Rent a boat and steer it by yourself- Amsterdam

This is the best and funniest way to discover the city of Amsterdam. You need to rent a boat!! If the weather is nice, meaning it’s a sunny day and more than 25 degrees, you will see many boats on the canal and even people taking a bath in the Amstel river. It will be a new and amazing perspective of the city!

The only requirement to rent a boat is the age, you have to be over 18. On this post, I’ll tell you some tips, rules, boat renting companies… and also a beautiful route to do and many points of interest.

Rent a boat in Amsterdam

Where can I rent a boat?

There are several companies in Amsterdam but I’ve only tried two of them:

Mokumboot

I tried Mokumboot in 2018. The boats were comfortable, and I liked the steering wheel. If you go with children, this would be my preferred option. The seats face the centre, and there is more space for kids to move. In 2026, self-drive boats take up to 8 people. Bigger boats come with a skipper. There are pick-up locations around Amsterdam. The minimum rental is 2 hours: 97.50 euro for 2 hours, 140 for 3 or 170 for 4, per boat. Add 2.70 euro tourist tax per person. There is also a 100 euro deposit, paid by card at departure. A map and instructions are included. They open daily from 9:00 to 22:00.

Website: Mokumboot – Amsterdam Boat Rental

MotorBoats

I also tried Canal Motorboats in 2018. In 2026, their electric self-drive boats have a steering wheel and take up to 8 people (look the picture of the boats here). The main pick-up is Zandhoek 22, a short walk west of Central Station, with four other pick-up points. The old one-hour option is gone. Both companies now cost about the same for 2 hours. Here, 2 hours cost 80 euro on weekdays or 100 at weekends, 3 hours cost 150 and 4 cost 200. Add 2.60 euro city tax per person. No licence is needed, but the captain must be 18 or older.

Website: Canal MotorBoats

Sailing on the canals of Amsterdam | Navegando por los canales de Amsterdam

Both companies require a deposit and also they both will give you a map of the city with routes and all you need to know. All the boats have life vests just in case you need them.

Besides, these boats are fully electric, nice news for the environment!! For more information about these companies and how to make a book check their websites.

Tips and rules, sailing on the canals of Amsterdam

Rules

You don’t need boating license for renting a small boat.
The driver can’t sail under the influence of alcohol.
You need to stay on the right side of the canal, like you were driving a car in the Netherlands.
The biggest boat and the boats coming for the right have priority.
The speed for all the canals is limited to 6 km/h but don’t worry because it’s the maximum speed of the boats you can rent.
Reduce the speed when approaching bridges and bends.
There are forbidden areas where you can’t sail: IJ and Kostverlorenvaart. The IJ is the big river behind the Central Station of Amsterdam, where the cruises sail. The Kostverlorenvaart is a canal in the west side of Amsterdam, you can cross it, but not going along this canal.
Don’t shout and don’t play any music on board. Music is forbidden in Amsterdam, even at low volume. There are people living in boats on the canal, so respect them.

Tips

You can bring some food and drinks for the trip or you can also stop in a dock and go to the supermarket.
There are cool places in Amsterdam to take a break and drink or eat. Check my map below to find: Waterkant, Pizzeria San Marco (you can buy a pizza from the boat!!!), Hannekes Boom, Brouwerij ‘t IJ.
How many hours do I need to make a route? It depends on the starting point and what you want to do during the trip. If you start at the city center and you don’t plan to stop, I think 2 hours is enough. You will do a nice route not too far to the center. But if you rent the boat in the Amstel river and you want to go to the Waterkant or Hannekes Boom to get a drink, you’ll need more time.
You should pay also attention to see the tourist points like: Magere Brug, Westerkerk and Anne Frank Huis, Rijksmuseum, the Dancing Ladies, the house with the narrowest façade in Amsterdam (Singel 7), the Red District, the Flower Market, Kloveniersburgwal 26, bridge of 15 bridges, etc. All these points are on the map.
Although the day may be warm, you should bring a jacket because, when the sun goes down or you are in a shadow, the temperature over the canal may be cold. On the other hand, if it is very warm bring a cap!
The price is per boat so the more you are the less you pay per person.
If you have allergies and it is spring or summer remember to bring antihistamine.

A sailing route in Amsterdam – Map

The next map shows one of the routes that I’ve done in Amsterdam. It’s a long route, it takes around 4 hours.

You can download the map and use it in offline mode following the steps in Take my Google maps for your trip and check them while offline or, if you have data connection, you can add the map to your favorites in Google Maps by clicking the star (after the name of the map ‘Rent a boat in Amsterdam’ there is a star, click there).

Special days to rent a boat in Amsterdam

Keep in mind that it may be more difficult to rent a boat during special days like:

Amsterdam Light Festival – Between November and January
King’s Day in Amsterdam or in Dutch ‘Koningsdag’ – 27 of April
Pride Amsterdam, Canal Parade – Between July and August (some canals can be blocked during the Canal Parade)
Sinterklaas, Canal Parade – November (some canals can be blocked)

➽ More activities in the Netherlands on Extra Netherlands.

Any contribution or question is welcome, please write a comment!

Comments (2)

Alicia de Trotajoches. July 16, 2018

Que ganas tengo de volver a Amsterdam con el peque. Y así alquilamos esa barquita Mokumboot con volante que, como bien dices, seguro que al niño le gusta más 😉

Lena July 16, 2018

Es la mejor manera de ver la ciudad, mucho menos cansado, sin tener que ir esquivando a otros turistas y, además, es muy divertido! Obvio que si venís por aquí tienes que avisarme ? Saludoss