Schiphol Transportation

The most asked question in the travel forum is how one can travel from the Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam downtown.

I got the feeling the airport authorities kept an eye at Virtual Tourist, because an electronic screen has been put up at immigration where you queue for passport control.

On he screen the different options are outlined with the related costs and time involved.

All these options and some more are given in detailed in my listed Schiphol transportation tips below.

Every 15 mts or something there is a train that connects Schiphol's underground train station with Amsterdam's main station, Amsterdam Centraal.

I never quite understood the difference between the three tickets available for this ride but a return ticket costs EURO 5.60. Make sure to have coins with ya, the machines don't accept Euro bills!

The train to Amsterdam Centraal takes approx. 15 minutes.

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You can easily reach Amsterdam Centraal by several trains per hour. It takes only 15 minutes. Schiphol railway station is located directly beneath the terminal complex of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and is operated by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The station's six platforms are accessible via twelve escalators and three elevators located in the main concourse of the airport (Schiphol Plaza).
The Downtown can easily be reached from Schiphol Airport by car via the highways A4 and A9.

You can watch my 3 min 22 sec Video Schiphol-Amsterdam Damrak out of my Youtube channel or or here on VT.

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The train platforms are in the basement of the Schiphol Plaza, the big indoor front hall of the airport.
There are multiple ticket counters and ticket vending machines that accepts credit cards too. A ticket from the counter is 50 Eurocents over the same ticket from the machine.

Counter service business hours: 06.30AM - 9PM.

There are multiple platforms, so first select the right one before going down.

During daytime trains leave every 30 minutes to the major Dutch Cities.

The train ride to Amsterdam Central Station is about 20 minutes.

Watch your luggage at all times!

Station Information

There are quite a few shuttle busses that connect the hotels of Schiphol with the airport. Depending on the hotel they go 2-3 times an hour. Departure is at the right end of Schiphol Plaza when facing away from it.

There you will also find a free telephone you can use for contacting the different hotels.

Some of the busses are rather small so you would want to be there early (especially when departing from your hotel). The drivers are not allowed to take more people than the bus has seats. I wouldn't want to be kicked out when having a plane to catch. I warned ya ;)

Never had heard of Dutchbird before, but dad and I did like flying with them!
We flew an airbus 320 and were very well served ... even had brekkie! on our way to Barçelona and when coming back, we had dinner!
Made up for not being allowed to smoke ;-)

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In front of the Schiphol Plaza Train station are indoor information tables; the classic NS-ones with all the information for any train trip you can make from Schiphol at any time. Above is a big electronic information wall with the train departures scheduled for the next hours with platform indification.

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The Lovers company started their Floating Dutchman service in cooperation with the Schiphol Airport. This bus/boat amphibeous tour is ideal for passengers with a layover time of 5 or more hours.

The Floating Dutchman will depart from the Schihol Airport, drive to the Amsterdam Oosterdok and from thare sail the Amsterdam canals. A ride back to the airport concludes the three hours sightseeing tour.

A ticket will cost about €40 (at the Lover Company ticket counter at Schiphol Plaza).

Promo movie

First regular service movie