Do you want to visit the Kröller-Müller Museum? But unsure how to get to Kröller Müller Museum from Amsterdam.
You’re not alone. This museum might be the most challenging museum to reach. But you’re in the right place, and it is doable.
You can get to the Kröller-Müller museum by:
- Public Transportation (cheapest but most time-consuming)
- Hiring a Private Driver (most comfortable, but most expensive)
- By Taxi (cheaper then a private driver, but with limitations)
- Rental Car (cheaper than a driver, but you’d have to drive yourself)
- Group Tour (a little cheaper than a private driver)
The Kröller Müller is a fantastic museum for those who like modern art and nature combined. Since the Kröller-Müller museum is located in National Park “De Hoge Veluwe.”
It’s world-famous for having one of the largest collections of Van Gogh’s paintings, only second to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
I’m a Dutch private guide, and I will explore all transportation options from Amsterdam to the Kröller-Müller Museum in this article.
PS: Here is my article for Kröller-Müller Museum tips.
After reading this article, you know exactly whether you should go by public transportation, drive yourself, hire a private driver, or take a small group tour.
I also want to touch on the tickets you need. The museum is within the Hoge Veluwe National Park, which charges admission separately from the museum.
Imagine yourself standing in front of the 2nd largest Van Gogh collection. Secure your combo ticket for De Hoge Veluwe National and the Kröller-Müller Museum today for only €24.75.
Table of Contents
The museum is located inside the National Park “De Hoge Veluwe” in the eastern part of the country.
It’s not near a city, so transportation options from Amsterdam can be time-consuming, but it’s absolutely possible.
It’s well worth it. The National Park is beautiful, and the museum has the world’s second-largest Van Gogh collection. If you’re a Van Gogh fan, it’s worth your effort.
Van Gogh is the number one reason I love this museum so much. But the sculpture garden is also beautiful. And I personally love the rooms with the pointillism paintings.
4 Ways: How To Get To The Kroller Muller Museum
1. Public Transportation (cheapest, but slowest)
Getting to the Kröller Müller by public transport is an adventure and requires multiple transfers of different transit systems. But for those who are adventurous at heart, it is the lower-cost option.
There is some confusion out there about whether it’s possible to get to the museum by public transport from Amsterdam; I mean all the way to the Museum, not just the National Park’s gate.
I see online questions about whether there is a bus stop in front of the museum or if you must take a taxi or a bicycle for the final leg.
Let’s clarify: You can reach the Kröller-Müller Museum from Amsterdam all the way to the front door by public transport, but it takes time. It’s an adventure, and I admit it’s not for everyone.
But if you’re interested in trying, please keep reading. I’ll give you all the information you need for free.
I’ve read in some articles that the travel time is two hours, but it’s shorter: 1 hour and 36 minutes if you take the correct route and there are no delays.
The final bus (small bus) taking you inside the park stops at the Kröller-Müller Museum every day except Sundays. You do not need to take a taxi or bike if you don’t want to.
A trip to the Kroller Muller Museum in the National Park De Hoge Veluwe takes 96 minutes if there are no delays. If you’re unlucky, it can take up to three hours.
This is the quickest way to get there by public transportation:
- Take the Intercity train from Amsterdam Central Station to Amersfoort. This takes about 30 minutes. 2x per hour.
- In Amersfoort, you transfer on a local train towards Ede-Wageningen or Barneveld Zuid. Up to 4x per hour. Disembark at “Barneveld Centrum“.
- Cross the road, and within a few minutes, you can take the bus to Otterlo (bus 105 > direction Arnhem). The bus journey takes 20 minutes and takes you through a lovely Dutch landscape.
- Exit at the stop “Rotonde Otterlo.” Wait at the same stop you disembarked.
- The small shuttle bus (line 106) to the museum comes at the same spot.
- This bus stops at the park’s entrance for a ticket check. The national park charges admission. Please don’t be the person who has not already purchased a ticket (you can get your Hoge Veluwe ticket here).
- Exit the bus at the “Kroller Moller Museum,” in front of the museum.
I took this route myself recently, and it worked like a charm. Everything ran on time, and all connections were easy.
Alternatively, you can also take a train to Ede-Wageningen via Utrecht. This is a direct train from Amsterdam, you save yourself one transfer. But this route is about 10 minutes longer than the one I mentioned above, and a little more expensive.
Once you get to Ede-Wageningen, take the bus to Otterlo (bus 108 > direction Apeldoorn), exit at the “Rotonde Otterlo” stop, then transfer to the 106 bus.
If you miss a connection, there is another one 30 minutes later.
The main issue with bus 106 is that it is a small 8-person minivan with no standing places and it runs only once an hour. If it’s full, it’s full.
You can also walk the final stretch (20 minutes to the entrance) and then take a free white bike from the National Park entrance.
No matter what, visiting the Kröller-Müller museum is a do-able day trip from Amsterdam.
Travel planners
Most locals use two different trip planners for planning a trip by public transport. They’re:
I usually like Google Maps better, especially in city environments like Amsterdam. But in this case, 9292.nl has the better travel advice. The route over Barneveld is not mentioned in Google Maps. The Google Maps route makes it unnecessarily longer and more expensive.
How to Buy Public Transportation Tickets to the Museum?
For this route, it is very straightforward:
Buy a train ticket for the train part of your journey in advance. (roundtrip Amsterdam Centraal – Barneveld Centrum), or (Amsterdam Centraal – Ede-Wageningen) for the alternative route.
You can pay for the bus part of your journey with your contactless bank, or credit card. If your card has contactless payment activated, you can use it. (if you can tap to pay at a store, you pay in the bus) You can also use Apple Pay, or Google wallet.
How does that work?
- Once you board the bus in Barneveld or Ede-Wageningen, tap your card at the reader upon boarding.
- You tap out when you exit. You repeat these exact steps on transferring bus 106 into the park.
- Make sure to have one card per person. You can not travel with more people on the same debit or credit card.
- By tapping in when you board, and tap again when you leave the correct fare can be calculated which is distance depended. If you forget to check out the maximum fare is charged.
It sounds a little complicated. I get that. But it’s a quick process; it’s super easy once you get the hang of it. It ensures you pay the lowest possible price.
Back to Amsterdam, you take the same route in reverse.
My tip: You’re not bound by exact departure times. If you miss a connection, you can take the next one, tickets are never bound to a specific departure.
However, if you buy a discounted off-peak ticket for the train part of your journey, you can not travel between 7-9 AM and 4-6:30 PM on weekdays.
The total price for a roundtrip journey is about €40-€50 per person.
PS: So what are those messages on online forums about you needing to take a taxi or bike from Otterlo? For example, I saw this review: “From the “Otterlo Rotonde” stop, you can walk to the National Park entrance (15 minutes). But from there, it’s another 2 miles / 3 kilometers to the museum’s entrance.“
While that is true, you can just as quickly transfer to the 106 bus from that stop and be taken straight to the museum’s entrance without walking, biking, or using any taxi. (Not on Sundays) as long there are no more than 8 people waiting.
So the answer is you can get to the park by bus to the museum’s front door. But keep in mind on Sundays, services are more limited. It’s best to avoid visiting on a Sunday if you travel by public transportation.
Also note on Mondays the museum has limited opening hours. Check if it’s is open on your preferred date and time.
2. By a Private Driver
Another option is booking a private driver. I offer this service with Hidden Holland.
It’s €599 and there are quite some advantages to this option:
- Save time. Public transportation takes much longer.
- No hassle. No transit to deal with, or driving in a foreign country yourself.
- Convenience. I’ll pick you up at your accommodation, no meeting points.
- More time. You’ll have more time at the park than with a group tour.
- More than just a transfer. I remain available during the day.
- I personalize your tour. You’re not limited to a pre-set program.
- Flexible. I can adapt travel times to your needs.
- Access to a local. You’ll have a Dutch driver. Thus direct access to a local.
- Optional Full-Day Tour. When you want to make this a Van Gogh Day, we can combine your visit with Nuenen in Brabant, also known as Van Gogh Village. This truly enriches your Van Gogh experience. Or instead, you can add a tour of the medieval city of Amersfoort. Or choose a visit to a gorgeous castle called Het Loo near Apeldoorn. You can get a lot more from your Kröller-Müller museum day and see a side of the Netherlands not many visitors get to see!
Read more about a private transfer here, I’ll confirm availability within 24 hours.
This is a private transfer. We’re primarily your driver with park access. You’ll visit the museum on your own. We can take a tour around the park time allowing, or visit other locations in the park.
- Pickup at your accommodation
- Pre-transfer call included
- Private transportation
- Visit the Kröller Museum
- Visit NP Park Hoge Veluwe
- Length 6.5 hours
After the Kröller-Müller Museum and National Park visit you extend your day with a trip to Amersfoort’s medieval gorgeousness or Palace Het Loo, Holland’s most famed castle in Apeldoorn.
- Pickup at your accommodation
- Pre-tour call included
- Private transportation
- Visit the Kröller Museum
- Choose Het Loo or Amersfoort
- 10-12 hours
Pair a trip to the Kröller-Müller Museum, (second-largest Van Gogh collection), with a visit to Nuenen to explore actual places he painted. We can even have dinner at one of these locations.
- Pickup at your accommodation
- Pre-tour call included
- Private transportation
- Visit the Kröller Museum
- Visit Nuenen > Van Gogh Village
- 11-13 hours
We just returned from a wonderful day with Gerrit. We visited the Kröller Müller Museum……a must see……and the park followed by an afternoon in Amersfoort. Gerrit was the best. We were never rushed and Gerrit was very knowledgeable about the history and stories of the region and offered tips for the remainder of our trip. It was a tour we will never forget.
– Ellin and Jon Hewes. New Mexico
3. Private Taxi
You can also pre-book a taxi. Prices are slightly lower than booking a private transfer with me.
The main benefit compared to a car rental is that you don’t have to drive yourself; a driver will bring you to the park’s entrance.
The downside of a taxi compared to a private transfer with us is that a taxi can not enter the park.
That means instead of taking you to the museum entrance inside the park as we do with a private transfer, you’d have to take the free white bikes at the entrance or the hourly 106 shuttle if it’s not yet full, not free).
A taxi driver cannot drive the National Park loop as we would or take you around to other locations inside the National Park. You might get a different driver for your return journey, while we (if you book our Private Transfer) will wait for you and use the same car.
With a taxi, I can not guarantee you’ll get a Dutch driver or its driving qualities. If you book a private transfer (see above) with us, you’ll get a Dutch local as your driver, and my drivers (and myself if I am your host) are all polite, friendly, and safe drivers.
The benefit of a taxi is that it’s a little bit cheaper and still private. If you’re interested you can book your taxi here:
When you book a taxi in advance you can save up to 70% off the metered priced and enjoy a fixed price. With coverage around the country.
4. By Rental Car
Getting to the Kroller Moller Museum from Amsterdam by car is easy. From Amsterdam, take the A1 Motorway to Amersfoort and Hengelo. Take the Otterlo exit. The park and the museum will be signposted from thereon.
The driving distance between Amsterdam and the Kröller Müller museum is 82 kilometers or 51 miles. Without traffic, it would take about 75 minutes. However, expect traffic, especially on the return journey.
I recommend two websites for finding the best deals on car rentals: Rental Cars and Discovery Cars. I would search them both and find the best prices, I usually find the best deals on Rental Cars.
Expect rental costs of about €100 for one day, plus gas or electricity. Which is expensive here. It’s about €9 a gallon or equivalent. For a roundtrip to Kröller Müller expect about €30 in gasoline/electricity costs.
Make sure to get full insurance since car rental companies are more strict about damages, even small ones, in Europe. Also, traffic is much busier than in most other places.
You have two parking options. I recommend including a parking day ticket with your entrance ticket reservation (it costs about €9). That allows you to move around and park inside the park. When you book your park and Museum ticket here, you will be asked if you want to include parking/car. You say yes.
A cheaper (about €5) parking ticket is available at the gate, but you must leave your car outside the park and ride a bicycle to the museum and other locations, which is not always convenient. For the small extra charge I would get the other ticket.
5. By Organized Group Tour
You can also take a day trip tour to the Kröller Müller Museum with a small group tour.
The museum also recommends the tour that I recommend. It’s not cheap; the current price is €199 per person.
If you’re traveling with two people, a private transfer with Hidden Holland is slightly more expensive. But with the extra benefit of flexibility in time, more time at the park/museum, no other people traveling with you, and a pick up from your accommodation.
The small group tour includes transportation to the park by minivan, all entrance and admission fees, and a short museum tour. After that, you’ll have free time to explore the rest of the museum and the sculpture garden.
Even though it’s expensive, it can be worth the money because you don’t have to transfer trains and buses or buy tickets. Everything is taken care of for you, and it’s cheaper than a private driver if you travel with three people or less.
If you’re interested, you can find availability and book your tickets for the Kröller-Müller Day Tour here.
Information About Entrance Tickets
I mentioned it before, but the Kröller-Müller Museum is in the middle of the National Park “De Hoge Veluwe.” To enter, you need a ticket not only to the museum but also to the park. You can buy both in the section below.
The Entrance Price for the National Park the Hoge Veluwe is currently (April 2024) €13.05 per person. Tickets for the Kröller-Müller Museum costs €13.
Save 5% by buying both tickets together in a combi deal.
You must choose a time slot for the museum, but it’s usually not strictly enforced. This museum is not as busy as Amsterdam museums are. Choose as best as possible, but don’t stress if you’ll be later (or earlier).
I strongly advise buying your tickets before you travel to avoid a delay at the entrance gate.
If you book a private transfer with us or a small group tour, you don’t have to worry about tickets. It will be taken care of for you.
Practical Information
The Museum is open daily in summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday’s from noon). The rest of the year (September to May) the museum is closed on Mondays. From November 1 to April 1, some sculptures are not accessible because of weather conditions.
If you visit by public transportation, Sunday is not the best day to travel because services are limited.
Once inside the park, you can use the free white bicycles you find at every entrance and stop inside the park. There is nothing to it. You grab one and go. The park warns they can run out, and they can (rarely), but then you grab one at another spot.
These bikes have no locks. You leave it once you get there and take another one when you leave. All major sights in the park are signposted and easy to get to by these bikes.
