How to See the Tulips in the Netherlands by Train

Every spring, the sprawling fields of the Netherlands erupt in kaleidoscopic blooms as tulip season returns. Believe it or not, one of the best ways to take in the botanical scenery is from a window seat on an everyday commuter train. Fork over just $9 and you’ll get a front-row view of one of the most epic flower displays in the world.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the Dutch national railway company, gets people from point A to point B with ease. Its Haarlem-to-Leiden route takes just 21 minutes, with more than 100 trains departing daily, and tickets begin at only €7.80 (about $9). While it’s not an over-the-top luxurious experience, the train is comfortable enough—and you’ll be too focused on watching the tulip fields pass by to worry about luxury anyway.

On this quick journey, the train travels through Noordwijkerhout, a town that comes into full bloom in the spring with thousands of flowers bursting through the soil. And it’s not just the famed regional tulips on display here. As the community’s official website explains, “You can smell and see daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips everywhere.”

Travelers can take a 15-minute taxi ride to Noordwijkerhout from the train station in Leiden, or catch a public bus, to go for a leisurely walk through the fields. Better yet, do it the Dutch way and rent a bike to cycle among the flowers. The town makes it rather easy to explore all the picture-perfect spots thanks to its interactive Flower Map. The one thing the community asks is that you respect each and every plant as if it were in your own garden. 

“When you find yourself standing beside a brilliantly colored flower field, it can be all too tempting to charge in amongst the flowers. Resist the urge,” the site reads. “The flowers and bulbs are fragile, and if you have any plant diseases on your shoes, you risk taking them in with you. This would be a pity for nature, but also a major loss for the growers. So enjoy the view, but please show respect for the flowers and grower: do not enter the fields without the grower’s express consent.”

Of course, you can always choose to just stay on the train and take the 21-minute journey back to Haarlem, soaking in the view of the flowers from both directions. Just be sure to visit the Netherlands during the annual Tulip Festival (March 19 to May 10 in 2026) to ensure you get the best views of the big bloom.