Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the most important airports in Europe, located 20 minutes from Amsterdam city centre in Haarlemmermeer municipality, North Holland.
This is an international airport and the most important dutch gateway to the world, base of many international airlines such as KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Transavia, TUI Fly Netherlands, Martinair and a focus city for Corendon Dutch Airlines, Level and EasyJet.
There are five main ways to get from Amsterdam airport to city centre:
- By bus
- By rented car
- By train
- By taxi
- By Schiphol hotel shuttle
Getting to the city centre by bus
There are two buses which go directly from the airport to the city centre: bus 397 and bus N97.
The only difference between these two is that bus 397 travels during the daytime, while bus N97 is a night bus.
The journey lasts for about 30-40 minutes and the bus stops in the following stations:
- Museumplein (27 minutes ride)
- Rijksmuseum ( 33 minutes ride)
- Leidseplein ( 35 minutes ride)
- Busstation Elandsgracht ( 39 minutes ride)
The main option of taking the bus is that you can reach different areas of the city centre without having to change anything.
Tickets cost around 6 euro for one-way and 10 euro for return, while children with ages between 4 to 11 have to pay about 3 euros.
Make sure you buy your tickets in advance as cash is not accepted on board buses listed above.
The bus terminal from the airport is located directly outside the airport on Schiphol Plaza.
Amsterdam airport to city center by train
Every 10 to 15 minutes are trains which depart from the airport to the city centre, Amsterdam Central Station and the train journey lasts for about 30 minutes.
The train tickets cost around 6.5 euro per one way journey and can be bought from the yellow machines or ticket desks located one floor up the railway station.
The train runs 24 hours a day and from 6 in the morning till midnight there are several trains each hour; during the nighttime, the trains are rarer.
Schiphol train station is located directly underneath the airport and is very easy to find when you arrive.
Please note that the regional train system is not included in the Amsterdam Public transport ticket and it needs to be bought separately before you get into the train.
Taxi
Cabs are the most pricey method to travel from the flight terminal to your hotel and the they are conveniently located very close to Arrivals hall.
However, if you have a lot of luggage it is possibly the most effective choice.
The taxi travel time under normal traffic conditions lasts for approximately 15-20 minutes but the time might significantly raise if there are numerous traffic jams.
If you intend to take a taxi from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol you ought to understand that there are 3 sorts of taxis:
- the normal one
- a deluxe Schiphol Business taxi
- Schiphol travel taxi minibus
All these taxis run 1 day a day, 7 days a week.
The cost for a ride begins from 40 euro however it differs relying on your destination and also traffic conditions.
The taxi station at the airport is located outside the main entrance of arrivals as well as train terminal level, right in front of Schiphol Plaza.
Amsterdam airport to city by rented car
Renting a car when going to the Netherlands is a good choice only if you plan to visit the countryside.
If you plan to explore just the Amsterdam city, then you don’t need a car as finding a parking place is very difficult and costs a lot of money.
We recommend you to book a few days to explore the Netherlands countryside with its amazing windmills and beautiful tulip fields and go a few days at the North Sea to relax and calm down.
International car rental companies have offices right inside the airport from where you can pick your car.
I don’t advise you to go to these offices without having a booking made as you might end up paying more for something you don’t need ( like a bigger car).
To secure the best price and the type of car you want, book everything in advance and when you arrive at the airport go and pick up your car.
Get the best price for your car rental today
Getting to the city centre with Schiphol Hotel Shuttle
This amazing service run by Connexxion, the Schiphol Hotel Shuttle offers services to more than 100 Amsterdam hotels located in and around the city.
Shuttles run every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 9.30 p.m. from platform A7 located outside the main entrance to the arrivals and train station level.
The shuttle is actually a shared vehicle with a maximum capacity of 8 persons and the journey time lasts depending on the number of stops and location of the hotels.
The price of the shuttle starts from 20 euro per person, but discounts might be applied if you travel in a bigger group.
Some hotels offer this shuttle bus for free when you book your accommodation, so make sure you ask the hotel about this as soon as you book your room.
These are the best 5 ways to get from Amsterdam airport to city centre so just pick the one you suit best.
Book everything in advance and prepare your holiday as this magnificent country has many beautiful attractions to visit!
Book your accommodation
We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.
You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.
Don't forget travel insurance
We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money.
When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.
Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected costs caused by medical events like illness, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.
We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.
Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.
We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.
Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.
We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.
Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.
Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.