Best Amsterdam Clubs 2026: A Guide to Techno and House

As of 5 November 2026, the clubs we could verify as running techno and house nights in Amsterdam are Shelter, RADION, Garage Noord and Warehouse Elementenstraat, with Westweelde and the newly reopened Gashouder as larger rooms, and Paradiso and Melkweg as historic venues that add club nights to a concert calendar. Every venue below was checked against a 2026 programme or a 2025 or 2026 report, and each entry says what we saw and when. Two names belong to the past tense: De School closed in January 2024, and Tilla Tec, which took over its building, is holding its closing weekend from 6 to 9 November 2026.

Amsterdam is not Berlin, and the difference matters to anyone planning a trip. The best rooms are small, spread across the IJ river, the western docks and the Nieuw-West edge rather than one district, and a lot of the city's big-ticket dance music happens in festivals and one-off warehouse parties. If you are comparing capitals, our Berlin clubs guide covers the same ground with the same dated approach.

Amsterdam's best clubs at a glance

How Amsterdam's club scene stands in 2026

Amsterdam's scene is changing hands more than it is shrinking. The most visible loss is the former De School building, now on its second and final club tenant, but in the same year Gashouder came back from a long closure and the city's largest dance festival marked its 30th edition. Our ADE 2026 wrap-up ends on this point: the club map is shifting under the festival.

Unlike Berlin, there is no recent Dutch citywide survey to lean on. Our European club closures tracker found no citywide count for the Netherlands and noted the main 2026 pressure point was a festival: Music On's Amsterdam event was cancelled at the gate in May 2026 after its permit was revoked over structural safety concerns, which we cover in our festival cancellations piece. So treat this guide as a venue-by-venue check, not a market report.

On rankings, DJ Mag's Top 100 Clubs 2026 lists Shelter at No. 90 on its Shelter page, as we read it through a search summary because the page itself would not load for us. The poll is a public vote, so read it as popularity, not quality. For how that list played out at the top, see our Berghain and UNVRS Top 100 report.

The clubs

Shelter

Shelter is the underground club below the A'DAM Toren, across the IJ river from Centraal Station, and it is open in November 2026. Its own site gives the address as Overhoeksplein 3 in Amsterdam-Noord. The official programme lists club nights on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November, Friday 13 and Saturday 14, Friday 20 and Saturday 21, and Friday 27 and Saturday 28. Highlights include Benjamin Berg's curated night on 6 November, OG Records on 13 November, the Nordstern & All I Need night with Andrea Oliva on 21 November, and a 10YEARS party on 27 November.

Shelter's FAQ is unusually specific, which is useful for visitors. On regular club nights it opens at 23:00 and stays open until at least 06:00, and doors close at 04:00, after which nobody is let in. The minimum age is 18, and a valid ID may be requested. Phones are not allowed on the dancefloor, and using one to film or take photos can get you removed. Suits, dress shirts and football shirts may be refused, as may offensive or discriminatory clothing, and visitors may be searched on entry. There is no re-entry. Some presale tickets require entry before midnight, and arriving later can mean paying the price difference at the door. A limited number of tickets are sold at the door, and resale through TicketSwap is capped at 120 percent of face value. Shelter does not publish regular ticket prices on the pages we could read.

The club also closed briefly for a refit: Mixmag reported on 30 January 2024 that it shut on 1 January 2024 for a month-long renovation, adding a room and a full LED ceiling, with a reopening planned for 9 February 2024. The club's own site, with its November programme and 10YEARS date, is the best sign it is operating as normal.

RADION

RADION is a club and cultural venue in a former ACTA building on Louwesweg in Nieuw-West, and it is open in November 2026. Its own site gives the address as Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA, and says it has occupied the building since 2014, a space of raw concrete that was once classrooms. The official programme lists club nights on Friday 6 November (from 23:00), Saturday 7 November (Frenzy 7 Yrs Wkndr), Friday 13 November (RADION Invites TSSRCT), Friday 20 November (Vault Sessions and RADION with Rødhåd), and Friday 27 November (Labyrinth Weekend). There is also a daytime event on 21 November and a documentary screening on 6 November.

RADION's published house policy is one of the clearest in the city. The venue is 18+, with some events 21+, so check the event page. You need a valid physical ID (passport, ID card or driving licence); photos and copies are not accepted. The door team makes the final decision, and the policy states that a ticket does not guarantee entry. It lists reasons for refusal including visible intoxication on arrival, aggression, large groups arriving together without tickets, and clothing or symbols that conflict with the house rules. Photographing or filming on the dance floor without consent is not tolerated. Drugs are not permitted, and the venue advises closed-toe footwear because of broken glass. The City of Amsterdam's tourism site notes that RADION was granted a 24-hour permit in May 2015 (I amsterdam).

Garage Noord

Garage Noord is an independent club in a former car repair shop on Gedempt Hamerkanaal in Noord, and it is open in November 2026. The official programme lists nights on 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 20, 21, 26 and 28 November, including a Tempo Marauders two-year anniversary on 8 November and a Thursday night on 26 November. It does not state door, photo or opening policies in the content we could read.

According to an AmsterdamNow profile published on 17 April 2026, Daan Alvering and Rachella Groon opened the club in 2017, and it holds about 400 visitors across two halls: the main room and bar40, which is programmed by a different guest collective each time. It runs more than fifty club nights a year, with a restaurant open Thursday to Saturday. The profile gives the opening pattern as Thursday to Saturday, with Thursday running until 5 a.m. and Friday and Saturday until 8 a.m. Sources differ on the building's earlier use: the same profile calls it both a former GVB depot and a former CFP depot, while I amsterdam calls it a car repair shop. I amsterdam calls it gritty and alternative, and AmsterdamNow says the nights span a broad range of genres, so check the night before you commit.

Warehouse Elementenstraat

Warehouse Elementenstraat is a multi-room warehouse club in the west of the city, and its official events page lists nights in November 2026. It sits at Elementenstraat 25, 1014 AR, according to I amsterdam, which describes four rooms for about 2,500 people and says it has hosted events since 2014. The venue's own landing page says it grew out of Amsterdam's early illegal raves and occupies a former peanut factory.

The events page lists two November dates: Housequake's 10-hour daytime party on 14 November (13:00 to 23:00) and Sunandbass Recordings on 21 November (23:00 to 06:00), with Dillinja and Bryan Gee on the bill. We found no December dates yet. No door, ID or photo policy was published on the pages we could read, so check the event listing. This is a promoter-led warehouse more than a weekly club, so its calendar is thinner than Shelter's or RADION's.

Gashouder

Gashouder is the domed former gasholder in the Westergasfabriek complex, and it is the largest room in this guide. It is at Klönneplein 1, according to Mixmag NL, and the venue says it holds more than 3,500 visitors. RA reported on 13 May 2026 that it had been closed for renovation since January 2025 and would reopen in November, with pre-opening events first. Techno Airlines reported on 1 November 2026 that it reopened on 30 October after a pre-opening season from 20 June to 24 October, with a new underground level for cloakrooms and facilities beneath the listed 1885 gasholder. That is a single report, so confirm with the venue.

Techno Airlines also found that the programme leans away from dance: on 1 November the official agenda listed 49 shows, of which 7 were dance, and no Awakenings event appeared. The ADE week gave a taste of the room's club side. Armin van Buuren opened the electronic programme on 21 October, I Hate Models and Nico Moreno played a harder night on 22 October, and Franky Rizardo's FLOW ran on 24 October, per Mixmag NL's preview. For the bigger picture, see our ADE 2026 preview and wrap-up, which also records the police inquiry into suspected tear gas attacks at ADE parties as provisional.

Awakenings, the brand that began here on 30 March 1997, now runs its Amsterdam shows elsewhere. In 2026 its ADE programme, including an Adam Beyer Drumcode showcase on 22 October, was held at SugarFactory, and 909originals noted in July that the Gashouder was closed for renovation. Our Awakenings festival page covers the Gashouder history and the festival's move to Beekse Bergen.

Westweelde

Westweelde is a restaurant, bar and event venue at Klönneplein 4 in Westerpark, next to Gashouder, and it hosts club nights through November 2026. Its site says it has organised club nights for more than 20 years, and that the former WestergasTerras, WesterUnie and WesterLiefde merged under the Westweelde name in March 2025. The November programme includes a daytime John Digweed and Bedrock night on 7 November, Skedeng from 22:00 to 05:00 on 20 November, and an extended Andhim set from 16:00 to 01:00 on 21 November. It is a softer, daytime-friendly option than the warehouses, and some of its Friday and Saturday bar nights are free entry.

Thuishaven

Thuishaven is the industrial site at Contactweg 68 in the west (I amsterdam), famous for open-air summer parties and heated indoor spaces in winter. Its own site says the 2026/27 winter season starts on 8 November 2026. Events run from 13:00 to 23:00 unless noted, which is the clearest picture of how Amsterdam's house and techno culture often works: daytime sessions, not midnight ones. Published prices are the only regular club prices we can verify in this guide: 33.50 euros for the 8 November house day, 34.50 euros for the 28 November techno day with Jeff Mills, ROD and BLANKA, and 33.50 euros for Bart Skils on 5 December. Some dates, including 22 and 29 November, were sold out when we checked.

Paradiso

Paradiso is a historic venue in a former church on Weteringschans, and it is open in November 2026 with a mix of concerts and club nights. The venue says it opened on 30 March 1968 as the Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso. I amsterdam gives the address as Weteringschans 6 to 8. The November programme includes Garage Nation, a UK garage club night at 23:59 on 7 November, and Fleetmac Wood, a DJ and AV show, on 5 November. It is not a techno club, so treat it as a place for one-off club nights and live shows.

Paradiso matters to this story for two reasons. It hosted the first election connected to Amsterdam's night mayor title, on 19 February 2003, according to Wikipedia. And it was one of the city-centre venues for Dekmantel's 2026 "Into the City" day alongside Melkweg, as described on our Dekmantel Festival page.

Melkweg

Melkweg is a music venue and cultural centre at Lijnbaansgracht 234a near Leidseplein, in a former dairy. According to Wikipedia it began its cultural life on 17 July 1970 and its largest room, The Max, opened in 1995 with a listed capacity of 1,500. We could not open Melkweg's own calendar for this guide, so our status check rests on other evidence: Dekmantel used it in July and August 2026, and Noisia's comeback show is set for Friday 4 December 2026 according to WeRaveYou (18 September 2026). We found no confirmed November club-night listing. Our Noisia reunion report has the details of that show.

Tilla Tec and the end of De School

Tilla Tec is the club in the former De School building at Dr. Jan van Breemenstraat, and it is closing this week. RA reported on 22 June 2026 that the founders announced the closure on Instagram on 19 June, with no reason given and a final event in November. FestivalInfo lists a "TILLATEC Closing Weekender" from Friday 6 to Monday 9 November 2026, billed as the Grand Finale, with no artists confirmed there. We could not match those dates against an official source, so check Tilla Tec's channels before travelling.

The building's earlier life is the more famous one. According to Wikipedia, De School opened in 2016 in a former technical school, with a 700-capacity club in the old bicycle storage basement and a 24-hour licence. RA reported in 2022 that the club announced its closure in summer 2020, citing financial reasons and community criticism over staffing and programming diversity and discriminatory incidents involving security. It reopened on 9 September 2022 for a planned 16-month run, with a new code of conduct, house rules and awareness team. Wikipedia says it closed again in January 2024 over expiring municipal permits and building plans, with the final party, Het Einde, running 12 to 15 January 2024.

Tilla Tec was a different project. Mixmag reported on 11 March 2024 that it was a joint venture of Samuel King and DJ Lola Edo, set to open on 12 April 2024 with about 900 visitors, and that its spokesperson said it would only share an address with De School. The provisional lease then ran to April 2025.

More venues listed, but not individually verified

I amsterdam's best clubs page, last updated on 28 October 2026, also lists Doka (Wibautstraat 150, a basement listening bar in the Volkshotel that becomes a club), Het Sieraad (Postjesweg 1, a former jewellery school with Friday and Saturday techno and house), Levenslang (H.J.E. Wenckebachweg 48, a dark techno club in a former prison boiler room), Lofi (Basisweg 63), Parallel (Buiksloterweg 5C, run by the Paradiso team) and the queer-run Club RAUM. We did not find each venue's own 2026 programme, so we treat these as listed and unchecked.

What we could not verify

Claire, at Rembrandtplein 17 according to the Amsterdam Dance Event venue page, is not listed above. That page showed only the 2017, 2018 and 2019 ADE editions, and we found no official 2026 programme or closure notice. Guides place it in the centre's two-room, house and techno bracket, but we cannot say it is open. Check its own channels. Likewise, Melkweg's own agenda would not load for us, and Gashouder's reopening date rests on a single report.

How Amsterdam's night mayor and 24-hour licences work

Amsterdam's after-hours scene runs on a negotiated model, not one big rule. The night mayor is a liaison between nightlife, residents and the city, and 24-hour licences are a discretionary permit for a limited number of venues.

The night mayor. According to Wikipedia, the first election connected to the title was held at Paradiso on 19 February 2003, when a jury chose the collective De Nachtwacht. Mirik Milan held the post from 2012 to 2018, and in 2014 co-founded the foundation Stichting N8BM A'DAM with Michiel Friedhoff and Ella Overkleeft to keep the office running (Wikipedia: Mirik Milan). The foundation's site now names Freek Wallagh as Night Mayor, and says the foundation is an independent non-profit that advises the mayor, the city council and the nightlife sector, meets the mayor several times a year, and took part in the Rembrandtplein Gastvrij pilot (Stichting Nachtburgemeester Amsterdam). Wallagh told iamexpat in October 2025 that people need to get home quickly, cheaply and safely, especially during major events.

24-hour licences. The permits let a venue operate without a fixed closing time. In April 2023, KHN reported that nine clubs, cultural venues and restaurants received 24-hour licences, five of them new and four renewals, giving Amsterdam 17 places with one. All nine were outside the city centre. A venue must add something distinctive, such as an artistic programme, be financially and practically viable, cause no nuisance, and be accessible and safe. Licences run for three years and can be extended once for another three (KHN, 12 April 2023). We found no 2025 or 2026 list of current holders, and, as our own arithmetic, a three-year term means the 2023 round would run out in 2026. The pattern fits the venues above: RADION's permit dates from 2015, and De School held one until it closed.

Later closing in the rest of the city. In June 2022, KHN reported that businesses outside the city-centre district could request later closing up to 12 times a year, up from 5, under a trial arrangement running until a new horeca policy framework took effect. We could not confirm what replaced it. For event rules during ADE, our wrap-up summarises the city's conditions.

Rembrandtplein. The city also tried managing the nightlife square rather than closing it. Wikipedia reports a three-year project that made the square more pedestrian-friendly, launched a mobile site for complaints and recruited hosts to defuse tense situations, with alcohol-related problems reportedly down 25 percent. That is a claim from Wikipedia's summary, not an independent evaluation.

Neighbourhoods and getting there

• Noord. Shelter (Overhoeksplein 3) and Garage Noord (Gedempt Hamerkanaal 40) both sit across the IJ from the centre. Shelter describes itself as below the A'DAM Toren, across the river.
• West and Westerpark. Warehouse Elementenstraat (Elementenstraat 25), Thuishaven (Contactweg 68), Gashouder (Klönneplein 1) and Westweelde (Klönneplein 4) are on the western side of the ring.
• Nieuw-West. RADION, at Louwesweg 1, is the main club out here.
• Centre. Paradiso and Melkweg are the historic rooms, near Leidseplein and Weteringschans.

On transport, we only have a thin, dated source. iamexpat reported on 17 October 2025 that the metro lines 52 and 54 normally end at 12:30 a.m., that GVB's extended hours for ADE that year did not amount to a night metro, and that the usual night buses ran. We did not find an authoritative 2026 overview, so check GVB's journey planner before you go.

Amsterdam's festivals around the clubs

The city's club year is bracketed by festivals. DGTL Amsterdam returns on 26 to 28 March 2027 at NDSM Docklands, with ticket sales due to launch at the end of 2026. Dekmantel Festival holds its main weekend in the Amsterdamse Bos, and its 12th edition ran from 29 July to 2 August 2026. Further afield, Draaimolen is in Tilburg, not Amsterdam, with its 2027 edition set for 10 and 11 September. Awakenings Festival is at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, not Amsterdam, with its next edition running 9 to 11 July 2027. Amsterdam's own spring and summer calendar also includes Lente Kabinet at Het Twiske and Dockyard Festival at Havenpark. For more on the ADE week that anchors October, see our ADE 2026 preview.

Practical tips for visiting Amsterdam clubs

• Check the programme. Several venues here run promoter nights, not fixed weekly nights. Shelter, RADION and Garage Noord all post month-by-month listings on their own sites.
• Hours. Shelter opens at 23:00 and closes the door at 04:00. RADION lists Friday and Saturday from 23:00. Garage Noord runs Thursday to Saturday, until 5 a.m. on Thursday and 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to AmsterdamNow.
• ID. Bring physical ID. RADION requires a valid physical passport, ID card or driving licence and does not accept photos or copies. Shelter says ID may be requested.
• Door. Neither Shelter nor RADION guarantees entry with a ticket. RADION says so explicitly, and Shelter says it may refuse certain clothing and search visitors.
• Photos. Phones are banned on Shelter's dancefloor, and RADION does not tolerate photographing or filming on the dance floor without consent.
• Prices. Regular club prices are rarely published. The only ones we can verify are Thuishaven's (24.50 to 37.50 euros across its winter listings), and Shelter's resale cap of 120 percent of face value on TicketSwap.
• Daytime parties. Thuishaven, Westweelde and Warehouse Elementenstraat all list afternoon events in November 2026, so Amsterdam clubbing is not only a midnight affair.

Amsterdam and RTS.FM

RTS.FM covers the Dutch scene through its festival and artist pages, from DGTL and Dekmantel to the ADE week. If you are planning a trip, start with our ADE 2026 preview and wrap-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best club in Amsterdam?

For techno, Shelter is the best-known, ranked No. 90 in DJ Mag's Top 100 Clubs 2026 as we read it. RADION is the closest alternative, and Garage Noord is the pick for broader club nights. Which is best depends on whether you want a basement, a concrete former school or a former garage.

Is De School still open?

No. De School closed in January 2024, with its final party running 12 to 15 January, according to Wikipedia. The club that took over the building, Tilla Tec, announced its own closure on 19 June 2026 and is holding a closing weekend from 6 to 9 November 2026.

Is Shelter open in November 2026?

Yes. Shelter's official site lists club nights on Fridays and Saturdays throughout November 2026, including a 10YEARS party on 27 November. Doors close at 04:00, and the minimum age is 18.

How do you get into Shelter or RADION?

Both publish rules. Shelter may refuse suits, dress shirts and football shirts, searches visitors and allows no re-entry. RADION requires valid physical ID, says the door team has the final say and states that a ticket does not guarantee entry.

Are there 24-hour clubs in Amsterdam?

Yes, a limited number. In April 2023 KHN reported 17 places with a 24-hour licence, for three-year terms that can be extended once. RADION was granted its permit in May 2015, according to I amsterdam, and we found no 2025 or 2026 list of current holders.

Who is Amsterdam's night mayor?

The Stichting Nachtburgemeester Amsterdam site names Freek Wallagh as Night Mayor. The role is linked to an independent foundation that advises the mayor and city council. Mirik Milan held the post from 2012 to 2018, according to Wikipedia.

Does the metro run at night in Amsterdam?

Not normally. iamexpat reported in October 2025 that lines 52 and 54 normally end at 12:30 a.m., and that extended ADE hours were not a night metro. Night buses run, but we could not verify a 2026 timetable, so check GVB.

Is Gashouder open again?

Reportedly yes. Techno Airlines said on 1 November 2026 that it reopened on 30 October after renovation, with 49 shows on its agenda, of which 7 were dance. RA had said in May that it would reopen in November, so confirm with the venue.

Is Awakenings held in Amsterdam?

The brand started at the Gashouder on 30 March 1997, but its summer festival is at Beekse Bergen near Tilburg. Its 2026 ADE events were at SugarFactory, according to 909originals.

Sources

Links consulted at the time of writing. Figures and dates are as reported by each source.

• Shelter Amsterdam: official site and programme and FAQ
• RADION Amsterdam: official site and door policy
• Garage Noord: official programme
• AmsterdamNow: Garage North, underground club that makes North dance, 17 April 2026
• Warehouse Elementenstraat: official events page
• I amsterdam: best clubs, last updated 28 October 2026
• Thuishaven: official site
• Westweelde: official site
• Paradiso: about us and programme
• Wikipedia: Melkweg
• WeRaveYou: Noisia return at Melkweg, 18 September 2026
• Resident Advisor: Tilla Tec closing, 22 June 2026
• FestivalInfo: TILLATEC Closing Weekender 2026
• Mixmag: new venue Tilla Tec, 11 March 2024
• Resident Advisor: De School to reopen in September
• Wikipedia: De School
• Mixmag: Shelter to reopen after renovation, 30 January 2024
• DJ Mag: Top 100 Clubs 2026, Shelter Amsterdam
• Techno Airlines: Gashouder reopens, 1 November 2026
• Resident Advisor: Gashouder reopening, 13 May 2026
• Mixmag NL: Gashouder returns for ADE 2026
• 909originals: Awakenings programme for ADE 2026, 1 July 2026
• Amsterdam Dance Event: Claire venue page
• Stichting Nachtburgemeester Amsterdam
• Wikipedia: Night mayor (municipal title)
• Wikipedia: Mirik Milan
• iamexpat: GVB extends metro hours for ADE 2025, 17 October 2025
• KHN: 24-hour licences, 12 April 2023
• KHN: 12 later-closing exemptions, 7 June 2022