Ferries from Ameland

Ameland's ferry lands at Nes, and the island runs some twenty-five kilometres east to west from there — four villages, a lighthouse at the far end, and dunes for most of the distance between. Where you land is not where you are going.

The crossing

Ameland to Holwerd takes about 25 minutes, with 20 sailings, operated by Wagenborg Passagiersdiensten. 40 active sailings across the port.

The channel across the Wadden Sea is silting badly and one-way working is in force — see the Holwerd page for what that means for timekeeping.

⚠ Think hard before bringing a car

Ameland does admit vehicles, unlike Vlieland. But the island is small, flat, comprehensively covered by cycle paths, and served by buses that meet the boats. Vehicle space on the ferry is limited and expensive, and it is the first thing to sell out.

For most stays the right answer is to leave the car at Holwerd and hire bicycles at Nes. That is what a large share of Dutch visitors do.

The four villages

Running west to east: Hollum, the largest by population; Ballum, the smallest; Nes, where the ferry lands and where most of the shops and restaurants are; and Buren at the eastern end.

Hollum has the Bornrif lighthouse — 55.3 m, built in 1880 by order of William III to a design by Quirinus Harder, and open to climb. The island covers 53.83 km² and holds a little over 3,800 permanent residents, which is what a bus network and year-round shops are built on.

What the island is

One of the Dutch Wadden islands, with the North Sea beach along the whole northern shore and the tidal flats on the southern side. The eastern end is a nature reserve and largely empty.

Wadlopen — walking the mudflats at low tide with a licensed guide — starts from this coast and is a genuinely Frisian way to arrive or leave.

Season

Year-round service. Dutch school holidays fill the boats completely; the autumn and early spring are when the island is at its best and the vehicle deck at its emptiest.