Amsterdam - Central Station Centraal Spoorweg Station

More than 1,000 trains, including 50 international trains, travel in and out of Amsterdam's central station every day. Its architect was P. J. H. Cuypers (also the architect of the Rijksmuseum) and it was built on three artificial islands and 8,687 piles. On the north side of the station (de Ruijterkade), facing the harbor, are the moorings of numerous motorboats and ferries.

Must-see attractions nearby:

Royal Palace

Dutch National Museum

Municipal Museum

Van Gogh Museum

Old Church

Jewish Historical Museum

New Church

The need for the station became apparent when in 1860 Amsterdam was linked to Alkmaar and Den Helder to the north. The public joined in its opening in 1889 with considerable enthusiasm and bought as many as 14,000 platform tickets for the occasion. The station building, which has an especially interesting Art Nouveau first-class waiting-room, also received international attention, and when in 1900 the Japanese were looking for a model for Tokyo station they opted for Amsterdam.

Transit: Bus: 18, 21, 22, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 47, 49, 56, 57; Tram: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 13, 16, 17, 24, 25; Metro: Centraal Station.