Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum Tickets – Prices, Combos, Timing

You need separate Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum tickets unless you book a combo ticket that bundles both attractions. Neither museum sells tickets at the door anymore. They are about 3 minutes apart on Museumplein, so doing both in one day is doable if you book wisely and pace yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Both museums run 100% timed entry in 2026. No walk-up sales, no exceptions, not even for pass holders.
• The Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are roughly 350 meters apart. 
• The Van Gogh Museum welcomed over 1.8 million visitors last year, and the Rijksmuseum pulled in more than 2.7 million.
• A combo ticket usually costs less than booking each museum separately without the planning headache.

I’ll be honest, my first museum day in Amsterdam underestimated everything. The walking, the queues, how long I’d actually want to stand in front of Sunflowers. I wish someone had told me all these things I’m going to tell you now.

Do You Need Separate Tickets for Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum?

Yes. You Need Separate Tickets for Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, and no exceptions here, not even for pass holders.

The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum are two completely different institutions with two completely different ticketing systems. A ticket to one does not get you into the other. Especially for first-timers who assume “Amsterdam museum ticket” is some kind of universal pass.

Now here’s the thing. You have three ways to handle this.

Option 1. Book Each Museum Separately

You control your own time slots. More flexible if your schedule is loose, but it’s two bookings, two confirmation emails, and two things to not forget.

Option 2. Book a Combo Ticket

One purchase, both museums, usually a beneficial combo for budget travelers. This is what I did, and it removed a layer of stress I didn’t know I was carrying. I booked through Van Gogh Museum tickets with the Rijksmuseum add-on, and one confirmation instead of two made the visit smoother.

Option 3. A Guided Combo Tour

A guided option like the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum small group art adventure gets you both museums with someone explaining what you’re looking at. Worth it if you read every plaque anyway.

Even Museumkaart holders, ICOM members, and VriendenLoterij VIP-KAART holders still have to reserve a start time online at the Van Gogh Museum. Along with the e-ticket, valid discount passes get scanned at the entrance, but a start time still has to be booked. The same rules apply at the Rijksmuseum.

All visitors are required to book a start time, and this applies to everyone, including Friends of the museum or Museum Card holders.

Related tip. If you’ve hit a wall trying to book directly through the official site, find out what to do when Van Gogh Museum tickets sold out. 

How Far Apart Are Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum?

About 300 meters apart, a 3 to 5 minute walk. Both sit on Museumplein, Amsterdam’s museum square, close enough that you’ll see one from the other’s front steps. No tram, no bike, no transfer needed between them. You just walk across the square.

That’s exactly why combo tickets covering both museums are so common and why so many visitors fit both into a single day without feeling rushed. 

Rather, you should figure out the broader logistics of getting to the area first. How to get to the Van Gogh Museum covers trams, bikes, and parking near Museumplein.

Combo Tickets vs. Booking Separately – Which Works For You?

Booking separately is good for you if your schedule is unpredictable. Say you want the option to skip the Rijksmuseum if your morning at Van Gogh runs long. Combo tickets make sense once you know you want both. 

For most people reading this, I’d lean toward the combo. Because the Van Gogh Museum skip-the-line tickets paired with reserved Rijksmuseum access remove the two biggest stress points of the day, worrying about queues and worrying about whether your two time slots leave enough of a gap.

Want a real human explaining the Night Watch instead of a wall placard? The Rijksmuseum guided tour with access or the Van Gogh Museum guided tour with access both deliver.

Best Time Slots to Avoid the Longest Queues

Go early or go on a Friday evening.

The Rijksmuseum

Usually, there are fewer people in the museum before 11 am and after 3:30 pm, and the relatively peaceful days are Tuesday and Wednesday. That tracked with what I saw. My 9:15 AM slot on a Wednesday meant the Gallery of Honour was almost mine alone for a good 20 minutes before the tour groups rolled in.

The Van Gogh Museum

It runs a bit differently timing-wise. It’s open daily from 9 am to 6 pm and Fridays until 9 pm, which means Friday evening is genuinely your quietest option there. Fewer families, fewer big groups, and more room to actually stand in front of Sunflowers

Best and Worst Times

•    Best. Weekday mornings (9 to 11 AM), Friday evenings after 6 PM
•    Worst. Weekend afternoons, school holidays, anything between 11 AM and 3 PM in peak season (April through September)

Can You Visit Both Museums in One Day?

Yes, and it’s genuinely one of the better museum days in Europe. The two museums cover very different ground, though. Rijksmuseum holds around 8,000 objects across 80 galleries and four floors, spanning 800 years of Dutch art and history.

Van Gogh Museum is smaller, containing about 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 700 letters, all from one artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Mostly arranged across four floors in chronological order.

How Much Time Do Both Museums Take? 

The Rijksmuseum usually takes 2 to 3 hours minimum. The Van Gogh Museum fits comfortably into 90 minutes to 2 hours. Most people manage both in a single day precisely because the walk between them barely counts as a walk.

Plan two to three hours at each museum for a real visit. That’s 5 to 6 hours total or a half day, plus the walk between and probably a lunch break. Doable in a single day without sprinting.

What to See First – A Simple One-Day Itinerary

After visiting several times, this is how I’d structure it if I were doing this again.

• 9:00 AM. Van Gogh Museum. Book the earliest slot you can get. Most visitors spend two to three hours here to view the permanent collection and exhibition, including the café and shop, so give yourself that window.
• 12:00 PM. Lunch somewhere on or near Museumplein. Don’t skip this. You’ll need it.
• 1:30 PM. Rijksmuseum. Afternoon works here since the worst crowding tends to ease off after the 11 AM to 3 PM peak window, though you’ll still catch some of it if you arrive right at 1:30.
• 4:00 PM onward. Wander the gardens, hit the gift shop, or just sit somewhere and let your brain process what you just saw. Take a moment of pause for this beautiful experience. 

For further knowledge of how these two museums actually compare in scale, style, and what’s inside, this guide on Van Gogh Museum vs Rijksmuseum breaks it down room by room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum tickets at the entrance?

No. Both museums are online booking only, with no ticket sales at the door.

Do children need tickets too?

Visitors under 18 get free entry at the Van Gogh Museum & Rijksmuseum, but a timed slot still needs to be booked for them.

Is the Rijksmuseum bigger than the Van Gogh Museum?

Yes, considerably. The Rijksmuseum holds over a million objects across roughly 80 rooms, while the Van Gogh Museum is more focused and compact.

What happens if I’m late for my time slot?

Policies vary, but arriving 10 to 15 minutes early is safer. Being significantly late can mean losing your slot entirely.

Is one museum enough if I’m short on time?

It can be, but most first-time Amsterdam visitors regret skipping one. Prioritize based on whether you care more about Van Gogh specifically or Dutch Golden Age art broadly.

Ready To Book Your Museum Day?

Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum tickets don’t need to be an either-or decision. Book a combo if you want both in one trip, or grab them separately if your schedule only allows for one. Either way, book ahead, as both sell out fast in peak season.