Concertgebouw Amsterdam


Opened on the 11th of April 1888, Amsterdam’s famous Royal Concertgebouw still remains one of the finest concert halls in the world and can be mentioned in the same breath as Boston’s Symphony Hall and the Musikverein in Vienna. On 11 April 2013, on the building’s 125th anniversary, Queen Beatrix (now Princess Beatrix) bestowed the Royal Title “Koninklijk” on the famous building.

“Concertgebouw” is a Dutch term that can be literally translated as “concert building.” Designed by the architect Adolf Leonard van Gendt, construction started in 1883 and was completed in 1886. The first concert took place on its opening day in 1888 with an inaugural concert, in which an orchestra of 120 musicians and a chorus of 500 singers participated, performing works of Wagner, Handel, Bach, and Beethoven. The resident orchestra of the Concertgebouw is the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest), which gave its first concert in the hall on 3 November 1888 and was also bestowed with the Royal title “Koninklijk” by the then Queen Beatrix in 1988.

Via the blue buttons blue, you can ensure your visite to an evening or morning concert at the Concertgebouw. Choice your date. 

Inside the Concertgebouw

The Concertgebouw has two famous concert halls; the Grote Zaal with 1974 seats and the Kleine Zaal with 437 seats. Recently, the Koorzaal (150 seats) was opened and now plays host to different Choirs from all over the world. The combination of the two world-class venues (Grote en Kleine Zaal) makes the Concertgebouw perhaps the most beautiful concert hall in the world.

The Concertgebouw has a great tradition in the area of organizing legendary concerts by greats such as, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Bernard Haitink, Yehudi Menuhin, Jessye Norman, Vladimir Horowitz, Cecilia Bartoli, Louis Armstrong, Sting and others. Together with other orchestras, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra puts together some of the best peformances and is according to many experts the best orchestra in the world.

concertgebouw amsterdam

Concertgebouw Amsterdam Opening hours

If an evening concert is taking place in the Concertgebouw, the ticket office is always open even after 7pm. If there is no concert taking place, then the ticket office closes at 5pm. Concertgebouw is open throughout the week while it is important to note that different opening times may apply on public holidays. 

Monday till Friday  13:00 – 19:00
Saturday and Sunday  10:00 – 19:00

Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam Ticket Prices and Discount Tickets

You can order tickets online at any time of the day on the Tiqets website. There is the Evening Concert and the Sunday Morning Concert.

The Evening Concert starts at 20:15 (doors open at 19:35) and the concert lasts 140 minutes. The tickets comes with one wine, beer or soft drink when you arrive and another during the interval. It is advised to arrive at 19:45 to beat the lines and avoid the crowds.

– Order your tickets via Tiqets.com make sure to use our exclusive discount code ‘THINGSAMS05‘ and get 5% discount –

Please note that in order to see the precise price for a concert ticket, you will have to click on a date!

Also worthy of note is that, visitors aren’t allowed to make audio or video recordings!

Note: For the Evening Concert, visitors can make cancellations up to 72 hours before the start of the concert.

The Sunday Morning Concert starts at 11:00 am and lasts for 60 minutes. It is advised to be present at 10:40 am to beat the queues. Front row seats are guaranteed with this ticket and it also comes with one free drink before the concert starts.

Note: Cancellations are not possible for the Sunday Morning Concert tickets.

Important: For visitors on wheelchairs, please inform the venue prior to the visit. Call 0900 671 83 45 (€ 1,- per call).

The Royal Concertgebouw offers various possibilities to make your visit to a concert extra special. For example, you can take a guided tour around certain concerts, enjoy a brunch, or dine in the Spiegelzaal. You can order these extras directly online, if applicable.

Evening Concert Starts at €46,50 (2 free drinks)
Sunday Morning Concert Starts at €27,- (1 free drink before the concert)

Royal Concertgebouw FAQ

What happens if I arrive too late for a concert?

Latecomers aren’t allowed to enter the halls after the start of a concert as this can be quite disruptive and also due to the excellent acoustics of the halls. Latecomers usually have to wait until intermission to enter. In that case, you can watch the concert on the monitor until you are allowed to enter.

Can I leave my suitcase and other items other than coats and umbrellas in the Concertgebouw’s cloakroom?

Of course, items you bring with you are certainly allowed in the cloakroom. You can also hang coats on the unattended clothing racks. Unfortunately, large objects are not allowed in the concert halls and definitely have to be left in the cloakroom.

Are guide dogs for the blind allowed in the building?

Officially trained guide dogs for the blind are allowed in the halls. It is advised to notify the Concertgebouw in advance that you will be bringing your guide dog. Please call the Concertgebouw Line: 0900 671 83 45 (€ 1,- per call).

Can I bring my 3-year-old child to a classical concert?

Classical concerts are open to children 6 years of age and older.

Am I allowed to enter the Concertgebouw during the day to have a look around?

This is unfortunately not possible. There are lunch concerts on Wednesdays at 12.30 pm, and these are free and open to the public. There are also guided tours for tourists on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Is there a specific dress code for the Concertgebouw?

No, the Concertgebouw does not have a dress code.

Address and Contact Information of the Royal Concertgebouw

Address

Concertgebouwplein 10
1071 LN Amsterdam
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +31 (0)20 573 05 73 (not for tickets)

Public transport to the Royal Concertgebouw

The Royal Concertgebouw is easily accessible by tram from various NS stations in Amsterdam.

From Amsterdam Central Station to the Concertgebouw:

  • Tram 2, 5 en 24, bus 347, 357 en Niteliners N47, N57 en N97.
  • Station Zuid WTC: tram 5
  • Station Amstel: tram 12
  • Station Sloterdijk: tram 12
  • Station Muiderpoort: tram 3
  • P+R Olympisch Stadion: tram 24

Get off at the Van Baerlestraat stop (tram 2) at the Museumplein stop (tram 3, 5 and 12, busses) or Roelof Hartplein (tram 24). These stops are all around the corner of the Concertgebouw.

The following Connexxion buses all stop at the Museumplein stop, which is located opposite the main entrance of the Concertgebouw.

  • Bus 347 (Uithoorn via Amstelveen)
  • Bus 357 (Aalsmeer via Amstelveen)
  • Bus 397 (Nieuw-Vennep)
  • N47 (Uithoorn, Niteliner)
  • N57 (Aalsmeer, Niteliner)
  • N97 (Nieuw-Vennep, Niteliner)

Parking near the Concertgebouw:

Q-Park Museumplein, entrance at the Van Baerlestraat: Visitors to the Concertgebouw can park at a 25% discount in Q-Park Museumplein. Discount tickets are available on presentation of your concert card at the cloakroom and the ticket office at Het Concertgebouw. This discount is not available in combination with the pre-booking of a parking space. If you pay by credit card, you must first enter the discount card and then your credit card when you leave the garage.

Parking rates near the Royal Concertgebouw Monday to Saturday (Sunday free):
Per hour: € 4,- (09.00 – 24.00 uur)
Day Tickets: From € 24,- (09.00 – 19.00 uur)
Evening Tickets: € 16,- (19.00 – 24.00 uur)

Invalid parking space:

There are seven invalid parking places next to the main entrance. Holders of a valid National Parking waiver (LPO) or European disabled parking card (GPK) can park here for free.

Charging points for electric cars:

The Concertgebouw has about three locations with a total of eight charging points for your electric car in its vicinity. They’re all accessible for Plug Type II and Load Type <= 22kW and are charging points without restrictions. You will find them at:

  • Concertgebouwplein 3 (4 charging points)
  • Alexander Boersstraat 18 (2 charging points)
  • Wanningstraat 2 (2 charging points)

Have you been to the Royal Concertgebouw? Please leave a review and help out others to decide whether it's something for them! Was it an unforgettable concert? Is it worth visiting? Would you recommend it to friends? Tell us about your experience by leaving a review form below.


Reviews

No reviews found

Leave your rating

Rating *

Take a look at one of the following museums below or go back to the general Amsterdam museums page.

Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum

Discover Rembrandt’s nightwatch and many more famous Dutch artists

Amsterdam Dungeon

Amsterdam Dungeon

Check out live shows on the history of Amsterdam

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds

Take a selfie with the Dutch Royal family!