and ICOM (International Council of Museums) members qualify for special prices, but proof of membership or a student card must be produced upon entry. If you qualify for a discount, you should still book the date and time of your visit on the official Royal Palace website.

Is it possible to visit for free?

While there are no official days when it’s possible to visit the Royal Palace for free, the building is sometimes opened to the public. This is normally during special occasions — for instance when King Willem-Alexander turned 50, the Palace was opened to the public for 50 hours.

Opportunities like these are usually announced a couple of days in advance, making it worthwhile to check the website before your visit.

Should you book in advance?

Absolutely. Because the Royal Palace is a working building that’s still used for official state business, booking in advance is essential. Sometimes the palace may be closed to the public for receptions or events, while other times it may be closed for maintenance.

Booking ahead allows you to plan your visit, avoid disappointment and even skip the ticket-purchasing queue at the palace.

What is included in your Royal Palace ticket?

While there are many other ways of exploring the area around the palace such as or hop-on hop-off bus tours in Amsterdam or walking tours — the in-house Royal Palace tour is the only way of exploring the stunning interior of this impressive building.

Visitors to the Royal Palace can choose from two tours upon arrival. The first is the audio-guided tour that is included with the entrance ticket. The audio guide is available in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese and Russian.

The guide is extremely easy to follow and it provides directions as well as information about the rooms that you’ll visit. The number of rooms open to the public is determined at the Royal Palace’s discretion — sometimes a specific room will be closed for a function or maintenance.

The second option available to visitors is the guided tour provided by the Royal Palace. You’ll have to hire a tour guide and the price is €95 during the week and €125 over weekends.

This cost is in addition to your entrance fee and one guide can provide a tour for up to 15 people. Larger groups will need to hire an additional tour guide.

An official Royal Palace guide will provide a stellar tour experience, as they relay the remarkable history of the building through anecdotes and factoids. The tour lasts for just over an hour and you are always welcome to explore the building more by yourself.

Group tours should be booked in advance because there is a limited number of guides available. The audio-guided tour is also subject to the availability of the headsets, another reason why travelers should consider booking in advance.

What will you see inside?

Visitors to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam can spend the day exploring the history and grandeur of this stunning building. On arrival, you’ll have the opportunity to appreciate the work and detail that went into the facade of the palace — 55 meters high and 80 meters wide, it’s really a sight to behold.

From the date of its completion, the palace reigned as the largest building in Europe for over 200 years. Its splendor was so renowned that it was sometimes called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”  

It was originally built as Amsterdam’s new town hall, but was converted into a palace when Napoleon’s brother, Louis Bonaparte, became King of Holland.

With the arrival of the new king came intricate furniture and decorations that remain in the palace to this day. In fact, the Royal Palace now houses the largest collection of Emperor-styled furniture in the entire world.

You’ll easily identify these pieces throughout the palace by the amount of gold incorporated into the design. The palace is crowned with a statue symbolizing peace because the building was constructed shortly after the 80 Years War between the Netherlands and Spain.

The interior of the building isn’t only adorned with paintings by Dutch masters and beautifully worked reliefs — but it’s also home to countless tales that springs to life during a tour.

One of the most famous is a relatively new addition to palace lore and concerns the King’s 50th birthday. He invited all his subjects who shared his birthday to dinner at the palace. A guestlist of 150 people was decided by lottery, and the lucky guests joined His Royal Majesty for a palatial feast.

A visit to the Royal Palace will allow you to explore the rooms, tales and furnishings of this astounding building on your own.

How to get there?

The Royal Palace is located on Amsterdam’s Dam Square opposite the War Memorial. Its central location means it’s within walking distance of landmarks such as Madame Tussauds, the Amsterdam Dungeon and the Anne Frank House Museum.

To travel to the Royal Palace by public transport, simply board any of the trams, with numbers 2, 12, 13 or 17, and stop when you arrive at Dam Square. A tram will be available every 7 minutes.

What are the opening times?

The Royal Palace is open every day of the week. However, the palace may be closed to the public to host a reception for international guests. During the summer months of July, August and September, the Royal Palace will remain open for an hour longer.

The last admission into the Royal Palace is usually 30 minutes before closing time.

• Monday to Sunday (October to June): 10 AM until 5 PM
• Monday to Sunday (July to September): 10 AM until 6 PM

When is the best time to visit the Royal Palace?

It is best to visit the Royal Palace early morning during the week. This will allow you to explore the palace in relative peace and comfort. If you can only visit over the weekend, you should consider going early morning on a Sunday — as Saturday is the Royal Palace’s most busy day.

Which other attractions can be visited in Amsterdam?

• Heineken Experience
• This is Holland
• Arena Stadium

Travel tips

• Book in advance. The Royal Palace still functions as an official building and is closed to the public on specific days.
• If you are a large group, you should consider the guided tour because you only pay per guide for the entire group.
• Combine the Royal Palace with nearby sites to make the most of your day out.
• Remember to take your student or ICOM card to qualify for discounts.
• You still need to book a tour date and time slot when using a student or ICOM card.