From the water
Amsterdam Central Station is the real heart of the city. It is the second loudest train station in the Netherlands, the first one being Utrecht Central. Every day one hundred and ninety two thousand people go through Amsterdam Central. It was designed by the Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, who is also known for his design of the Rijksmuseum, and it opened in 1889. It features a Gothic and Renaissance Revival station building.
The story behind it
Amsterdam Central Station opened in 1889 and was designed by Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum — which is why the two buildings look so similar. It was built on three artificial islands and rests on almost 9,000 wooden piles.
Its construction was controversial: it cut the city off from its open waterfront on the IJ. Today it is the busiest railway station in the country, and behind it free ferries take you across the water to Amsterdam-Noord.
On your cruise
This is stop 5 of 23 on the Friendship route. Before this you passed Kolk Sluice, and the boat continues towards Weeper's Tower. Your skipper will point it out as you pass — keep your camera ready, because from the water you see details that are easily missed from the street.
Want to see it in person? All our cruises follow the heart of this route, and with a private cruise you can even ask your skipper to linger a little longer at your favourite spots.
