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Visit Leiden
Train travel to Leiden Centraal station

Leiden by train

Leiden Centraal is one of the busiest stations in the Netherlands, with direct trains to every major Dutch city and a bus station, taxi rank and bike hire right outside. The historic centre begins a five-minute walk away.

Journey times to Leiden Centraal

  • Schiphol Airport — about 20 minutes, direct
  • Amsterdam Centraal — about 35 minutes, direct
  • The Hague Centraal — about 15 minutes, direct
  • Rotterdam Centraal — about 35 minutes, direct
  • Utrecht Centraal — about 50 minutes, direct
  • Haarlem — about 25 minutes, direct

Tickets and payment

The simplest option is OVpay: tap in and out on the platform gates with a contactless bank card or phone and you are charged the standard fare. Alternatively buy a single ticket from a machine or use an OV-chipkaart. Children under 4 travel free and 4–11-year-olds can travel for a few euros with the Railrunner ticket.

Planning your journey

Live timetables are on ns.nl and 9292.nl, both available in English. Trains run at least four times an hour on the main routes, and there is a reduced night service at weekends.

Getting around after you arrive

Everything in the centre is within a 20-minute walk. OV-fiets rental bikes are available at the station, city buses leave from the front square, and the Keukenhof Express to the tulip gardens departs from the same bus station in spring.

Frequently asked questions

How often do trains run to Leiden?
Several intercity trains per hour from Amsterdam, Schiphol, The Hague and Rotterdam.
How do I buy a train ticket?
Through the NS app, at a ticket machine, or by tapping a contactless bank card at the gates.
How far is the station from the centre?
About a ten-minute walk to Beestenmarkt and the historic centre.