New Year's Eve in Amsterdam: fireworks, parties and tips

Fireworks: what is banned in 2026-2027

Amsterdam banned setting off fireworks throughout the city from New Year's Eve 2020-2021, after several New Year's nights marked by fires, injuries and violence against emergency services. The rule was written permanently into the city's police bylaws in 2021. Only category F1 items, such as sparklers, small fountains and snap pops, remained allowed.

Since 1 August 2026, the national Safe New Year's Eve Act (Wet veilige jaarwisseling) goes further: across the Netherlands, consumer fireworks may no longer be bought, sold or kept, not just set off. New Year's Eve 2026-2027 is therefore the first without any sale of firecrackers or rockets in the country. What is still allowed:

• F1 items (sparklers, snap pops, small fountains), freely sold to anyone over 12.
• Professional displays, set off by licensed pyrotechnicians with a permit.
• Displays by associations such as neighbourhood groups, sports clubs or fireworks societies, if the mayor grants them an exemption and they keep to the safety distances.

For travellers, the upshot is simple: do not bring firecrackers or rockets bought in Belgium or Germany. Merely possessing them is now an offence and can lead to a fine. In practice, illegal fireworks are still set off in some neighbourhoods every year: keep your distance if you see any.

Where to see a show on 31 December

There is no big municipal fireworks display over the IJ like in some other capitals. In recent years the main event has been held on Museumplein, between the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw.

• Electric Fireworks: this show of light, lasers and pyrotechnics synchronised to music is backed by the city as an alternative to firecrackers. On New Year's Eve 2025-2026, the evening on the square started around 23:00 with live music, followed by a countdown on a giant clock and the show at midnight. Entry was free, and the event drew more than 60,000 people.
• Electric Fireworks Junior: a short version for children, at the same place around 19:00, lets families enjoy a "midnight" early in the evening. It drew more than 20,000 people in 2025-2026.
• Sloterplas: in Nieuw-West, a fireworks display of about ten minutes was set off at midnight on the lakeside, near the Meervaart theatre, last New Year's Eve.

The 2026-2027 edition of these shows had not been announced in early October 2026: the programme is usually published in December by the city and by I amsterdam. Museumplein fills up fast: arrive early, dress warmly and plan to get back on foot or by taxi (see public transport below).

Nieuwmarkt, Dam and the canals: midnight in the historic centre

Without official fireworks, many locals and visitors spend midnight outdoors on the squares of the centre. The Nieuwmarkt, around the Waag, a 15th-century former city gate, has long been one of the liveliest New Year's gatherings, with its cafés and terraces on the edge of Chinatown. Dam Square also draws thousands of people: in 2025-2026 the city held a countdown there with music and lights, the first in seventeen years, but the police cleared the square shortly after midnight following clashes between groups.

Last New Year's Eve, cars were banned from 20:00 to 03:00 on the Dam, Damrak, Rokin, part of the Amstel and the Nieuwmarkt. These squares are also designated as security risk areas where the police may carry out preventive searches.

For a calmer atmosphere, the quays along the canals offer lovely views of the illuminated bridges. Keep away from the edge: the quays often have no railings, and the ground is slippery in winter.

Parties, dinners and New Year's Eve cruises

On the evening of 31 December, most of the celebrating happens indoors, and needs booking:

• A'DAM Tower: above the A'DAM Lookout, on the north bank of the IJ, the revolving restaurant Moon and the MADAM bar have offered New Year's Eve dinners and parties with a view of the city in recent years. Packages, times and prices are published in the autumn; the Lookout is normally open from 10:00 to 22:00.
• Clubs and venues: most clubs hold a New Year's party that runs until morning, with tickets sold in advance. Our guide to Amsterdam at night covers the main areas and venues.
• Restaurants: many serve only a single, pricier set menu that evening and are fully booked weeks ahead.
• Cruises: several canal-boat companies run New Year's Eve cruises, with dinner or around midnight. Programmes change from year to year: compare the length, what is included and the boarding point before booking.

The Amsterdam Light Festival runs through the holidays, from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. On 31 December its artworks stay lit only until 21:00 instead of 23:00, and its information points are closed: do the walking route or the cruise early in the evening, or come back on 1 January.

Oliebollen and the Nieuwjaarsduik: Dutch traditions

You cannot spend New Year's Eve in the Netherlands without oliebollen. These deep-fried dough balls, plain or with raisins, are eaten dusted with icing sugar. From early December, stalls pop up on squares and street corners, and on 31 December the queues grow longer through the afternoon. They often come with appelflappen, puff-pastry apple turnovers. Our guide on what to eat in Amsterdam covers the other specialities.

At midnight, people toast with champagne or sparkling wine and wish each other "Gelukkig nieuwjaar!". Before that, many families watch the oudejaarsconference on television, the comedy show that looks back on the past year.

On 1 January, thousands of Dutch people plunge into icy water for the Nieuwjaarsduik. The most famous takes place on the beach at Scheveningen, in The Hague, and the oldest at Zandvoort, on the coast west of Amsterdam, since 1960. Amsterdam has its own too: the Nieuwjaarsduik at the Sloterplas, in Nieuw-West, whose 17th edition took place on 1 January 2026 at 13:00 on the lake's beach, free of charge and without registration. The 2027 times are announced in December.

Public transport on 31 December and 1 January

This is the most important thing to plan for: on New Year's Eve, public transport almost completely stops. For New Year's Eve 2025-2026, the arrangements were as follows:

• GVB (tram, metro, bus): no regular trams, metros or buses from 20:00. The night network restarted at 01:30 with metro lines 52 and 54, night buses and the F3 and F4 ferries to Amsterdam-Noord.
• NS trains: no trains after about 20:00, except between Schiphol Airport and Central Station, served until 22:00. From 01:00 a night network then linked Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht; normal service resumed around 10:00 on 1 January.
• Central Station: according to I amsterdam, the station was fully closed from 20:00 to 01:00.
• 1 January: GVB runs its Sunday timetable.

The 2026-2027 timetables are published in December by GVB and NS. If you arrive on 31 December, plan to be at your hotel before 20:00. To get back after midnight, count on walking, night buses or a taxi booked in advance, with long waits likely. Cycling is not recommended that night. All tickets and passes are explained in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.

Museums and attractions open on 31 December and 1 January

Most major museums stay open on 31 December but close earlier. On 1 January, several places are closed and others only open at noon.

Opening hours and prices as checked in October 2026 on official websites; some places only publish their holiday hours in December. 1 January is the ideal day for a museum that opens at noon, such as NEMO, whose rooftop terrace overlooks the Oosterdok, or for a walk along the still-quiet canals.

Safety and practical tips

• Book early: New Year is one of the most expensive times of the year for hotels, with the 12.5% tourist tax on top. Our guide on where to stay in Amsterdam helps you choose a neighbourhood; close to the centre, you can walk back.
• Crowds: on Museumplein, the Dam or the Nieuwmarkt, keep your phone and wallet in a closed pocket, as pickpockets take advantage of the crush. Our guide to scams and safety in Amsterdam explains the risks.
• Illegal fireworks: despite the ban, firecrackers are still thrown in some neighbourhoods, sometimes at passers-by or emergency services. Move away from groups setting them off and protect your ears and eyes, especially children's.
• Emergencies: 112 works for the police, fire brigade and ambulance.
• On 1 January, many shops, cafés and supermarkets are closed or open late: do your shopping the day before.

Further reading

To make the most of the festive season, our guide to Christmas in Amsterdam covers December's markets and ice rinks, and Amsterdam in winter has ideas for January and February. If you are still deciding on dates, compare the seasons in our guide to the best time to visit Amsterdam, and to explore the area around the Waag, read our guide to the Nieuwmarkt neighbourhood.