Ferries from Texel

The ferry lands at 't Horntje, at the very southern tip, and Texel runs about twenty kilometres north from there. Everything about arriving here is shaped by that: you are never at your destination when you step off the boat, and the island is big enough that the difference matters.

Where you land

't Horntje is a hamlet with a ferry ramp, not a village with facilities. Den Burg, the island's main town, is several kilometres north; De Koog and the beach resorts further still.

Buses meet the boats and run the length of the island, and bicycles are hired at the terminal. Both are normal here — Texel is flat and the cycle network is dense.

The crossing

Texel to Den Helder takes about 20 minutes, every half hour, from 06:30 to 21:30, 365 days a year. Our timetable holds 56 active sailings, operated by Royal TESO.

It is the busiest ferry route in the Netherlands, carrying around 4 million passengers a year — see the Den Helder page for the mainland end.

⚠ The last boat is earlier than you think

21:30 from the mainland side sounds late until you are on the island on a summer evening with a return to make. Check the final departure in your direction rather than assuming symmetry, and remember that the bus from the north of the island to 't Horntje takes time.

Cars, and whether to bring one

Texel does take vehicles, unlike its neighbours further east. Whether you want one is another question: the island is 20 km long with a good bus network and better cycling, and the vehicle deck is where the summer queue forms.

For a week in one place, leave the car in Den Helder. For touring the whole island with luggage, bring it and book ahead.

What the island is

The largest of the Dutch Wadden islands, with dunes, sheep, a national park and long beaches on the North Sea side. It is the only one of the group with a full road network and a real town, which is why it takes the traffic the others do not.