The best main stop for Anne Frank House is Amsterdam Centraal if you are arriving by train or from Schiphol Airport. From Amsterdam Centraal, the simplest route is usually to walk for about 20 minutes. If you want to reduce the walk, take a tram toward Dam Square and walk the final 10 minutes from there, because Anne Frank House notes that trams are not running up to Westermarkt during works from 15 February 2025 to February 2028.
Anne Frank House is located at Prinsengracht 263-267, but the visitor entrance is around the corner at Westermarkt 20. That detail matters more than it first seems. If you aim only for the canal-house address, you may arrive close to the museum but still need to correct your final approach.
Use Amsterdam Centraal as the main arrival anchor
For most visitors, Amsterdam Centraal is the clearest transport anchor for Anne Frank House. It works well if you are arriving from Schiphol Airport, another Dutch city, or a hotel connected to Amsterdam’s main rail network.
From Amsterdam Centraal, you have two practical choices:
- walk directly to Anne Frank House in about 20 minutes
- take a tram toward Dam Square, then walk about 10 minutes to the entrance
The direct walk is often the cleanest choice if the weather is good and you are comfortable walking through the city center. The Dam Square option is better if you want a shorter walk or if rain, luggage, crowds, or low energy make the full walk less appealing.
Do not build the route around the old idea of taking a tram straight to Westermarkt. During the current works period, official Anne Frank House guidance says there is no tram running up to Westermarkt. Dam Square is the practical tram fallback.
The address and entrance are not the same thing
Anne Frank House has two location details you should keep separate:
- Museum location: Prinsengracht 263-267
- Visitor entrance: Westermarkt 20
The entrance is around the corner from the canal-house address. This is the small detail that prevents last-minute confusion.
If your map brings you near Prinsengracht but the entrance does not feel obvious, do not keep wandering along the canal. Re-check Westermarkt 20. The entrance side is the route detail that matters at the end.
This is also why the best final-walk anchor is not just “the canals.” Use Westermarkt 20 as the practical arrival point.
From Schiphol Airport to Anne Frank House
From Schiphol Airport, take the train to Amsterdam Centraal first. Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal are connected by frequent trains, and this gives you a simple first stage before you deal with the final city-center approach.
A practical route is:
- Follow signs for trains at Schiphol Airport.
- Take a train to Amsterdam Centraal.
- At Amsterdam Centraal, choose either the direct walk or tram toward Dam Square.
- If walking, aim for Westermarkt 20.
- If using tram, get off near Dam Square and walk the remaining section to Westermarkt 20.
This route works because it separates the journey into two easy parts: airport to city, then city to museum entrance.
The mistake to avoid is trying to solve the full route while you are still at the airport. Get to Amsterdam Centraal first. Then decide whether walking or the Dam Square tram option fits your energy, luggage, and weather.
Walking from Amsterdam Centraal
Walking from Amsterdam Centraal is the simplest route for many visitors. It avoids extra transfer decisions and gives you a steady approach through the old city.
Before leaving the station area, set your map destination to Westermarkt 20 rather than only Anne Frank House. This keeps the final entrance point clear.
The walk should feel like a gradual move away from the station area and toward Amsterdam’s canal-side center. You may pass busy streets, bridges, narrow sidewalks, bikes, and pedestrians moving in several directions. Keep the route simple. A slightly longer route with fewer turns is often easier than a shortcut through small side streets.
As you get closer, the area should feel more canal-focused and less like the station district. Do not assume that reaching Prinsengracht means you are finished. The entrance is at Westermarkt 20, around the corner from the museum address.
Taking a tram to Dam Square
If you do not want the full walk from Amsterdam Centraal, take a tram toward Dam Square and walk from there. This is the most useful public-transport fallback during the period when trams are not running up to Westermarkt.
Treat Dam Square as a stepping stone, not the destination. Once you get off, you still need to walk about 10 minutes toward Westermarkt 20.
Use this option if:
- the weather is poor
- you are tired after arriving by train
- you want to shorten the walk
- you are travelling with someone who prefers less walking
- crowds near the station make the direct walk feel less comfortable
The mistake is expecting the tram to solve the whole route. It does not. It simply shortens the walking section and gives you a central reset point.
Why Westermarkt tram advice can be outdated
Older route advice may still mention taking a tram to Westermarkt. Be careful with that.
Anne Frank House states that from 15 February 2025 to February 2028, there is no tram running up to the Westermarkt stop. During this period, the practical tram option is to ride toward Dam Square and walk from there.
This is the main reason this article is useful as a separate route guide. A visitor using old advice can arrive in Amsterdam expecting a simple tram-to-Westermarkt route, then waste time correcting the plan.
Use the current pattern:
Amsterdam Centraal → walk to Anne Frank House
or
Amsterdam Centraal → tram to Dam Square → walk to Westermarkt 20
From Amsterdam city center
If you are already in central Amsterdam, choose your route based on where you are standing.
If you are near Amsterdam Centraal, walk or use the Dam Square tram option.
If you are already near Dam Square, walk west toward Westermarkt 20.
If you are in the Jordaan area, you may already be close enough to walk directly. In that case, use Westermarkt 20 as the map target rather than returning to Amsterdam Centraal.
Metro is usually not the best main answer for Anne Frank House from the central station area. The destination is close enough that walking or tram-plus-walk is usually simpler than building a metro route.
Taxi or ride-hailing
Taxi or ride-hailing can be useful if you have luggage, children, poor weather, limited mobility, or a timed ticket and low energy. It can also help after a long flight when you want to avoid route decisions.
Set the destination as Anne Frank House or Westermarkt 20. If the driver cannot stop directly at the entrance because of narrow streets, bikes, pedestrians, traffic rules, or crowding, ask for the closest practical drop-off near Westermarkt.
After getting out, do not rush into nearby side streets. Confirm Westermarkt 20 and the entrance side before walking the final minute.
Taxi is the easiest comfort option, but it is not always faster than walking from Amsterdam Centraal, especially in a busy central area.
Biking is possible, but not the easiest first-visit plan
Amsterdam is a bike city, but biking to Anne Frank House is not always the easiest choice for a first-time visitor. The area near the museum can be crowded, and the final approach includes pedestrians, bikes, canals, bridges, and narrow streets.
Bike only if you are already comfortable cycling in Amsterdam.
If you bike, do not read turn-by-turn directions while moving. Stop at corners, check the next segment, then continue. Near the museum, be ready to park and finish on foot.
For most visitors, walking from Amsterdam Centraal or using the Dam Square tram fallback is easier.
The final walk to the entrance
The final walk should end at Westermarkt 20. This is the entrance point, even though the museum itself is located at Prinsengracht 263-267.
As you get close, the route should feel more specific. You are no longer just walking through central Amsterdam. You are looking for the entrance side of one museum in a canal-side neighborhood.
Useful final anchors include:
- Westermarkt
- Westermarkt 20
- Prinsengracht
- the canal-side museum location
- the entrance around the corner from the museum address
The common mistake is arriving near the canal address and assuming the entrance must be directly in front of you. If the entrance is not clear, check Westermarkt 20 rather than walking farther along the canal.
Slow down in the last few minutes. This is the part where a small correction prevents unnecessary backtracking.
If you get turned around
If you are still near Amsterdam Centraal, reset there and choose again: direct walk or tram toward Dam Square.
If you are already near Dam Square, do not go back to Centraal. Set Westermarkt 20 as your destination and walk from there.
If you are already near Prinsengracht but cannot find the entrance, stop using the canal address as your target. Switch your map target to Westermarkt 20.
Use this reset order:
- Amsterdam Centraal if you are still near the station
- Dam Square if you used the tram fallback
- Westermarkt 20 if you are already close to the museum
Route comparison
| Route | Typical time | Transfers | Walking difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam Centraal to Anne Frank House by walking | About 20 minutes | 0 | Moderate | Simple route, good weather, light bags |
| Amsterdam Centraal to Dam Square by tram, then walk | About 15 to 30 minutes | 1 | Easy to moderate | Shorter walk, rain, low energy |
| Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal, then walk | About 40 to 65 minutes | 1 main stage | Moderate | Airport arrivals who want a clear plan |
| Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal, tram to Dam Square, then walk | About 40 to 70 minutes | 2 main stages | Easy to moderate | Airport arrivals who want less walking |
| Taxi or ride-hailing from Amsterdam Centraal | About 10 to 25 minutes depending on traffic | 0 | Very easy | Luggage, children, poor weather |
| Bike from central Amsterdam | Varies | 0 | Moderate | Confident cyclists only |
These are practical planning ranges, not perfect-case timings. The best route is the one you can follow calmly, especially if you have a timed museum visit.
FAQ
What is the best stop for Anne Frank House?
Amsterdam Centraal is the best main arrival anchor for most visitors. If you want to reduce walking, Dam Square is the practical tram fallback during the current works period.
Can I still take a tram to Westermarkt?
Not in the usual old-route way during the current works period. Anne Frank House states that from 15 February 2025 to February 2028, trams are not running up to Westermarkt. Use Dam Square as the tram fallback and walk from there.
How far is Anne Frank House from Amsterdam Centraal?
Anne Frank House official guidance says it is about a 20-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station.
Where is the entrance to Anne Frank House?
The museum is located at Prinsengracht 263-267, but the visitor entrance is around the corner at Westermarkt 20.
What is the easiest route from Schiphol Airport?
Take the train from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal. From there, either walk about 20 minutes or take a tram toward Dam Square and walk the final part.
Is metro the best way to get there?
Usually no, not from Amsterdam Centraal. Walking or tram toward Dam Square plus walking is simpler for most visitors.
Should I use taxi or ride-hailing?
Taxi or ride-hailing is useful with luggage, children, bad weather, limited mobility, or low energy. Otherwise, the walk from Amsterdam Centraal is often simple enough.
Quick checklist
- Use Amsterdam Centraal as your main city anchor.
- Walk from Centraal if you want the simplest route.
- Use Dam Square as the tram fallback.
- Do not rely on old tram-to-Westermarkt advice during the works period.
- Aim for Westermarkt 20, not only Prinsengracht 263-267.
- Slow down near the entrance so you do not overshoot the final corner.
Nearby Amsterdam route to continue with
After visiting Anne Frank House, Jordaan is a natural nearby area to explore because it sits on the same old-center side of Amsterdam and does not require returning through Amsterdam Centraal.
Sources checked
Anne Frank House official practical information – confirmed the museum address at Prinsengracht 263-267, visitor entrance at Westermarkt 20, 20-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station, no tram service to Westermarkt from 15 February 2025 to February 2028, and Dam Square as the practical tram fallback with a 10-minute walk – https://www.annefrank.org/en/museum/practical-information/
Schiphol Airport official train page – confirmed train service between Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal, frequency, and approximate 17-minute journey time – https://www.schiphol.nl/en/from-to-schiphol/by-public-transport/train
NS official Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam route page – confirmed direct train route information between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam – https://www.ns.nl/en/routes/schiphol-airport-to-amsterdam
GVB official journey planner – confirmed GVB provides up-to-date Amsterdam tram, metro, and bus route planning and departure information – https://www.gvb.nl/en/travel-information/journey-planner
