How to plan your first ADE: tickets, one area per night, day parties, transport, where to stay and what to bring.
ADE has 1,200+ events in five days, which is too many to plan one by one. First-timers do better with a simple structure: pick a few priorities, group them by area and leave gaps. This guide shows how, using what is confirmed for ADE 2026 (21 to 25 October).
Dates and basics: ADE 2026 guide.
Facts checked on 22 October 2026. Line-ups, sold-out status and transport plans change daily, so confirm on the organiser page before you go.
Two or three priority events across the week, plus a flexible option for each night. Some events are sold out, and five days is a long time to stay up.
The ADE Pro Pass is for the conference. For festival events you buy single tickets from each organiser. See ADE 2026 tickets.
Use the programme by night to pick a headline for each night, then add what is nearby. Use the venues guide to see which areas fit together.
Stay where you will spend the most nights. Noord puts you next to Shelter and the free ferries, West suits the warehouse nights, and the centre is close to Paradiso and Melkweg. Book early. Our area guides help: Noord, West and the centre.
A physical ID, a charged phone, a card (some venues are card only, for example Paradiso), comfortable shoes and a jacket you can leave in a cloakroom. At some venues, such as Shelter, phones are not allowed on the dancefloor.
The metro runs until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights on lines 52 and 54, and the free ferries run more often. See getting around during ADE.
ADE Lab Discovery is free from Wednesday to Friday with registration, and some record-shop sessions are free. See free ADE events 2026.
ADE tickets page, NH Nieuws on GVB night service and NightFind venue data.
To see the rest of the city outside the festival, start with the Amsterdam nightlife guide and the 10 best clubs in Amsterdam.
Yes, if you plan. Pick a few events, group them by area, and leave room for free and day events.
ADE 2026 runs five days, from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October.
No. The Pro Pass is for the conference. Festival events are ticketed individually by organisers.
