King Bikes Amsterdam

King Bikes is a budget-focused Amsterdam bike rental company with shops on Kerkstraat 143 near Leidseplein and the Rijksmuseum, and Spuistraat 1C beside Amsterdam Centraal. Rentals start at about €12 per day and include insurance and two locks, with a 10% discount for booking and paying online. That puts it at the lower end of the city’s 2026 range of roughly €10–18 per day for a standard city bike.

The company also runs guided city tours, does walk-in repairs, and stores luggage for €2,50 per day for rental customers, which is useful on arrival and departure days when your hotel room is not ready. Prices, hours and fleet availability change seasonally, so confirm details on the booking page before you rely on them.

What it costs, and how that compares

The €12 starting rate applies to a basic city bike for a full day. Longer rentals, e-bikes, cargo bikes and add-ons such as child seats cost more, and the cheapest tier is the one most likely to sell out in July and August.

Bike type	Typical Amsterdam range per day	Where King Bikes sits
Standard city bike	€10–18	From about €12, at the low end
Electric bike	€20–30	Available; price on request
Cargo bike (bakfiets)	€35–50	Available; price on request
Children’s bike	€8–12	Available in several sizes
Child seat	€4–6	Available as an add-on
Luggage storage	€5–10 at station lockers	€2,50 per day for customers

What is included in the price

• Insurance cover: included in the rental rather than sold as a separate upsell. Read the terms for what theft cover actually requires, because most Amsterdam policies only pay out if you hand over the original key and a police report.
• Two locks: one for the frame and one to secure the bike to a fixed object. Using both is not optional advice in Amsterdam; it is the practical minimum.
• Saddle and fit adjustment: ask at the counter before you leave. A saddle set too low is the single most common reason visitors find Dutch bikes exhausting.
• 10% online discount: applied when you pay online in advance instead of at the desk.

Locations and how to reach them

King Bikes advertises three locations, but two are consistently listed across its own pages with full address details. Confirm the third before planning around it.

Kerkstraat 143, 1017 GG Amsterdam (Leidseplein)

• Roughly two minutes’ walk from the Rijksmuseum, next to the Hans Brinker Hotel.
• Best starting point for Museumplein, Vondelpark, De Pijp and the southern canal belt.
• Reachable by tram to Leidseplein, then a short walk east along Kerkstraat.
• Landline: +31 (0)20 422 1026. Mobile for both shops: +31 (0)6 41999258.

Spuistraat 1C, 1012 SP Amsterdam (Centraal Station)

• About two minutes’ walk from Amsterdam Centraal, next to the Renaissance Hotel.
• Arriving from Schiphol, take a direct train to Centraal, then walk. Trains run frequently and take roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
• Convenient if you want to ride straight into the Nieuwmarkt, Jordaan or the eastern docklands.
• Landline: +31 (0)20 330 1255.

Opening hours: check before you go

King Bikes’ own pages are inconsistent on closing time. Some list 09:00 to 18:00, others list 09:00 to 19:00, and a third-party directory shows later evening hours. Assume a 09:00 opening seven days a week, plan your return for before 18:00 to be safe, and call ahead if you need a late drop-off. Late returns are where cheap rentals turn expensive.

The fleet, and which bike to actually pick

• Classic city bike: the default choice, and the right one for most visitors staying inside the ring. Upright, heavy, stable on cobbles, and cheap.
• E-bike: worth the premium only if you plan to ride out of the city, to Zaanse Schans, Waterland or the Amsterdamse Bos, or if hills and distance are a concern. Inside the centre, electric assist mostly adds risk in dense traffic.
• Cargo bike (bakfiets): for families with small children or a market run. It handles very differently from a standard bike, so practise on a quiet street before entering the canal ring.
• Children’s bikes and child seats: available in several sizes; reserve these online, because sizes and seats run out first in peak season.
• Tandem: fun in Vondelpark, awkward in narrow streets and on tram-track crossings.

Most rental city bikes in the Netherlands use coaster brakes, meaning you brake by pedalling backwards. If you have never used one, say so at the counter and ask for a bike with hand brakes if one is available.

Guided tours from both shops

Both locations offer guided bike tours alongside rentals and repairs. Tours are run in small groups and cover the well-known stops such as Dam Square, the Museum Quarter, Vondelpark and the Anne Frank House exterior, along with quieter corners of the Jordaan that first-time visitors rarely find on their own.

A guided tour is the better option if you are nervous about traffic, since riding in a group with a guide setting the pace is far less stressful than learning the city’s cycling etiquette alone during rush hour. Tour prices and departure times are not always current in third-party listings, so confirm the rate and start time directly when you book. Morning departures are generally quieter and cooler than afternoon ones.

Repairs and luggage storage

Both shops handle repairs, which matters for two groups of readers: renters who get a puncture mid-ride, and Amsterdam residents who need a quick fix near the centre. Typical walk-in work includes punctures, chain problems and brake adjustment. Call the shop first rather than pushing a broken bike across town.

Luggage storage at €2,50 per day for rental customers is one of the cheaper options near Centraal, where station lockers cost several times that. It works well on your final day: drop the bags, ride until your train, then collect on the way through.

Riding safely in Amsterdam as a visitor

• Cross tram tracks at an angle, never parallel. Narrow tyres slipping into a rail groove is the most common visitor accident in the centre.
• Keep right and signal with your arm. Locals ride fast and expect predictability more than caution.
• Do not stop in the bike lane to check a map or take a photo. Pull fully out of the lane first.
• Lock to something fixed, using both locks, and park only in marked bike racks. Bikes parked in restricted zones can be removed by the city.
• No phone in your hand while riding. Handheld phone use on a bike is a fineable offence in the Netherlands.
• Lights are legally required after dark, white at the front and red at the rear. Check that yours work before you leave the shop.
• Rain is normal. Ask about a poncho rather than cancelling your plans, and expect slippery bridges and painted road markings.

Two route ideas from the shop door

Museums and markets, from Kerkstraat

Start with a loop of Vondelpark while it is still quiet, then cut across Museumplein and continue south-east into De Pijp for lunch at the Albert Cuyp market. Ride north through the canal belt in the afternoon, finishing in the Jordaan near the Westerkerk. Allow four to six hours at a relaxed pace with stops.

Canals to the docklands, from Spuistraat

Head east through the Nieuwmarkt for coffee, continue to the Plantage for the botanical gardens, then follow the water into the eastern docklands to see contemporary Amsterdam architecture. If you have energy left, take the free ferry from behind Centraal to NDSM wharf; bikes travel on the ferry at no charge. Allow five to seven hours including the ferry crossing.

Who King Bikes suits, and who should look elsewhere

• Good fit: budget travellers, first-time visitors who want a guided option, families needing children’s bikes or a cargo bike, and anyone arriving by train who wants to store luggage and ride immediately.
• Less good fit: riders who need a specific performance or road bike, anyone wanting 24-hour pickup and return, and residents who would be better served by a monthly subscription such as a swap-style service than by daily rental.

Frequently asked questions