Getting around Leiden
Leiden is a compact, walkable city, and most of its historic sights sit within the old city fortifications. That means you can cover a great deal of ground on foot without ever needing a ticket. For anything further out, or simply to move faster, the city has a full set of Dutch transport options: trains, buses, bicycles, taxis and ride-hailing, plus easy connections to the national airport.
On foot
The large majority of Leiden's sights lie inside the old city fortifications, an area that is easy to navigate on foot. Even without a plan, simply strolling around will let you see the main historic buildings and museums. If you want more structure, the tourist information office just outside the main train station stocks a range of free and paid maps showing the main sights and suggested walking routes.
By bicycle
Like all Dutch cities, Leiden is very bike-friendly, and cycling is an extremely widely used way to get around. Renting a bicycle is an excellent idea if you want to explore faster or reach places beyond the centre. You can rent both traditional and electric bikes at Fietspoint Oldenburger, located at the south entrance of the main train station (the city-centre side), with online booking available in advance.
By train
Leiden is easily reached by train, and the rail network is the backbone of longer trips in and out of the city. Journey times are short: roughly 10–15 minutes from The Hague, about 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport, and between 30 and 40 minutes from Amsterdam. Trains are run by NS, and all trains arriving in Leiden can be accessed using your bank card.
There are two stations serving the city:
- Leiden Centraal – where most trains arrive. It sits a short walk north-west of the city centre and about a kilometre from the City Hall. Luggage storage lockers are available at the station.
- Leiden Lammenschans – a relatively small station on the line towards Alphen aan den Rijn and Utrecht, on the opposite side of the city centre, just over a kilometre from the City Hall.
If you don't feel like walking from the station into the centre, you can take a bus instead — just ask which services go to the Breestraat bus stop.
By bus
The square just outside Leiden railway station is the central hub for the local bus network. If you want to go anywhere local, this is your best starting point: ask around or use the 9292.nl planning tool to work out routes. For the finer points of buying tickets, the general guidance on public transit tickets in the Netherlands applies.
Taxis and ride-hailing
There is a taxi rank at Leiden Centraal, on Stationsplein at the south entrance of the main train station — the city-centre side. This is the most straightforward place to pick up a cab, and it's also a convenient spot if you're arranging a ride-hailing pickup.
By car
Leiden can be reached by car from several directions: from Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport via the A4 and A44 for Leiden-West, or via the A4 for Leiden-Oost; from Den Haag via the N44 and A44 for Leiden-West, or via the A12 and A4 for Leiden-Oost; from Rotterdam via the A13 and A4; and from Utrecht via the A12 and A4, or the A12 and N11. Bear in mind that the roads leading into and out of Leiden can be busy.
It's best to park on the outskirts of the city or in one of the parking garages rather than trying to park in the centre. Options include:
- P+R next to the A44 (Oude Rhijnhofweg) – a free parking area beside the A44, with frequent buses to and from the city centre.
- Parking garage Lammermarkt (Lammermarkt 20P) – a good option when arriving from the A44.
- Parking garage Morspoort (Bloemfontijnstraat 2) – also convenient when arriving from the A44.
- Parking garage Garenmarkt (Korevaarstraat 26) – a good option when arriving from the A4.
- Parking terrain at Haagweg – with variable pricing and shuttles to and from the centre.
Making a reservation beforehand can save you some parking costs.
By boat
If you arrive by water, there is a visitor marina (Passantenhaven Leiden) on the Haven, opposite house numbers 20–40. Consult the marina office ("Havenkantoor") before docking.
Getting there from the airport
Schiphol Airport is the principal airport in the Netherlands and the main gateway for visitors to Leiden. The train is the simplest option: the journey from Schiphol to Leiden takes about 15 minutes, and trains are run by NS, with all trains arriving in Leiden accessible using your bank card. By road, Schiphol is reached via the A4 and A44 for Leiden-West, or via the A4 for Leiden-Oost.