Getting there
Take the Intercity from Amsterdam Centraal direct to Den Helder — 75 minutes, $14.50. From Den Helder station, bus 33 shuttles to the ferry terminal in five minutes (included in your NS ticket if you have a transfer). The TESO ferry runs every 30 minutes 6:00-21:00, takes 20 minutes and costs $3.50 return for foot passengers. On the island, bus 28 connects the villages.
What to do in one day
Rent a bike at the ferry terminal — Verhuurbedrijf Heijne charges $12 for a full day. Cycle to De Koog (25 minutes) for the beach and lunch, then loop through the Slufter nature reserve where salt water floods a valley behind the dunes. Ecomare, a seal and porpoise rehab center, is on the way ($16 entry, feeding times 11:00 and 15:30).
If you skip the bike, bus 28 covers Den Burg (main town), De Koog and Ecomare in a limited hop-off pattern.
Eat local
Texel is known for its salt-marsh lamb (Texels lam) and its own beer at Texelse Bierbrouwerij in Oudeschild. Lunch at Freya in Den Burg does open sandwiches with local cheese for $14. Dinner at Restaurant Bij Jef in De Koog is the island's star kitchen — book two weeks ahead, tasting menu $85.
Questions answered
Can Texel be done as a day trip from Amsterdam?
Yes but you get about 6 hours on the island. Leave Amsterdam by 8:00 to make it work.
Do I need to book the ferry?
Foot passengers no. Cars in July-August yes, they sell out on weekends.
Is there a car rental on Texel?
Yes, but bikes cover the island in under three hours end to end. A car is overkill unless mobility is an issue.
What's the best beach on Texel?
Paal 9 for quiet dunes, Paal 17 for the main beach clubs near De Koog, Paal 28 for the wildest scenery near the Slufter.
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