Last updated: October 2026 · By Erdal Aydın, Amsterdam Property Renting

Watergraafsmeer is a polder about five metres below sea level, drained in 1629. Wealthy Amsterdammers once built country houses here; Huis Frankendael is the only one left. It was a separate municipality until 1921. Today about 40,000 people live in the area, which includes Middenmeer, Frankendael, Betondorp and the new Amstelkwartier along the Amstel, with Science Park and Amstel station on its edges.

Part of Amsterdam-Oost · All Amsterdam areas

Watergraafsmeer in short

What it is like to live in Watergraafsmeer

Residents rated their neighbourhood 8.0 in the city’s 2021 research, above the city average of about 7.6. The Middenweg and the Kruislaan are the main streets. Park Frankendael, with its 17th-century country house and gardens, is the area’s main park.

Each part has its own character. Betondorp, the “concrete village” from the 1920s, was an experiment in affordable housing; Johan Cruijff grew up here. Park de Meer stands on the site of Ajax’s old Stadion De Meer, with streets named after famous stadiums. Science Park is home to the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science and many students. Amstelkwartier, along the Amstel, is a new area with mostly private rental homes and the youngest population: 55% of residents in Omval/Overamstel are aged 25–45.

Until the end of 2027, the Linnaeusstraat and the Middenweg are being rebuilt in phases, and public transport runs differently during the works.

Parks, markets and places to go

We found no weekly street market in Watergraafsmeer itself; the Dappermarkt in the Dapperbuurt is the nearest we know of.

• Park Frankendael – the park around Huis Frankendael from about 1659, with a restaurant in the old coach house.
• De Nieuwe Ooster – the cemetery on the Kruislaan.
• Betondorp – the 1920s ‘concrete village’ with its central square, the Brink.
• Park de Meer – the residential area on the site of the old Ajax stadium, with the centre spot still marked.
• Science Park – the university and research campus, with a station of its own.
• Ooster Ringdijk – the old polder dike, a cycling route that continues over the Nesciobrug to IJburg.

Getting around: train, metro, tram and bus

Train

Amsterdam Amstel has Intercity and Sprinter trains, and Amsterdam Science Park has Sprinter trains (check the NS timetable).

Metro

Metro 51, 53 and 54 stop at Amstel station, and metro station Spaklerweg serves the southern edge. From December 2027, line 53 is due to be discontinued.

Tram

Tram 19 is the only tram through the polder, along the Middenweg via the Hogeweg, Kruislaan and Brinkstraat (for Betondorp) towards Diemen. Tram 12 ends at Amstel station. Because of the Linnaeusstraat and Middenweg works, tram routes in this area change during 2026 and 2027; check gvb.nl before you travel.

Bus

Bus 40 links Muiderpoort station, Science Park and Amstel station. Bus 41 now ends at Amstel station and is due back on the Middenweg after the works.

Homes in Watergraafsmeer

Watergraafsmeer has a wide mix of homes: older apartments in Middenmeer and Frankendael, the low-rise homes of Betondorp, student homes at Science Park and in De Eenhoorn and new apartment buildings in Amstelkwartier. Frankendael and Betondorp have the highest rental shares (80–83%); Middenmeer is the most mixed, with 61% rented.

In 2021, just under half of the homes in the area were social rent, down from 60% in 2017. The third phase of Amstelkwartier will add social, mid-rent and free-sector homes, and a primary school there is planned for 2029.

Renting out your home in Watergraafsmeer

The area has many students at Science Park and a young population in Amstelkwartier, alongside families. Older homes need a careful points calculation to stay within the legal maximum rent.

Holiday rental is limited to 30 nights a year. Average WOZ values in all four wijken are below €637,000, so if you bought after 1 April 2022 the buy-to-let protection will often apply. We check this before you rent out.

Looking for a home in Watergraafsmeer

Watergraafsmeer suits people who want a quieter, greener area with good train connections. Check how the Middenweg works affect your route until the end of 2027, and ask about the energy label in older homes. For a mid-rent home you need a housing permit.

Watergraafsmeer: frequently asked questions

Is Watergraafsmeer a good neighbourhood for families?

Many families like it for Park Frankendael and its green space. Residents rated the area 8.0 in the city’s 2021 research.

Which tram goes to Watergraafsmeer?

Tram 19 runs along the Middenweg. Because of the works on the Linnaeusstraat and Middenweg until the end of 2027, check gvb.nl for the current route.

How far is Watergraafsmeer from Amstel station and Science Park?

Both stations are on the edges of the area: Amstel station in the south-west and Science Park in the north-east, linked by bus 40.

What is it like to live in Betondorp?

Betondorp is a small 1920s concrete housing experiment of low-rise homes around the Brink; about one in five residents is 65 or older.

Is Amstelkwartier part of Watergraafsmeer?

In the city’s statistics, yes: Amstelkwartier is part of the Omval/Overamstel wijk in the Watergraafsmeer area, along the Amstel.

Nearby neighbourhoods

IJburg · Rivierenbuurt · Amsterdam-Oost · Amsterdam-Zuidoost

Sources for the figures on this page

• Allecijfers: Middenmeer
• Allecijfers: Frankendael
• Allecijfers: Betondorp
• Allecijfers: Omval/Overamstel
• O&S Gebiedsanalyse Watergraafsmeer 2022
• NH Nieuws: Linnaeusstraat and Middenweg works
• UvA: route to Science Park
• Wikipedia: Frankendael
• GVB Jaarplan Vervoer 2026 (network 2026)
• Gemeenteblad 2025 nr. 552274: buy-to-let protection 2026