The Rotterdam Marathon starts at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge. The Waterbus departs from Willemsplein, a five-minute walk from the finish line. Take it south and east along the Nieuwe Maas, change onto the smaller Driehoeksveer ferry at Ridderkerk, and you arrive at Kinderdijk forty to forty-five minutes after leaving Rotterdam, still wearing your medal if you choose to.
April in Kinderdijk: The windmills are operational and the site opens for the season. Nineteen mills line two parallel canals in a formation unchanged since the 1740s, when they were built to pump water from the Alblasserwaard polder. The sails occasionally turn; the mills still function. The surrounding fields are green in April rather than the saturated gold of late summer, and the crowds that arrive in May have not yet materialised. The light in early April is flat and northern, which suits photography rather well.
Getting There
From the marathon finish on the Coolsingel, walk west to Willemsplein (approximately 5 minutes). The Waterbus Line 20 departs from here; journey time to the Driehoeksveer interchange at Ridderkerk is approximately 30 minutes. Change onto the smaller Driehoeksveer ferry for the final stretch to Kinderdijk (approximately 10 minutes). The full transit takes 40--45 minutes.
On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a direct WaterShuttle service runs from Rotterdam Erasmusbrug to Kinderdijk in approximately 30 minutes, without the interchange. Check the current schedule at waterway.nl before travelling; this is the easier option if the days align. Line 20 with the Driehoeksveer connection operates daily.
Site entry is approximately €18.50 for adults. Check kinderdijk.nl for current pricing and consider booking online to avoid queuing at the entrance.
The Site
The entrance fee covers the exterior circuit and one interior mill viewing. The outdoor path runs along both canal banks for approximately 3km on compacted gravel, entirely flat, with a few short timber bridges between the canal islands. An electric boat tour (approximately €5 extra) covers the same ground afloat - a practical option if walking feels overambitious the morning after 42km.
The mill open for interior viewing is accessed via a narrow internal staircase. Note that these stairs are steep enough to make descent uncomfortable on post-marathon quadriceps - assess honestly before committing to the climb. The exterior circuit is the main event.
Two hours is enough for most visitors. The Kinderdijk Visitor Centre café serves soup and sandwiches. The nearby Café de Blauwe Reiger does Dutch lunch at a reasonable price. Neither requires a reservation.
Getting Back
Return via the same ferry and Waterbus combination. The Driehoeksveer runs roughly every 15 minutes; Waterbus Line 20 runs every 30 minutes. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the direct WaterShuttle returns to Rotterdam Erasmusbrug in 30 minutes. Check the current Waterway timetable at waterway.nl - services thin out after 18:00.
Journey time back to Rotterdam Centrum: approximately 45 minutes.