Volendam Parking Guide: Where to Park and What It Costs

Based in Zaandijk, Noord-Holland

Driving to Volendam is straightforward. I’ve parked here many times — once in mid-August on a Saturday when the main lot was full, once on a Tuesday in April when I had the closest row to myself, and several times in between. The difference is exactly what you’d expect: summer weekends are genuinely congested, weekday mornings are easy.

Check the signed central garages and official parking facilities; their availability and approach routes can change during busy periods. I’ve never needed to go beyond that in years of visiting, including a Saturday in late July when the harbor strip itself was so busy it was difficult to walk along.

Parking Options

When the Lots Fill Up

The closest paid lots fill fastest on summer weekends. The most reliable signal that it’s about to get worse: if you see a coach in the lot already when you arrive, assume two more are on the way. Cruise excursion days — which you can roughly predict by checking ship schedules for IJmuiden — spike parking congestion dramatically. On ordinary summer weekends without cruise ships, arriving by 10 AM is almost always sufficient. Arriving before 10:30 AM gives you the best chance at a close spot; arriving in the early afternoon on a busy Saturday may mean a longer walk from a further-out space.

Walking from the Parking Lots

Most paid lots near the centre put you within a 5-10 minute walk of the harbor. The walk itself passes through ordinary Volendam streets rather than the tourist strip, which I find preferable — you see the town arriving rather than being deposited directly into the souvenir shops, which is short enough that the parking fee rarely feels like a major inconvenience for the convenience gained. Free street parking further out adds 15-20 minutes of walking, which is worth it primarily if you’re trying to minimize costs on a longer multi-stop day.

Should You Drive or Take the Bus?

The Volendam harbourfront on an ordinary weekday afternoon.

Use the municipality’s parking information, not a vague harbour address

Volendam has more than one kind of parking. The municipality lists central parking garages, including Havenhof and Centrum Volendam, as well as the Marinapark area and other signed parking facilities. Each location has its own entrance, payment system and any time restrictions. A general instruction to ‘park near the harbour’ is not enough when you are driving a rental car through narrow streets or arriving with several people and luggage. Choose a named facility in advance, check whether it accepts your vehicle and save the address of the actual car entrance rather than only a shop or restaurant near the harbour.

Use the municipality’s parking page for the current list and follow the tariff displayed at the site itself. A general tariff quoted in an older article can become wrong after a change in local rules. A rate for coaches is not a rate for passenger cars, and a garage’s hourly fee does not necessarily match a surface car park’s maximum-stay arrangement. Do not assume street parking is free merely because the pavement is far from tourist shops: blue zones, permits and other restrictions may apply.

Which parking choice fits the kind of visit you want?

For a short harbour walk with someone who finds long distances difficult, compare the garage’s pedestrian exit with the route to the exact waterside point you want to reach. A parking area that seems close on a map can still involve a longer walk around buildings. For a family with a pushchair, test the walking route and look for step-free access rather than focusing solely on the lowest fee. For a longer lunch-and-shopping visit, check whether the tariff structure and closing hours fit the entire stay, including the time spent getting everyone back to the car.

If you are already driving to several destinations in the region, choose a location from which you can leave Volendam easily rather than entering a residential street in search of a theoretically cheaper space. The effort of searching, circling and walking back can outweigh a modest parking difference. Your navigation app may show a car park as available without reflecting special event closures or a temporary change to the entrance; follow current local signs when they conflict with an older digital map.

Parking when you plan to take the ferry to Marken

If you leave the car in Volendam and board a one-way ferry to Marken, you still need a practical way to return to the car. Check the ferry’s current return sailing times before committing to a parking session. The official ferry operator provides departures and boarding information; our combined village itinerary explains the difference between a circular public-transport day and a round trip for a driver. Do not assume that a return bus to Amsterdam ends at the car park where you started.

Allow enough time between arriving back in Volendam and your parking session ending. If your group stays longer in Marken or weather affects sailings, you may need a different return route; check that option before leaving the car. Keep a note or photograph of the facility name and entrance, and save the payment instructions. If the ferry is the main purpose of your visit and transport from Amsterdam is convenient, avoiding a car altogether may be simpler than managing two separate return journeys.

What to do when your first choice is full

Pick a second named, authorised parking facility before setting off. When you reach a ‘full’ sign, follow local directions instead of driving repeatedly down the same narrow harbour street. Do not stop in a loading zone while your group gets out to search for other parking; that can obstruct deliveries and create a risk for pedestrians. If you have a wheelchair user, look for the facility’s designated accessible spaces and check eligibility rather than assuming a normal bay near the entrance will meet your needs.

At busy times, the most convenient garage may be full even when another authorised location has spaces. An open space on a residential street does not tell you whether it is legal to park there. Check restriction signs, time limits and any local permit conditions every time. A car park further from the harbour may suit a healthy adult on a long day, but it may not be a realistic substitute for someone with reduced mobility. Choose a safe and legal option rather than trying to preserve a rigid sightseeing schedule at all costs.

Compare driving with travelling by bus

If you are staying near a convenient regional-bus stop in Amsterdam, compare the entire group fare and return travel time with your own driving costs. Include rental charges if you would hire a car solely for this day, and include parking at your Amsterdam accommodation if relevant. A city-only public-transport pass is not necessarily valid for a regional bus; use a live route planner and check the fare conditions of the operator shown on your itinerary.

Driving may still make sense when you have a vehicle for several destinations, need to carry equipment or want to visit places less convenient by public transport. But the most suitable option is itinerary-specific: the ferry, your meal plan and the location of your next stop all matter. For a discussion of whether Volendam itself deserves a longer visit, see our Volendam guide. For a straightforward Amsterdam departure without parking, check current routes on 9292.

🙋 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there free parking in Volendam?

Central garages and many visitor facilities charge a fee. Do not assume residential street spaces are unrestricted; check the municipality’s current parking rules and on-site signs.

How much does parking cost in Volendam?

Check the current tariff for your chosen garage or parking facility on the municipality’s site and at the entrance. Do not assume an hourly or daily tariff applies to every facility.

Is it better to drive or take the bus to Volendam?

For visitors based in central Amsterdam without a car, the direct bus is simpler and avoids parking costs entirely. Driving makes more sense if you’re combining Volendam with other car-dependent stops the same day.

What time should I arrive to find easy parking in Volendam?

Before 10:30 AM gives you the best chance at the closest paid lots, particularly on summer weekends when cruise excursion groups and day-trippers arrive in larger numbers by midday.

Final Recommendation

If you’re planning to combine this with Marken, see our one-day combined itinerary for the full logistics.

Sources: volendam.nl  |  Personal observation — Noord-Holland  |  Details can change; check the linked official sources before booking