Amsterdam-Zuid is the city district south of the centre that holds the Museum Quarter, the Vondelpark, De Pijp, the Rivierenbuurt and the Zuidas business district.
On CBS figures it has the highest average home value of Amsterdam’s city districts, and it is one of the most varied in practice, from crowded De Pijp to the quiet avenues of Buitenveldert.
This guide explains what Amsterdam Zuid covers, what to do and eat there, how to get around, and what the official figures say about living there.
Where Amsterdam-Zuid is
Zuid begins at the Singelgracht, the outer canal around the old city, and runs south past the A10 ring road to the edge of Amstelveen.
Its main parts are:
- Oud-Zuid: the Museumkwartier, Willemspark, the Schinkelbuurt, the Hoofddorppleinbuurt, the Stadionbuurt and the Apollobuurt.
- De Pijp: the busy former working-class quarter around the Albert Cuyp Market, with its own De Pijp guide.
- The Rivierenbuurt: the Scheldebuurt, IJselbuurt and Rijnbuurt, named after rivers, between the Amstelkanaal and the RAI.
- Zuidas and Buitenveldert: the office district around Amsterdam Zuid station and the green residential area behind it, home to the Vrije Universiteit.
When people say “Amsterdam Zuid” they can also mean the station itself, which has direct trains to Schiphol.
A short history
Most of Zuid was built in the first half of the twentieth century to a plan drawn up by the architect H.P. Berlage, known as Plan Zuid.
Its wide streets, closed housing blocks and brick facades with rounded corners are the best collection of Amsterdam School architecture in the city, especially in the Rivierenbuurt and around the Apollolaan.
The Olympic Stadium was built for the 1928 Summer Olympics and still stands on the western side of the district.
Zuidas grew from the 1990s around the station into the city’s main business district, and Buitenveldert, built after the Second World War, lies south of it.
Things to do in Amsterdam-Zuid
Museumplein holds the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum, with the Concertgebouw at its southern end; our guide to Amsterdam’s museums and attractions covers them all.
Visiting several?
Our Museumkaart calculator shows whether the annual museum card pays off.
The Vondelpark, opened in 1865, is the city’s best-known park and runs from the Leidseplein side towards the Amstelveenseweg.
Further south, the Beatrixpark near the RAI and the Amstelpark in Buitenveldert are quieter and good for children.
The Olympic Stadium area has sports clubs, cafés and the Stadionplein, where WOPL (World of Play & Learning) keeps its listing with us.
For concerts at the Concertgebouw, exhibitions and events across the district this week, see What’s On in Amsterdam.
Where to eat and drink
The Van Baerlestraat and the Cornelis Schuytstraat are the main eating streets of Oud-Zuid, the Maasstraat and Rijnstraat serve the Rivierenbuurt, and De Pijp is a world of its own.
Browse our directory of Amsterdam restaurants and cafés.
A few businesses in Zuid keep their own listing up to date with us:
- The Uptown Meat Club, on the Van Baerlestraat.
- Sita, an Indian and Nepalese restaurant on the Van Baerlestraat.
- Hakata Senpachi, a Japanese restaurant on the Wielingenstraat in the Rivierenbuurt.
- IJsland Smaakmakers, a café on the Maasstraat.
- The All Out Amsterdam, on the Europaboulevard near the RAI.
- Holi Indian Restaurant, on the Kastelenstraat in Buitenveldert.
- Quinnie’s, a second-hand shop on the Rijnstraat.
Markets
The Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp is open Monday to Saturday, and the cooperative ZuiderMRKT runs every Saturday at the Johannes Verhulststraat.
See every market in the city in Amsterdam markets by day.
Getting there and around
Amsterdam Zuid station is served by NS trains, including direct trains to Schiphol, and by metro lines 50, 51 and 52.
Metro 52 also stops at Europaplein and De Pijp on its way to the centre and Amsterdam-Noord.
In Oud-Zuid, trams 2, 5, 12 and 24 cover the Museum Quarter, with stops at Museumplein and Van Baerlestraat; tram 24 continues via the Olympic Stadium to the VU medical centre.
Tram 4 runs through the Rivierenbuurt to Station RAI, tram 12 crosses it to Amstelstation, and trams 5 and 25 run south from Station Zuid towards Amstelveen.
Lines and stops are taken from the GVB rail network map of 31 August 2026; check the GVB app for diversions.
Bike theft varies a lot between neighbourhoods; see our bike theft by neighbourhood tool.
Living in Amsterdam-Zuid: the figures
Adding up the 16 CBS districts that make up the city district, De Pijp included, Zuid had 146,400 residents on 1 January 2026 (CBS, Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2026).
The average WOZ value of a home across those districts was about €663,000, against €518,000 for Amsterdam as a whole (CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, valuation date 1 January 2024; our average weighted by number of homes).
The gap inside the district is large: the Apollobuurt averaged €1,295,000, Willemspark €1,217,000 and the Museumkwartier €1,153,000, the three highest in the city, while Zuid Pijp averaged €479,000.
19% of households include children, a little below the city figure of 23%, and 56% are one person.
32% of homes are owner-occupied and 25% belong to housing corporations (CBS 2025 figures).
Zuid is also where many international schools are; listings with us include The British School of Amsterdam on the Havenstraat, the AICS South Campus in Buitenveldert and the primary campus of the International French School.
Read our guide to international schools in Amsterdam and the full international schools directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas are in Amsterdam-Zuid?
Oud-Zuid (including the Museum Quarter, Willemspark, the Stadionbuurt and the Apollobuurt), De Pijp, the Rivierenbuurt, Zuidas and Buitenveldert.
Is Amsterdam Zuid expensive?
On average, yes: CBS put the average WOZ value of a home at about €663,000 across the district, against €518,000 for the city, with the Apollobuurt above €1.2 million.
How do I get from Amsterdam Zuid station to Schiphol?
NS trains run directly from Amsterdam Zuid to Schiphol Airport; check the NS journey planner for the current timetable.
Which museums are in Amsterdam-Zuid?
The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum, all on or beside Museumplein.
Is Amsterdam-Zuid good for families?
It has large parks, many schools and several international schools, though apartments in Oud-Zuid are among the most expensive in the city; Buitenveldert and the Rivierenbuurt are the calmer, more family-oriented parts.
Other Amsterdam neighbourhoods
Read our guides to De Pijp, the Jordaan, Amsterdam-Centrum, Amsterdam-Oost, Amsterdam-West and IJburg, or start with the Amsterdam neighbourhood guide.
Not sure which suits you?
Take the Amsterdam neighbourhood quiz.
Photo: Museumplein, Amsterdam by Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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