Amsterdam Light Festival 2026

The festival places light artworks along the water and lets you choose how to see them: by canal cruise, on foot or by bike, each with its own route information. Edition 16, for the winter after this one, is still only at the open-call stage, so this is the edition to plan a trip around.

Edition 15 runs for 53 nights, from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, and the artworks stand in the canals rather than in a hall. That is the difference from a gallery show: the same route can be taken by boat, on foot or by bike, and the festival publishes separate route information for each. Edition 16 is still at the open-call stage, so this winter is the one that can be planned.

The lights are reported on from 17:00, to 22:00 on Sunday to Tuesday and to 23:00 from Wednesday to Saturday, with 17:00 to 23:00 every day during the Christmas break from 22 December to 6 January. On 31 December they go out at 21:00. Early in the week is therefore both the quietest and the shortest evening.

• AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), about 11 km
• From the airportTrain to Amsterdam Centraal, at least every 15 min by day, about 20 min — NS ticket from desk or machine
• Public transportTrams, buses, metro and ferries (GVB): GVB day/multi-day tickets cover all lines incl. night buses; 1 h and 24 h chip cards sold on board — no cash on buses or trams
• TaxiCab stands at Dam Square, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, Uber — Hail or use a stand
• Time zoneEurope/Amsterdam