Last updated on March 28th, 2023 at 10:10 am
In this blog post, I will go through 10 great day trips from Eindhoven. If you are spending some time in the city of Eindhoven, there are many beautiful towns and cities nearby that you need to explore. The cities I have included take 2 hours or less to get there.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a car, as all of these destinations are easily accessible by public transport. All train times mentioned are from Eindhoven Central. Read on to find out where to go next…
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Have a read of my previous post which might be helpful on the best Things To Do in Eindhoven.
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1. Utrecht
- 1 hour 5 minutes by car
- 50 minutes by train
Utrecht is a charming city. I would highly recommend a day trip here. It has a large network of canals lined with traditional style houses where you can simply take a stroll by and admire. Or opt to go on a canal cruise, rent a pedal boat or go supping.
Wander through the town and take a look at St Martins Cathedral and the Dom Tower, the highest and oldest church tower in Holland and Utrecht’s main landmark. You can pay a visit and walk the 465 steps of the Dom tower or take the lift to enjoy the view at the top.
You can even chose to visit some museums – Railway Museum, Centraal Museum, Museum Speelklok. Visit Kasteel de Haar, the largest castle in the Netherlands that hosted guests such as Coco Chanel, Roger Moore, Yves Saint Laurent & more. While you are there, you can explore the beautiful gardens surrounding the property.
2. Amsterdam
- 1 hour 20 minutes by car
- 1 hour 20 minutes by train
Amsterdam is on the same train line as Utrecht. But you would need a full day in both of these places. The Dutch city is a must see and there is a number of things to do there.
From cycling through Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark, to roaming the many museums, there is many activities the city has to offer. I have a dedicated blog post of must visit places in Amsterdam with more information.
3. Roermond
- 50 minutes by car
- 30 minutes by train
Roermond is a great place to go shopping. Designer outlet Roermond has over 165 stores. Visit the Maasplassen while you are there, a network of large and small lakes, where you can rent a boat or go supping. Don’t forget to take a stroll through the city and check out the church and cathedral.
4. Maastricht
- 1 hour 5 minutes by car
- 1 hour by train
On the same train line as Roermond, Maastricht is just 1 hour from Eindhoven Central. So it is possible to do both Roermond and Maastricht in the one day with the same train ticket.
Maastricht is considered one if the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands! As well as this, it is one of the oldest cities in the country, once occupied by the Celts, followed by the Romans.
You should check out the old town and admire the beautiful churches there. Take a walk by the city walls, over the Sint Servaas Bridge whilst you admire the River Meuse. And why not take a look at what the many shops have to offer as you roam the cobbled streets.
Christmas is a great time to visit the city too as it hosts magical Christmas markets. Maastricht is not one to miss!
5. Breda
- 45 minutes by car
- 37 minutes by train
Breda is a beautiful city to visit. Take a walk through the city and marvel at its many attractive old buildings. Breda castle is a must see as it is an important UNESCO site in the Netherlands and had an important part to play in the history of the city.
Other sites to see in Breda are Spaniards Hole, Grote Kerk (Great Church) and the town hall. If you stay on the train, the next stop (25 mins away) is Rotterdam, so it is possible to see both towns with the same train ticket on the same day if you wish.
6. Rotterdam
- 1 hour 25 minutes by car
- 1 hour by train
Another one of the great day trips from Eindhoven is Rotterdam, a must see while in the Netherlands. During World War II, Rotterdam got bombed by the Luftwaffe, so much of the city had to be rebuilt. Now, it has a more modern feel than most Dutch cities.
This port town has much to see. I have been 4 times and each time I have always done these 3 things at least: Firstly, go the Markethall – it is a really cool semi-circular building covered with art inside. It contains restaurants, bars and shops, so it is a great place to sit down for something to eat.
Secondly, I walk by the cube houses which are just outside the Markethall. Thirdly, I take a walk along the River New Meuse where you can see the ships and barges heading into the Port and then cross the Erasmus Bridge over to the other side.
I would recommend renting a go sharing scooter there to get around the city faster as I wasn’t long racking up the step count in Rotterdam. Other cool things to do include going to the Euromast Tower observation deck and doing a boat tour (a good way to view Rotterdam’s port and harbours).
7. The Hague
- 1 hour 35 minutes by car
- 1 hour 30 minutes by train
Go see the Binnenhof, the oldest Parliament building used in the world. Then make your way to the Ridderzaal, the central focal point of the Binnenhof. Visit the museums if you like – Mauritshuis Museum, Mesdag Museum or Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. Madurodam Model City captures many hotspots in the Netherlands in a miniature version.
Get a 13 minute bus or rent a go sharing scooter to get to Scheveningen beach. Take a walk along the beach or even go for a swim. Go to the pier, where you can do a bungy jump, ziplining or just walk along the shops or eat at the restaurants.
Tip: Visit the cute city of Delft which is 2 stops (15 mins) before The Hague on the train or 25 mins by car.
8. Gouda
- 1 hour 25 minutes by car
- 1 hour 20 minutes by train
Two trains are needed. Firstly, get a train to Utrecht Centraal where you need to change to a the train heading to Rotterdam Centraal and ride one stop to Gouda.
Gouda, home of Gouda cheese, is such a picturesque city. Wander through the cobbled streets along the city’s many canals as you gaze at the stunning architecture.
Visit the Markt square and take in the historical buildings – especially the town hall and St. John’s church. Catch the cheese market in Markt square which is held every Thursday morning. Check out the Red Lion Windmill (a working mill) and take a walk or cycle through the Goudse wood.
How about checking out some of Gouda’s well known museums- Goudse Waag Cheese and Crafts Museum or the Gouda Museum.
9. Nijmegen
- 50 minutes by car
- 1 hour 10 minutes by train
Two trains are needed here also. You first have to get a train to ‘S-Hertogenbosch, which is just 20 minutes from Eindhoven. Many trains heading north stop here i.e. Zaandam, Dordrecht. Then change train to get to Nijmegen. This second train takes about 40 minutes.
Nijmegen is a great day trip from Eindhoven. The oldest city in the Netherlands, founded by the Romans, Nijmegen if full of history.
Visit the Grote Markt/Market Square where you will see the Church of St. Stephen and De Waagh (a beautiful renaissance style building). Take a stroll through Kronenburgerpark, a beautiful park which has old castle ruins and stunning scenery. Go shopping in Hezelstraat and view Waalbrug, the bridge that spans the River Waal.
10. Dusseldorf
- 1 hour 25 minutes by car
- 2 hours by train
Firstly, you need to get the train to Venlo, which is a Dutch town on the German border. This train takes about 40 minutes. At Venlo, you need to change train to RE13 and stay on it for 1 hour 5 minutes to Dusseldorf.
Tip: You still need to wear a face mask on public transport in Germany.
If you wish to escape the Netherlands, why not take a trip to Dusseldorf in Germany. Wander along the Rheinuferpromenade, the promenade located on the River Rhine. It is lined with restaurants and bars where you can enjoy some food and drink.
Check out the old town and Königsallee is where you will find all the high end shops like Prada, Chanel, Cartier and more. Königsallee is located alongside a canal lined with trees and is a lovely area just to walk, even if you are not wanting to buy an expensive piece of clothes or jewellery. Visit the Rhine Tower and see the highlights of the city from the very top: the Media Harbour, the old town, Hofgarten, Königsallee and the river Rhine.
Travelling To Dusseldorf As A Group
If you are travelling to Dusseldorf as a group with 2 or more people, listen up. I will explain the cheapest way to travel by train…
Get the NS group ticket return for the first train from Eindhoven to Venlo which will allow between 2 and 7 people. For the second train from Venlo to Dusseldorf, buy the DB day ticket for the region North Rhine-Westphalia which costs €45.70 and can be used for up to 5 travellers. You can use this same ticket both ways.
I recently done this journey and went as a group of 4 which cost €70 for group NS ticket and €45.70 for group DB totalling €115.70 or €29 each. If you were to book tickets online for adult return from Eindhoven to Dusseldorf it costs €52 each or €208 altogether. So this is a savings of €23 each.
Planning Your Journey
Omio is a great app to use for buying train tickets, especially if you are going outside of the country, to Germany or Belgium. It is a one stop shop, allowing you to purchase all the tickets for multiple countries in the one place. I regularly get good deals on here.
The 9292 app is a good one to use to plan your train journey in the Netherlands. It is good because it has the latest updates if there are any disruptions to train times due to works on the lines and it also accounts for delayed or cancelled trains.
As well as this, If there are a group of people going on the journey, at an off-peak time, book your tickets here for a much cheaper price.
I hope this post gave you some inspiration for day trips from Eindhoven. If it was beneficial, share it with your friends or comment below. Plus, don’t forget to subscribe for more travel tips and tricks.
Thanks for reading,
Lisa
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