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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Castricum
Use Castricum as a one-night beach-and-dunes base, not a sightseeing town: 2 nights if you want a full beach day, otherwise day-trip it from Alkmaar or Haarlem.
Castricum is a small North Holland town between the dunes and the North Sea, about 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam and 15 from Alkmaar. Its draw is the beach at Castricum aan Zee, the wide dune reserve behind it and a provincial archaeology museum by the station. The town centre itself takes under an hour to walk. Most travellers come for a half-day at the coast or one quiet night away from Amsterdam prices.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- May–Sep for the beach; Apr–May and Sep for dunes without crowds
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (cold, wet, most beach pavilions closed or short hours)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards dominate; some shops and cafés are card-only and a few supermarkets accept debit cards but not all credit cards, so carry both.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €85–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- KPN, Vodafone and Odido run the networks; Lebara and Lyca sell cheap prepaid SIMs in supermarkets and at Schiphol.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-urgent 0900-8844
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin; UK and US plugs need adapters.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: 5–10% for good service; tell the server the total when paying by card.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Not expected.
- Water
- Tap water is among the best in Europe; restaurants may charge for it, so ask.
- Toilets
- Stations charge about €0.70–1; cafés expect you to buy something; free urinals (and a few public toilets) in city centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €2.50–4 |
| Beach pavilion lunch (sandwich or soup) | €8–15 |
| Dinner main in the town centre | €15–25 |
| Draught beer | €3.50–6 |
| Supermarket picnic for two | €12–20 |
| OV-Fiets day rental | about €5 (check) |
| Museum Huis van Hilde entry | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- Train to Castricum with one change at Amsterdam Sloterdijk or Haarlem; about 45–60 min
Typical fares
- Castricum station → Castricum aan Zee, bus 164
- about 15 min, OV-chipkaart or contactless (check)
- Castricum → Amsterdam Centraal, Intercity
- about 30–40 min (check)
- Castricum → Alkmaar, Intercity
- about 15–20 min (check)
Get around
The centre is walkable. For the beach, rent an OV-Fiets at Castricum station (pick-up at the bike shop by the station) or take bus 164 towards Egmond aan Zee. The ride to Castricum aan Zee is about 4–5 km, roughly 15–20 min by bike. Trains run south to Amsterdam and north to Alkmaar and Den Helder.The centre is walkable. For the beach, rent an OV-Fiets at Castricum station (pick-up at the bike shop by the station) or take bus 164 towards Egmond aan Zee. The ride to Castricum aan Zee is about 2.5–3.1 mi, roughly 15–20 min by bike. Trains run south to Amsterdam and north to Alkmaar and Den Helder.
See and do
Known for
- Castricum aan Zee beach
- North Holland Dune Reserve
- Museum Huis van Hilde
- Bakkum and the seaside hamlets
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Alkmaar | Intercity or Sprinter north from Castricum station | About 20–25 min |
| Bergen, North Holland | Train to Alkmaar, then bus towards Bergen aan Zee | About 45–60 min |
| Haarlem | Intercity south, change at Haarlem Spaarnwoude or direct depending on service | About 35–45 min |
| Amsterdam | Intercity south from Castricum station | About 30–40 min |
| Schagen | Train north to Alkmaar or Heerhugowaard, then bus or train onward | About 1 h |
| Den Helder | Intercity north from Castricum station | About 45–55 min |
Sleep
- Castricum centre
- Around Dorpsstraat and the station; walkable to shops, restaurants and the train.
- Bakkum and Bakkum-Noord
- Quieter, closer to the dunes and the beach path; campsites and holiday parks.
- Castricum aan Zee
- Beach pavilions and holiday homes; very limited year-round beds, book early in summer.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HalloHAH-loh |
| Thank you | Dank je weldahnk yuh vel |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Pardonpar-DON |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-VAYL kost het |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met kaart betalen?kan ik met kaart buh-TAH-lun |
| Where is the beach? | Waar is het strand?vaar is het strant |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Hugging new acquaintances
- Directness: Say what you mean; expect honest, blunt answers; avoid: Taking bluntness as rudeness
- Punctuality: Be on time; diaries plan weeks ahead; avoid: Dropping in unannounced
- Money: Split bills; pay your share; avoid: Showing off wealth
- Homes: Bring flowers or a small gift; congratulate everyone at a birthday; avoid: Expecting dinner if invited for coffee
Scams and watch-outs
- The beach is 4–5 km from the station: plan the bike or bus, or you will walk an hour each way.
- North Holland Dune Reserve has restricted entry zones and a water company permit system in places: check signs before leaving the marked paths.
- North Sea swimming is cold year-round and there are no lifeguards outside the summer season.
- Beach pavilions often close or cut hours from October to March.
Castricum is a low-crime small town and safe for tourists. The real risks are North Sea currents and cold water, unmarked dune paths, and bikes on the coastal cycle paths.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Castricum yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Castricum aan Zee beach
- North Holland Dune Reserve
- Museum Huis van Hilde
- Bakkum and the seaside hamlets
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Netherlands Board of Tourism (NBTC) — North Holland: www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/north-holland.htm
- NS (Dutch Railways) — Castricum station and OV-Fiets: www.ns.nl/en/door-to-door/ov-fiets
- Museum Huis van Hilde: huisvanhilde.nl/en/
- Wikivoyage: Castricum, revision 5051860 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5051860
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Castricum
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Castricum; most are in The Hague or Amsterdam. US: consulate general in Amsterdam; UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland: embassies in The Hague (check addresses).
112 works from any phone in the EU, including foreign SIMs.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/castricum). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.