AMSTERDAM CONNECTIONS
The Netherlands is so small, level, and well covered by trains and buses that transportation is a snap. Buses take you where trains don’t go, and bicycles take you where buses don’t go. Bus stations and bike-rental shops cluster around train stations. Easy-to-navigate Schiphol Airport is well connected to Amsterdam and other destinations by bus and train.
Use the comprehensive transit website 9292.nl to plan connections inside the Netherlands by train, bus, or both.
For any journey in the Netherlands—by short-distance tram, bus, or Metro, or by long-distance bus or second-class train—you can pay by tapping your contactless credit card (or payment app on your phone or watch) as you enter the system. Don’t forget to tap out when you reach your destination. Individual tickets are still sold for all of these (at machines, through apps, or sometimes from a live ticket office). But the tap system works well, once you’re used to it, and can save time. Remember that each individual passenger needs their own card—a couple can’t share one credit card.
For more tips and information on tickets, deals, and rail passes, see the Transportation section of the Practicalities chapter.
By Train
Amsterdam is the country’s hub, but all major cities are linked by speedy trains that come and go every 15 minutes or so. Dutch rail schedules are online at Ns.nl (domestic) and NsInternational.com (international). Google Maps also does a good job of giving you real-time schedules, including departures, transfers, and which track (spoor) your train will use.
If you have a rail pass, it’s quicker to validate it via app or in person (for paper passes) when you arrive at Schiphol Airport than at Amsterdam’s Centraal station, but keep in mind that you don’t need to start using your rail pass that day; you could buy an inexpensive point-to-point ticket into Amsterdam and save your rail-pass travel days for a longer journey.
The train-information center at Amsterdam’s Centraal station can require a long wait. Save lots of time by getting international train tickets and information online, at a small-town station (such as Haarlem), or at the airport upon arrival.
Budget travelers and rail-pass holders heading to Brussels or Antwerp should avoid the pricey Eurostar train and take an InterCity (IC) train instead. For details, see here.
Eurostar has a monopoly on direct trains between Amsterdam and Paris or London. Rail-pass holders need to buy a seat reservation (these can sell out quite early), and the pass must cover both ends of the trip.
AMSTERDAM CENTRAAL STATION
See “Arrival in Amsterdam” on here for more details on station services.
By Train to Domestic Destinations
Schiphol Airport (8/hour, 15-20 minutes), Haarlem (8/hour, 20 minutes; see here for a train-window tour of the countryside), Keukenhof (catch train to Leiden—4/hour direct, 35-40 minutes; then bus #854, called Keukenhof Express, to garden—4/hour, 30 minutes, runs mid-March-mid-May), Aalsmeer (take the bus; see “By Bus,” later), Zandvoort (2/hour, 30 minutes), Leiden (4/hour, 35-40 minutes direct, more with transfer), Delft (2/hour, 1 hour, more with transfer), The Hague/Den Haag (4/hour, 50 minutes, more with change in Leiden), Rotterdam (4/hour on express ICD train, 45 minutes), Arnhem (3/hour, 1 hour, more with transfer in Utrecht), Kröller-Müller Museum/Hoge Veluwe National Park (get off at Ede-Wageningen—4/hour, 1 hour, half with transfer in Utrecht; from Ede-Wageningen, take bus to Otterlo near park entrance—1-2/hour,20 minutes), Utrecht (6/hour, 30 minutes), Edam/Volendam/Marken (take the bus; see “By Bus,” later), Hoorn (2/hour, 30 minutes), Enkhuizen/Zuiderzee Museum (2/hour, 1 hour), Alkmaar (4/hour, 40 minutes), Zaanse Schans Open-Air Museum (Sprinter train, get off at Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station; 4/hour, 15 minutes, then 15-minute walk).
By Train to International Destinations
Bruges (1-2/hour, 2.5-3.5 hours; fastest connection changes in Brussels; otherwise change in Antwerp and Ghent, if possible avoid costly Eurostar trains), Brussels (hourly, 2 hours direct by pricey Eurostar to Midi/Zuid station; otherwise hourly, 3 hours direct on cheaper IC train to all three Brussels stations), Antwerp (every 1-2 hours, 1.25 hours by pricey Eurostar; otherwise hourly, 1.75 hours by cheaper IC trains), Copenhagen (3/day with 2-3 transfers, more with multiple transfers, 12 hours), Frankfurt (4/hour, 5-6 hours, most with transfers), Berlin (5/day direct, 6 hours), Munich (3-4/hour, 9 hours with 2-3transfers), Bern (roughly hourly, 8-10 hours, multiple transfers), Paris (nearly hourly, 3.25 hours direct on fast Eurostar train or 4.75 hours with change to Eurostar train in Brussels, www.eurostar.com). Save money by taking a bus to Paris—see “By Bus,” later.
By Eurostar Train to London
The Eurostar zips from Amsterdam to London at 190 mph in 4 hours (3/day, more with transfer in Brussels, also stops at Rotterdam). The tunnel crossing under the English Channel is a 20-minute, silent, 100 mph nonevent. Your ears won’t even pop.
Eurostar Tickets and Fares: One-way tickets between Amsterdam and London vary widely in price; for instance, $52-290 (Eurostar Standard class), $94-360 (Eurostar Plus), and $386-446 (Eurostar Premier). Fares depend on how far ahead you reserve and whether you’re eligible for any discounts—available for children (under 12), youths (under 26), and adults booking months ahead or purchasing round-trip. Connections in Brussels can cost more than direct trains. You can book tickets up to six months in advance.
Buy tickets ahead at RickSteves.com/rail or at Eurostar.com (Dutch +31 20 532 32 32, with €14 phone-handling fee). In continental Europe, you can buy tickets at any major train station in any country or at any travel agency that handles train tickets (expect a booking fee). In Britain, tickets are issued only at the Eurostar office in the St. Pancras train station.
If you have a Eurail Global Pass, seat reservations are available at Eurostar departure stations, www.eurail.com, or by phone with Eurostar (generally harder to get at other train stations and travel agencies; $40 in Eurostar Standard, $50 in Eurostar Plus for Amsterdam-London route, can sell out).
Taking the Eurostar: Trains to London depart from and arrive at Amsterdam Centraal, on the north side of the station near track 15B. Arrive early to go through security and passport control (must be completed at least 45 minutes before departure) and locate your departure track (shown on a TV monitor). Although your passport will also be checked in person, passengers to/from London must provide passport details online before receiving their final tickets.
By Bus
The biggest companies serving towns near Amsterdam are Arriva (www.arriva.nl), Connexxion (www.connexxion.nl), and EBS (www.localbus.nl).
To alleviate traffic congestion in the city center, Amsterdam has moved the departure points for most buses away from Centraal station, to outlying Metro stops (easily connected to Centraal station by a very speedy subterranean ride, mostly on the north-south line #52). Many of these connections depart from “Amsterdam-Noord” or simply “Noord”—the northern end-of-the-line, just two stops and a few minutes from Centraal. A few others (including #391 to Zaanse Schaans) go from the Noorderpark Metro stop (between Centraal and Noord). And still others (including buses to Keukenhof) leave from “Amsterdam RAI,” the modern convention-center area south of the old center, at the Europaplein Metro stop. Bus #357 to Aalsmeer Flower Auction departs from the Amstelveenseweg Metro stop on a different line, #51; alternatively, this bus also stops closer to the city center, at the Elandsgracht bus stop, at the western edge of the Jordaan.
While this sounds like a hassle, in practice these departure points work well; these compact, modern stations are much smaller, less busy, and easier to navigate than sprawling, bustling, confusing Centraal station. On arrival at any of these Metro stations, simply look for the electronic board listing bus departure times and locations, and follow signs to the appropriate stop.
For the rare buses that depart from Centraal station, make your way to the back (river) side of the station, through the crowded IJpassage, then look for escalators or elevators to take you upstairs.
From Amsterdam by Bus to: Edam/Volendam (from Noord Metro station, various and frequently EBS buses—see list on here, 30 minutes), Marken (from Noord Metro station, bus #111, 2/hour, 30 minutes), Aalsmeer Flower Auction (from Amstelveenseweg Metro station or Elandsgracht in the Jordaan, Connexxion bus #357, 4/hour, 1 hour), Zaanse Schans (from Noorderpark Metro station, Connexxion bus #391, 4/hour, 40 minutes).
To Paris by Bus: Without a rail pass, a FlixBus (UK +44 178 829 8784, www.flixbus.com) or BlaBlaCar bus (www.blablacar.com) is the cheapest way to get to Paris (nearly hourly including night buses, 8 hours, about €30 one-way, €55 round-trip; prices vary, can be cheaper with advance purchase, check online for deals; buses leave from Amsterdam Sloterdijk station).
By Plane
SCHIPHOL AIRPORT
Schiphol (SKIP-pol) Airport is located about 10 miles southwest of Amsterdam’s city center. Like most of Holland, it is user-friendly and below sea level. With an appealing array of shops, eateries, and other time-killing opportunities, Schiphol is a fine place to arrive, depart, or change planes. A truly international airport, Schiphol has done away with Dutch—signs are in English only.
Information: Find Schiphol flight times and airline contact info at their website or on their free app (code: AMS, www.schiphol.nl).
Orientation: Though Schiphol officially has four terminals, it’s really just one big building. You could walk it end to end in about 20 minutes (but allow plenty of time to pass through security checkpoints between terminals). Interactive info kiosks and the Schiphol app have handy maps to find nearby services and eateries. All terminals have free Wi-Fi. Once through security, an inviting shopping and eating zone called Holland Boulevard runs between Terminals 2 and 3.
Arrival at Schiphol: Baggage-claim areas for all terminals empty into the same central zone, officially called Schiphol Plaza but generally signed Arrivals or Baggage Hall. It’s a vast atrium of shops, tourist services, and transportation options for getting into the city: train, bus, taxi, and Uber. There is no TI, but you’ll find info touchscreens between Arrivals 1 and 2.
Services: Avoid the Travelex ATMs around the airport that charge high exchange rates, and hold out for a bank ATM. Service Point, in Schiphol Plaza at the end of the shopping mall near Arrivals 4, is a useful all-purpose service counter that sells SIM cards, prints tickets, and ships packages. Convenient luggage lockers are at various points—allowing you to leave your bag here on a lengthy layover (both short- and long-term lockers, pay with credit card; biggest bank of lockers near the train station at Schiphol Plaza). If you’re leaving from Schiphol and need to get VAT forms stamped, look for the Customs office in Departures 3. Technically you must show them the item, unused, before going through security; if it’s in your checked luggage, do this before you check it.
If you’ll be traveling by rail, take advantage of the “Train Tickets and Services” counter (Schiphol Plaza ground level, kitty-corner from Burger King). They have an easy info desk and generally short lines—so transactions here tend to be much quicker than at Amsterdam’s Centraal station ticket desks. While you’re here, consider validating your rail pass, booking future international train tickets, and making seat reservations for later in your trip.
Time-Killing Tips: With extra time at Schiphol, check out the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol, a little art gallery and museum store on Holland Boulevard, the lively shopping/eating zone between Lounges 2 and 3. The Rijks loans a dozen or so of its minor masterpieces from the Dutch golden age to this unique airport museum, including actual Dutch Masters (free, always open, gift shop good for last-minute gifts). Or, to escape the airport crowds, follow signs for the Panorama Terrace to the third floor of Terminal 2, where you’ll find a quieter, full-of-locals cafeteria, a kids’ play area, and a view terrace where you can watch planes come and go while you nurse a coffee. If you plan to visit the terrace on arrival, stop there before you pass through customs.
Out Front: When you head outside from the Schiphol Plaza area, you’ll see an official taxi stand immediately in front. Beyond that stretches a long row of numbered bus stops (from B1 to B20). If taking the bus, check the screens to figure out which stop your bus departs from; buses #397 to Amsterdam and #300 to Haarlem often leave from the higher-numbered bus stops, to the right.
From Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam
To get between Schiphol and downtown Amsterdam, all options leave from Schiphol Plaza. Remember, for any transportation in the Netherlands, you can pay simply by tapping your contactless credit card (or phone equipped with a payment app) at the scanner as you enter the train platform, and then “check out” by tapping again when you reach your destination. If you need to buy a paper ticket, you’ll find machines in Schiphol Plaza (start the no-brainer transaction by pressing “I want to go to Amsterdam Centraal”). Various passes include both local transit and the airport train ride but are rarely a good value unless you’ll be taking lots of trams and Metro rides.
By Train: This is your fastest and cheapest option. Direct trains to Amsterdam’s Centraal station run frequently from Schiphol Plaza (4-6/hour, 20 minutes, €5.90). Schiphol’s train station also serves other destinations (see next section). When traveling from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol, trains generally leave every 15 minutes—just check the electronic schedule boards.
By Public Bus to Leidseplein: Connexxion #397 is handy for those going to the Leidseplein district; it also stops at Museumplein—if staying in that area, this direct bus can be handier than a train-plus-tram connection (3-6/hour, about 35 minutes depending on traffic, €6.50, tap your credit card as you enter and exit the bus).
By Taxi: Allow about €50 to downtown Amsterdam by regular taxi (official taxi stand straight ahead as you exit). Hotels may have cabs offering a fixed-price airport deal; ask your hotelier for details. Uber serves the airport for less, typically around €30-40 (more during “surge” periods). To find your Uber driver, as you exit the baggage-claim area, turn left and look for signs to App Pick-Up Point, through the exit beyond Arrivals 1.
From Schiphol Airport to Other Destinations
To Haarlem: The big red #300 bus is direct, stopping at Haarlem’s train station and near the Grote Markt/Market Square (every 10 minutes, 40 minutes, €5.50, tap your credit card as you enter and exit). The train is just as quick, but you’ll have to transfer at Amsterdam Sloterdijk station (6/hour, 30-40 minutes). Figure about €60 to Haarlem by taxi.
By Train to: Delft (5/hour, 40 minutes, some with transfer in Leiden), The Hague/Den Haag (4/hour, 40 minutes, more with change in Leiden), Rotterdam (4/hour, 30 minutes), Bruges (hourly, 2.5-3 hours, change in Antwerp or Brussels), Brussels (hourly, 2.5 hours on IC; hourly, 1.5 hours on pricey Eurostar).
By Bus to: Keukenhof (bus #858, Keukenhof Express, mid-March-mid-May, 8/hour, 40 minutes).