The Hague: Hop-on Hop-off Old-Fashioned Heritage Tram Tour

The most charming way to get your bearings in The Hague may be aboard a 65-year-old Dutch tram. It rattles from the historic center past Parliament and the Peace Palace, then out to Scheveningen beach, giving you a useful look at a city spread across several distinct areas.

I like the unlimited all-day riding and the chance to combine sightseeing with practical transport. You can ride one full circuit, then hop off at places such as Madurodam, the Peace Palace, or the beach. The main drawback is finding the stops: the signs can be hard to spot, especially around the center, so arrive with the stop location ready on your phone.

Key points

• A vintage tram with a real sense of place: The old vehicle is part of the experience, not just a way to move between sights.
• Fourteen stops across the city: You can connect the center, Central Station, museums, the Peace Palace, and Scheveningen.
• Every 30 minutes: The service runs from 10:15 AM to 4:45 PM, making it easy to plan several short stops.
• An audio guide in multiple languages: Commentary is offered in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and German.
• Good value at $18: A single ticket gives you unlimited use for the day, useful when sights are spread far apart.
• Important access warning: The tram has narrow doors, steps, and no step-free boarding.

Why the old tram is a smart first look at The Hague

The Hague is not a compact old town that you can fully understand from one short walk. Its official buildings sit near the center, grand residential streets lead toward the coast, and Scheveningen is several miles away. This tram ties those pieces together in one ride.

I would use it early in the day. Stay aboard for a full circuit first, listen to the commentary, and note where you want to return. Then use the same ticket as transport. It is a simple way to get your bearings fast without paying separately for a city tour and a series of local tram rides.

The old vehicle adds atmosphere. You are not sitting in a modern city tram with a route map and little else. The narrow doors and historic fittings are part of the character, though they also create the trip’s biggest practical limits.

The audio commentary is offered in several languages, and Dutch, English, and German speaking staff are available. The presentation is designed to be easy to follow, although some sections may feel light on detail. A few recordings can also sound too loud or include odd noises, particularly on the stretch between Central Station and Madurodam.

Following the route from Gravenstraat to Centrum

Stop 1, Gravenstraat, is a natural place to begin if you are already in the old center. The tram then reaches Centrum, Stop 2, just a couple of minutes later. These stops put you near The Hague’s central streets and make a good starting point for a first ride.

At this end of the route, you can expect urban scenery, historic buildings, and easy access to the heart of the city. The exact stop posts are marked with a Tourist Tram sticker, but the signs are not always prominent. I would not rely on simply spotting a large tour sign from across the street.

The schedule begins at about 10:15 AM at Gravenstraat and continues every 30 minutes. The published times show the tram reaching Centrum at 10:17 AM, though you should check the current timetable before setting out, since schedules can change.

Stop 14, Kerkplein, is also in the center. It appears near the beginning of the circuit in the published times, so check the route information carefully if you plan to board there. The central stops are close enough to make the old town the easiest place to start, but the precise boarding point matters.

Central Station and Malieveld: useful stops for city orientation

Stop 3 is at Centraal Station, the most practical boarding point if you arrive in The Hague by train. It also gives you a clear connection between the city’s transport hub and the sightseeing route.

The tram reaches Central Station at about 10:22 AM on the first circuit, then returns every half hour. If you are staying near the station, this saves you from walking into the center before the tour even begins.

Next comes Malieveld, Stop 4. This broad open area provides a change from the close streets of the center. It is a useful stop if you want to break your ride into smaller sections, though the main value here is seeing how quickly The Hague shifts from government buildings to open urban space.

A full ride without getting off is a sensible choice if your time is limited. You will see the route’s main character in one go, then decide if any stop deserves a second visit. The audio guide helps turn a simple ride into a city introduction, though do not expect every street or building to receive a long explanation.

Madurodam and Nieuwe Duinweg: the move toward the coast

Stop 5, Madurodam, marks the route’s shift toward The Hague’s coastal side. Madurodam is a well-known miniature park, but this ticket covers the tram ride only. Admission to other attractions is not included, so plan to buy separate entry if you want to visit.

This is a helpful stop for families and for anyone already planning Madurodam. You can use the tram as a link between the center and the attraction, then continue toward the beach. The first tram reaches this stop at roughly 10:29 AM, with service every 30 minutes.

Stop 6, Nieuwe Duinweg, continues toward Scheveningen. The area gives you a sense of the transition from central The Hague to its seaside district. There is less reason to get off here unless you have a specific destination nearby, but it helps show the full range of the route.

The timing matters. From the first central departures to the later coastal stops, the tram moves at a steady pace, but one missed departure can mean a 30-minute wait. Keep an eye on the clock if you leave the tram for a short visit.

Kurhaus and Zwarte Pad: two different faces of Scheveningen

Stop 7, Kurhaus, brings you to one of Scheveningen’s best-known seaside landmarks. The stop is useful for the main resort area, where you can leave the tram and spend time by the coast before catching a later service.

Stop 8, Zwarte Pad, takes you farther along the beach district. This is a good example of why the ticket can be more useful than a standard sightseeing loop. You are not limited to viewing the coast through a tram window. You can choose a stop, walk around, and board again later.

The first arrival at Kurhaus is listed at about 10:34 AM, followed by Zwarte Pad at 10:41 AM. Later departures continue at half-hour intervals. If you want time at Scheveningen, you should not wait until the final circuit of the day.

The last full round leaves Stop 1 at 4:45 PM. Late-day departures from the outer stops may not complete the entire route, and the last two trams from some stops terminate in the city center. This is particularly important around World Forum and the Peace Palace. Check the destination displayed on the tram before boarding late in the afternoon.

Keizerstraat and World Forum: from local streets to international The Hague

Stop 9, Keizerstraat, serves another part of Scheveningen. It offers a different point for exploring the seaside district and gives you a choice of where to get off rather than forcing everyone to use the main Kurhaus stop.

The tram then reaches World Forum at Stop 10. The area is connected with international conferences and institutions, and it helps explain The Hague’s role beyond its royal and seaside image. You may find this stretch less immediately picturesque than the beach or old center, but it adds useful context to the city.

The first World Forum arrival is listed at around 10:51 AM. The late afternoon service needs care here, since the last two trams from this part of the route terminate in the city center rather than continuing as a complete loop.

If you are making a short stop, allow enough time to return to the marked boarding point. The signs can be easy to miss, and the tram may not stop directly in front of the attraction you have just visited.

The Peace Palace, Mauritskade, and Kneuterdijk

Stop 11, Vredespaleis, is the stop for the Peace Palace. The building is one of The Hague’s defining sights, and this stop makes it easy to include without arranging a separate ride.

The tram does not promise entry to the Peace Palace. The ticket provides transport and commentary, not admission to the building or a guided interior visit. If seeing inside is important to you, check its separate visiting arrangements before building your day around the stop.

The first tram reaches the Peace Palace at about 10:54 AM. This part of the route is especially useful for a sightseeing day because you can combine a short look at the building with the center and the coast on one ticket.

Stop 12, Mauritskade, returns you toward central The Hague. It is a convenient point if you want to leave the tram before the final central stops, while Stop 13, Kneuterdijk, places you close to the old city and its formal government quarter.

Kneuterdijk is listed at around 10:59 AM on the first circuit. These stops are close enough to the center that you may prefer to walk from one of them, especially if you are finished with the audio commentary and want to explore at street level.

What the audio guide adds, and where it falls short

The audio guide is one of the main reasons to choose this over an ordinary public tram ride. You get commentary in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and German, so you can follow the city story in a familiar language.

I like having the commentary while riding through less familiar parts of town. It gives meaning to buildings and districts that might otherwise pass by as background. The guide is also useful when you stay aboard for the whole loop.

The presentation is not equally strong at every point. Some sections may offer less detail than you want, and audio levels can vary. There can also be strange sounds in parts of the recording, especially between Central Station and Madurodam. If you are sensitive to loud audio, keep the volume adjustable and treat the guide as an introduction rather than a full historical lecture.

Staff are available in Dutch, English, and German. Their role matters because the boarding points can be confusing. Ask for help if you are unsure, and allow extra time to locate the correct stop.

Is $18 good value for one day?

At $18 per person, the ticket is fairly priced if you use it for more than one ride. A single full circuit gives you a broad view of The Hague, but the stronger value comes from using it as a hop-on hop-off connection between the center, the Peace Palace, Madurodam, and Scheveningen.

It is less useful if you only want to reach one destination. For that, a regular public transport ticket may be more suitable, though this experience adds the historic tram and audio guide.

The ticket is valid for one day, and you can board at any of the 14 stops. You do not need to begin at Gravenstraat. That flexibility is helpful if you arrive at Central Station or start your day near the beach.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those options are useful if your city plans are still moving around, but the main buying decision is simple: can you ride enough to make the day ticket worthwhile?

Practical details before you board

The tram runs every 30 minutes from about 10:15 AM through the afternoon. The first full departure from Gravenstraat is at 10:15 AM, and the last full round leaves there at 4:45 PM.

You can copy the plus code for each stop into Google Maps, adding Den Haag as the city. This is especially useful for Gravenstraat, Centrum, Central Station, and the coastal stops, where the Tourist Tram sticker may not be easy to see.

Food is not allowed on board, and neither are alcohol or drugs. The tram is historic, so comfort and access are not the same as on a modern low-floor vehicle.

Baby strollers and wheelchairs must be folded or taken apart easily to fit through the narrow doors. There is no step-free access between the platform and tram, and the activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. If you have any concern about steps or boarding, contact the provider before booking.

Who should book the Tourist Tram?

I would choose this ride if you have one day in The Hague and want a clear introduction without arranging several separate journeys. It suits first-time visitors, families who want an easy overview, and anyone staying near Central Station or the center who also wants to see Scheveningen.

It is also a good match for anyone who enjoys transport with character. The old tram is the attraction as much as the route is.

I would think twice if you need step-free access, expect a detailed guided tour at every stop, or plan to visit only one sight. In those cases, the narrow doors, uneven audio quality, and limited commentary may make the $18 less appealing.

Should you book this tram tour?

Book it if you want to see the center, the Peace Palace, Madurodam, and Scheveningen in one flexible day. Start early, ride a full circuit, and use the marked stops carefully. The best value comes from getting off at two or three places, then boarding again.

Skip it if you need a fully accessible vehicle or a highly detailed live tour. For most visitors with ordinary mobility and limited time, though, the vintage tram offers a pleasant and practical way to understand how The Hague fits together.

FAQ

How long is the ticket valid?

The ticket is valid for one day, with unlimited use of the Hop-on Hop-off tram during that day.

How often does the tram run?

The tram operates every 30 minutes from about 10:15 AM to 4:45 PM.

Where can I board the tram?

You can board at any of the 14 listed stops, including Gravenstraat, Centrum, Central Station, Madurodam, Kurhaus, the Peace Palace, Kneuterdijk, and Kerkplein.

Can I start at Central Station?

Yes. Central Station is Stop 3 on the route, and you can begin your ride there.

Is an audio guide included?

Yes. An audio guide is included, with listed language options including Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and German.

Are live guides available?

Dutch, English, and German speaking hosts or greeters are available.

Can I bring a stroller or wheelchair?

Only strollers and wheelchairs that can be easily collapsed or disassembled fit through the narrow tram doors. The tram does not have step-free access between the platform and vehicle.

Is the tram suitable for people with mobility impairments?

The activity is listed as unsuitable for people with mobility impairments because of the steps, narrow doors, and lack of step-free access.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.