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If you’re wondering what to see in The Hague in one day, or trying to plan the perfect itinerary for an Amsterdam to The Hague day trip, you’ve come to the right place.
The Hague, the location of the Netherlands’ seat of government, has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. Unlike Amsterdam’s quintessential charm, The Hague is more unassuming—it won’t bend over backwards to win you over. The Hague isn’t interested in tourist traps or gimmicks, but it has the culture and history to make it worth your while regardless.
The Hague is certainly a contrast to the Netherland’s traditional charm, and is an ideal day trip from Amsterdam for those wanting to see another side to Dutch culture. That said, as anyone who’s been here before will know, this itinerary won’t be based on checking off sights to see and is designed to get you off the beaten tourist’s path.
Keep scrolling to see the ideal day trip itinerary for The Hague from Amsterdam, and click here if you want to see my post of all the things to do in The Hague (because I promise you, one day isn’t enough to hit it all)!
Delve into the Netherlands
Check out the rest of my Netherlands posts and guides if you’re still planning your perfect trip.
If you’re just visiting Amsterdam, explore the Amsterdam archives here!
Frequently Asked Questions: The Hague day trip from Amsterdam
How long should I spend in The Hague?
If you’re doing a longer, more leisurely, “slow travel”-style trip and you want to spend some time in The Hague, I think dedicating 3-4 days is sufficient. This will give you time to see a few museums, explore different neighborhoods without feeling rushed, and even make it out to The Hague beach or the many parks in the surrounding areas.
That being said, I also think that one day in The Hague is a perfect amount of time if you’re just looking to make a day trip from Amsterdam.
Is one day enough in The Hague?
While there are certainly enough things to do at The Hague to last you two to three days, one day is definitely sufficient for most people to see The Hague. The only real reason you would want to extend your day trip into a two-day trip would be if you want to spend a day at The Hague’s beach in Scheveningen or in Delft.
Because both of these destinations are slightly out of the center, it would be difficult to get to The Hague from Amsterdam, go to museums, explore the city and make it to your second destination all in one day. Not to mention making time for meals and getting back to Amsterdam. If you’re going at a time where it’s too cold, or you just don’t have an interest in visiting the beach or Delft, you’ll be good to go with one day!
How much does a train from Amsterdam to The Hague cost?
On average the train from Amsterdam to The Hague will cost you €30 round trip, and you can either buy tickets the day of, or purchase ahead of time through the Trainline if you’d rather sort everything before you travel and save time at the station.
The trains in the Netherlands are super easy to navigate, so no matter what you do it should be pretty seamless!
How long is the train journey from Amsterdam to The Hague?
It takes a little less than an hour to get from The Hague to Amsterdam via train, so it’s more than doable as a day trip option.
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Amsterdam to The Hague Day Trip Itinerary
I’ve created this itinerary for The Hague with the intention for it to be flexible depending on your preferences. Be sure to also check out my full guide to what to do in The Hague and all the fun things that are available to you in this city!
Morning: Get Your Bearings (and Breakfast!)
Arrive to The Hague from Amsterdam by train
Start your day by hopping on a train from Amsterdam to The Hague. The journey will take you less than an hour, and I’d recommend aiming to arrive around 9am.
Although getting to The Hague from Amsterdam takes just 45-60 minutes by train, there are fewer trains to Den Haag Centraal (the main station) than its peripheral stations Laan van NOI and Den Haag HS. It can sometimes be worth checking the times and prices to these stations, and then hopping on a tram to get into the city center!
A return train ticket from Amsterdam to The Hague costs around €30, and you can save time at the station by booking ahead on the Trainline.
When you arrive you can either take a tram for about 15 minutes, or walk for around 20 minutes, to the first area of interest!
Have breakfast and explore the city center
I’ve chosen two of my fave cafe options for you: either Kaafi or The Bookstor Cafe.
Kaafi is the best pick if you want a full breakfast, and The Bookstor Cafe is ideal if you just want a coffee and a cake (and perhaps a book!). These are the perfect location to start your day.
Pop into some vintage stores or independent shops
After breakfast, it’s worth wandering through the heart of The Hague and catching the local vibe to start the day. Both of these cafes are in the part of the center where you’ll find lots of independent shops and restaurants, vintage stores, and feel a nicer energy than the areas closer to the museums and station.
Specifically, the entire area north of Nobelstraat and between the two north-south running streets of Prinsestraat and Noordeinde is where you’ll want to meander. (I hope this rudimentary geographical description was useful, but if not, don’t worry I’m linking you to the general area). All through this area you can admire the pretty architecture, pop into shops and even see Noordeinde Palace, the Dutch royal family’s main place of work!
We found that The Hague has a great blend of affordable, charity shop or Goodwill type stores, curated thrift/vintage shops, and middle-of-the-road massive thrift shops. If you want my in depth list of all the best thrift shops, head to my post about thrift shops in The Hague. The main one to pay attention to at this point of your day, though, is Episode, a thrift chain in the Netherlands that usually has fair prices and a well-curated stock.
There are bookstores all along the street that The Bookstor Cafe is on, and there are some metaphysical/crystal shops in the area too. Not to mention lots of boutiques! There’s something for everyone here.
Afternoon: Soak in The Hague’s Culture
Visit a museum
If you head northeast from this area, you’ll come across the Binnenhof, which is the Dutch seat of government, and the lovely lake in front of it. It’s nice to see (and maybe sit and appreciate if the weather is nice), but mostly—for my purposes—it’s right in between two important museums!
There are plenty of museums to choose from in The Hague, but the two I’m recommending were my favorites. The Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague is without a doubt the most well known museum in the Netherlands. Here you can see lots of famous Dutch masterpieces, including Girl with the Pearl Earring.
Alternatively you could visit Escher in Het Paleis, which is housed in a former royal residence that’s now a gallery dedicated to tons of lithographs and engravings of Escher, a renowned Dutch artist. Though we’d never heard of him prior to visiting, we were really taken by his work, and spent a lot of time looking at the pieces.
If you’re lucky you might catch the Antique and Book Market, which happens every Thursday and Saturday (from May through September). It’s held just outside the Escher Museum, so you can’t miss it!
If you miss the market, you can still stroll through the sculpture garden that pops up every summer on the Lange Voorhout.
Lunch or coffee in the Zeehelden Quarter
If you head north from the museum quarter, you’ll find yourself in the Zeehelden Quarter, which is one of my personal favorite areas in The Hague. If you want to stop for a coffee break you’ll be spoiled for choice. Bartine and Bij Clarence are great for picking up little treats (the cardamom buns from Bartine are amazing). If you’re simply after the best coffee in The Hague, then head to Single Estate for a perfectly dialled espresso drink.
If you’re especially hungry then head over to Room, which is a bit further north but worth it for the ambience. They have a great menu, and you can sit in the large terrace space out front. I really enjoyed coming here for afternoon drinks as well. It was one of my favorite spots in The Hague.
Once you’re done eating you can keep enjoying the vintage shops and boutiques the area has to offer, or wander over the Peace Palace. This is one of The Hague’s most famous sights where you can learn more about the city’s importance as a center for the international institutions established after WWII.
The Peace Palace has strange opening hours, but they do offer tours of the grounds, as well as tours inside, if you book ahead on the official website.
Evening: Wind Down Like a Local
Paleistuin Park
At this point I’m assuming you’re probably exhausted—I know I would be. Head down to Paleistuin Park, which is attached to Noordeinde Palace in the neighborhood where you started your day, and relax for a bit. It’s not a particularly busy park, but it’s still perfect for people-watching or decompressing with a good book! If you’re feeling a little treat you can stop into Lily’s Bubble Tea on your way.
Dinner and drinks on the canal
Make your way across the city to enjoy your last few hours in The Hague.
On your way, don’t forget to stop at Van Schaik Stroopwafels (our favorite stroopwafels in the Netherlands!). Pick up a couple of packs to bring back to Amsterdam—or more than couple if you want any hope of bringing some home. Trust me, they’ll be gone pretty quickly!
Then, continue wandering down Wagenstraat—through the heart of The Hague’s Chinatown—towards Bierkade, or “Beer Quay” in Dutch.
One thing we really missed in The Hague were the ever present canals that you find in so many other Dutch cities, so we made sure to purposefully find nice places to enjoy near the one canal The Hague does have!
Two restaurants we particularly enjoyed were Restaurant De Kade and Restaurant Basaal. This is especially nice in the warmer weather, because you can sit outside right along the canal (like in Amsterdam!) and the sun doesn’t set for ages.
Get the train back to Amsterdam OR extend your stay for a beach day or Delft day trip
At the end of your day trip, you’ll have two options.
If you’re exhausted, you can catch a train back to Amsterdam, and pass out for a night of well deserved sleep.
Or, if you’re hoping to see even more of the Netherlands, you can consider extending your stay for a night.
This would give you the chance to visit The Hague beach at Scheveningen if the weather is nice, or, to head 15 minutes out of the city to explore the charming city of Delft. Delft was actually one of my favorite parts of our trip to the Netherlands, so I highly recommend it (and I wrote all about it in this post!).
Stay the night and explore more of The Hague!
Here are my top hotel picks:
🛏️ La Paulowna, chic and well reviewed, overlooking a square full of some of my favorite restaurants in The Hague
🛏️ The intimate and comfortable Hotel Pistache, a stone’s throw from the Peace Palace
🛏️ Boutique Hotel De Salon, traditional yet understated, neighboring Noordeinde Palace
🛏️ The happening yet elegant Park Centraal, right in the middle of the action
Planning Cheat Sheet: Every Link You Need in One Place
P.S. When you book using my links, you help support Rachel IRL at no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Are you ready to explore The Hague?
I hope this post was helpful in inspiring you to plan your perfect Amsterdam to The Hague day trip. If you want to tweak this itinerary, or if you’re just curious about what else you could do on your day trip, check out my other post on all the best things to do in The Hague.
As always, feel free to leave a comment or find me over on Instagram to let me know how your trip is going, or if you have any tips or questions to share! And if you’re not quite done planning yet, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Dutch archives.
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