Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to city centre | Bus, train, taxi, hotel shuttle

If you are planning to travel to Amsterdam (the Netherlands) by plane, then you will arrive into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. In this video I talk about how to get from the airport to the city centre; namely Amsterdam Central Station and I cover all the options available including taxi, train, bus and hotel shuttle. I also show you what it’s like travelling on public transport and how to buy tickets.
Finally I also include some useful high street shops at the airport worth knowing about before leaving and a bonus tip on where to find additional ticket machines. I hope you find this video useful, and thank you for watching.
TIMECODES
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Official taxi stand
1:18 - Taxi by phone app
1:48 - Hotel shuttles
2:10 - Airport express bus
3:53 - Trains
5:46 - Useful shops
6:25 - Bonus tip
7:39 - Summary
OTHER VIDEO SUGGESTIONS
Public transport guide in Amsterdam. How to take the bus, tram, train, ferry and metro.
• Public transport guide...
Avoid getting lost at Amsterdam Centraal Station
• Amsterdam Centraal
TO HELP SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL
-My art prints store (with worldwide delivery)
www.etsy.com/shop/DaniellaPer...
-To contribute towards a new wireless microphone
www.buymeacoffee.com/pocketli...
ABOUT ME
Hello there! My name is Daniella Perera and I’m an artist and vlogger based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I grew up in Hong Kong and the UK, and I’m of mixed heritage including Chinese, Sri-Lankan, Dutch and Portuguese.
Near the end of 2020, I moved from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam with my husband. I have since fallen in love with this city, and I make KZbin videos (every other weekend) about things to do in Amsterdam and tips to settle in faster. The idea behind 'Pocket Lighthouse' was to shine a light on the above topics, and for this information to be accessible on the go.
One of my long-term goals is to use my creativity (whether that be through art or video) to regularly support organisations helping strays and shelter dogs. Needless to say I absolutely adore dogs.
#schiphol #amsterdamairport #publictransportguideinamsterdam

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi everyone :) What's your experience been like travelling through Schiphol Airport, and do you have any travel tips to share?

[@UnitedRobloxian]

never travelled there because of the constant strikes and delays, also the cheap airlines never fly there

[@robabe675]

Very cool.. visiting soon and this was helpful!

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thank you Rob, I'm grateful for the positive feedback on this video.

[@jackvandersluis1723]

Thanks, good info! 👍

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thank you Jack :)

[@gavinrogers6660]

Thanks for the information, im travelling soon and this has been very helpful

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi Gavin. Thank you so much for your positive comment here and I'm very glad this video has been helpful to you.

[@Shakespeare3977]

Awesome. Thank you so much. I’ll be in Amsterdam this September. Very helpful.

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thanks so much for your positive comment and I'm v glad this has been helpful.

[@TheSimArchitect]

InterCity trains have a tricky extra fare from the airport you need to have validated if you're using an OV Chipkaart. There's tiny devices at the platform and there's no obvious signage of where you check in. You're very likely to get a fine if you don't do the second validation. A bit bonkers as they can detect automatically by the place you check in, out and the time you take. Thankfully NS were helpful but be warned!

[@brooklynnspooner2333]

Super helpful for our upcoming trip, thank you for all the explanations and cost breakdowns!

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful to you! :)

[@CruisingwithChooChoo]

Thank you so much for this very informative guide. I’ll be in Amsterdam end of April for three nights and I’ll be staying at the Sheraton airport hotel. I was very happy to see the hotel in your video. I have subscribed

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thank you for your positive comment here, and I'm really glad this has been helpful to you! Thank you for subscribing too :)

[@valentinamatias8593]

Perfect video

[@pocketlighthouse]

I'm glad you think so! :) Thank you

[@sleutelbergen8678]

Tnx 😊

[@pocketlighthouse]

:)

[@Dan-457]

There was no mention of the contactless payment option which is way more practical

[@aaronderyl]

Thanks for your regular updates. Liked and subscribed. If I were to ask for your opinion as I’m coming in June to Amsterdam for 3 days and the morning of the fourth day I have a 7 am flight. It’s just the two of us. We want to spend our time exploring Amsterdam so not keen on some over the top expensive stay. However don’t want it to be some hostel either as we would like our privacy. Where would you recommend?

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thanks for your comment. Where to stay in Amsterdam is tricky especially during the high season. I'm afraid I don't have any firm recommendations as I've never stayed in a hotel in Amsterdam before. I have heard from family and friends that WestCord Art Hotel is good. Separately I've had a tour of Bunk Hotel and they have an interesting concept of individual rooms above a sort of upmarket hostel - all based inside a former church.

[@jackhillman1955]

I just got back from my first trip, beautiful city. BUT.......... catching a train, i asked two conductors on train "does this train go to this location?" "yes" came the reply. A few stops later things didn't seem right. So asked a passenger she said "not sure". Then both original conductors came back i asked them again, This time "No, this train does not go there, You need that platform over there" This was another lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. By sheer luck i jumped on a random train and got there! No thanks to two Dutch conductors a man and women!. And yes i was very polite so why mess about with a frail man on his own in a strange country/city. Plus another lie, there is not a tap in out system on ALL public transport! i had to jump a barrier! stick to taxis if you can afford it, my average trip 50 euros for a 20 min ride, but at least they get you there.

[@ems9097]

can i just say MASSIVE THANK YOU for this video. exactly what I needed

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi there, thanks for the positive feedback. If you're buying a NS train ticket online, then you can load that ticket on your phone using the app or you can print it out and scan it.

[@ems9097]

i see, so i have the ticket ready in the app and scan it before boarding the train? @@pocketlighthouse

[@ashikdindoyal2475]

very helpful - watching from Montreal - i have a question - i will be travelling soon and i have a 5 hours layover Schipol airport. Do you think i have time to visit Amsterdam city for couples hours before my next flight. Thanking you in advance

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi there, I'm glad this video has been helpful. A 5 hour layover is a tricky one. If you have luggage to collect, and then to check in again at the airport - this could eat up a bit of time plus it's hard to predict what the crowds and security will be like. For 1-2 hours in Amsterdam, I don't think it's worth the trouble going back and forth to be honest.

[@mateapolic9067]

Thank you so much, this is so useful and helpful. So, if I got it right, there are some coffee bars and restaurants before exit? We have a couple of hours from our landing to the hotel check in and we were wondering where to spend those hours. ( it's our first time in Amsterdam). Also, can you tell us which is the best to take for transport tickets? (gvb or someone else)? Thank you again.

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thanks for your positive comment on the video. Yes there are some places to eat before leaving the airport. There are a lot of different ticket options, and it's v dependant on your itinerary. I'm actually making a video on this topic as we speak. If you're staying in central amsterdam, I would consider the GVB ticket or iamsterdam ticket or possibly the Amsterdam Travel ticket.

[@mateapolic9067]

Thank you, I found your videos very interesting. We are staying close to Olympic stadium so I think our options are GVB or Iamsterdam tickets. If I buy online iamsterdam tickets, must I have a physical card? Or mobile tickets are good (for transport)?

[@UnitedRobloxian]

@@mateapolic9067You dont need paper tickets for mobile tickets

[@normand.bourassa]

Great video thank you. To your knowledge, can I purchase a 24-hour GVB pass to take the 195 bus to the Van Sloten Windmill from the airport? Afterward, with the same ticket, I would take Tram #2? Does that work?

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi there. Thank you for your feedback on the video. I just had a look at Google maps, and it looks like the 195 bus is run by Connexxion and not GVB, so you'll need to get a separate ticket for that part of the journey. Afterwards, I believe tram no. 2 is run by GVB, so the GVB ticket will be fine.

[@normand.bourassa]

That's what I suspected. It's still a good option for us. Thank you so much. @@pocketlighthouse

[@sarahblue7446]

We just arrived in Amsterdam tonight and caught a cab to our hotel, 13 minutes (14.8 km) away. He was so rude and told us afterwards that we had to pay cash. We didn't have cash so he surcharged us for a card. Total was 52 euros. I think we were totally ripped off, and this guy was driving a tesla and using the official taxi stand. I think I should dispute it. Any tips? 😫

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi there. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I've not experienced this before. Have you tried customer services on their website as a first port of call?

[@pennywhitaker7092]

Where do you go for a private transfer like Welcome Pickups?

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi Penny, thanks for your comment. I just had a look at the Welcome Pickups website and it mentions the driver will be holding up a sign for you.

[@aleynaabanuz6696]

Thanks for infos. I have a question. Can I take bus 369(Schipol-Sloterdijk) with gvb 3 day ticket?

[@pocketlighthouse]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe you can. I would get in touch with GVB to double check this. Also it's much faster to get from Schiphol to Sloterdijk by train.

[@aleynaabanuz6696]

@@pocketlighthouse I am going to buy 3 day gvb ticket so I don’t want to spend money to train ticket. I have time also.

[@myhappyending_]

Hello... I didn't get the white machine part at 7:02. Could you explain it? To get the 397 from the airport to the center city I should buy which one? The 6.50€ one? In march I'm gonna go from Schiphol to the Vondelpark region😅.

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi there. For the bus, tram and metro ticket - I'm not 100% sure this includes the airport express bus. Unless the white machine provides more information (once you click through to make a purchase) - I would double check this with the people in the red van parked outside the airport as they also sell this ticket type, as well as a ticket for the 397.

[@myhappyending_]

​@@pocketlighthouse ok! Do you know if they are still there outside after 22:00? My flight is kinda late 😢 another option wouldn't be pay inside the bus? Don't they have the credit card machine next to the driver? 🤔

[@pocketlighthouse]

@@myhappyending_ Looking at the footage in my video, looks like the van is only open till 6pm. I don't know about buying tickets from the driver at that time, but you can also buy tickets online.

[@myhappyending_]

@@pocketlighthouse thank you so much

[@clange1059]

If I'm going from the airport centraal to a tour, then back to the centrasl to pickup luggage and then to my hotel, what ticket do you recommend?

[@clange1059]

Thank you for these videos! They are quite good!

[@pocketlighthouse]

Thanks for your comment. The easiest way to get from the airport to Amsterdam Centraal Station is by train. Really hard for me to say what the best ticket is overall as it's dependant on where your hotel is and what you'll be doing here. I've got another video about tickets which may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqmpq6aoeq1lpZYsi=y5wpw2RFnTedVC7F

[@SuperPeterpan79]

we hv heard a lot about chaos (lomg queues due to security check) at the airport.. when flying back. Is it still there ..

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi SuperPeterpan79. I flew out of Schiphol earlier this year. Whilst I didn't experience any problems with long queues - this can change pretty fast so I would check local news, Schiphol airport website etc nearer to when you travel.

[@SuperPeterpan79]

@@pocketlighthouse many thanks bless u

[@amansingh_797]

does iamamsterdam card covers everything including NS or OV or gvb?

[@pocketlighthouse]

I'd recommend watching my video about the different tickets here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqmpq6aoeq1lpZYsi=eG7MtbZ7TR1OEN1A

[@VV-yj1uz]

Instead of buying a ticket can I just use my contactless card to pay in then out once in Amsterdam Central

[@pocketlighthouse]

Yes OVPay is available on NS trains too. If you're using an international card, might be worth checking the OVPay website on what's accepted.

[@pallavikokani629]

I am stayin in sloterdijk so can i buy 2day GVB pass and travel to my hotel from airport or do i need to bua separate ticket for airport transfer? And with GVB card i can also travel zaanse schan or a seperate ticket to buy for it?

[@pocketlighthouse]

This other video I've made should help kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqmpq6aoeq1lpZYsi=8Ct_3VJ-NB--NRo6

[@pallavikokani629]

@@pocketlighthouse i saw it maam but i am still confused regarding zaanse schan

[@imeldayap5239]

From schiphol airport, what station should I choose taking a one way ticket to bijlmer arena? Is it Amsterdam Central? Thanks

[@pocketlighthouse]

You can go via Amsterdam Centraal, but I would use Google maps to find the fastest route as Bijlmer Arena has access to various forms of transport.

[@imeldayap5239]

@@pocketlighthousethe hotel is close to bijlmer arena station, I can take a train going to bijlmer arena station stop, right? It says I exit the station and head towards Hoogoorddreef direction. Thanks

[@pocketlighthouse]

@@imeldayap5239 Sorry I don't know off the top of my head as I've never gone to Bijlmer Arena from the airport.

[@imeldayap5239]

@@pocketlighthouse no worries, thanks

[@TravelwithIvan]

Instead of buying a ticket, can i just use Google Pay on my phone for contactless from Schiphol to Centraal?

[@pocketlighthouse]

This would come under OV Pay, and yes you should be able to do this.

[@antarasarkar12]

Hi, thanks so much for this useful video! I want to go from Schiphol to Amsterdam RAI. I've looked through Google Maps, NS website etc. but I can't figure out which train to take to get to RAI (and not Central Station). In your video at 4.50, I can see all the final destinations. Could you be able to tell me which one would take me to RAI? Thank you so much. Hope I'm not a bother!

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi thanks for the feedback on my video and I'm glad it's useful. At 4.50 in this video, it does list out some final destinations but it isn't all of them and you can still choose the first letter of your destination. I just had a look at google maps and NS, and it does show that you can get to the RAI directly by train. I'm afraid I can't specify a train for you, as it will depend on the day of travel etc. Are you entering Amsterdam RAI as your final destination?

[@antarasarkar12]

@@pocketlighthouse I want to go to RAI by train and then take a tram to De Pijp. I didn't know that I could type in and search for the destination on the ticket machine. Hence, couldn't figure out how to get to RAI as it's not listed. But now it's clear. Thanks for your reply! Appreciate it so much.

[@pocketlighthouse]

@@antarasarkar12 I'm really glad I've been able to help you out with your transport. As an alternative, if you do go to Centraal you could also hop on the metro line 52 down to the RAI. After that, the 52 can get you to De Pijp easily too.

[@clifffawcett]

We arrived via Air France at Schipol, bought two tickets at the NS yellow kiosk for one way Amsterdam Centraal. We discovered that none of the NS trains go directly from the airport to Amsterdam Centraal. We had to get off the NS Intercity at Amsterdam Zuid and change to a Metro train our ticket card didn’t work but there was a worker who told us to just get on the train, which we did. When we got to our station our card wouldn’t allow us to exit (said invalid).

[@pocketlighthouse]

Hi Cliff, gosh I'm not sure what was happening with the trains when you arrived at the airport - there are usually so many trains going to Amsterdam Centraal. If you bought a train ticket from the yellow machine, I'm afraid you can't use it for the metro too. I hope you enjoy your stay in Amsterdam nevertheless.

[@clifffawcett]

@@pocketlighthouse Thanks! I think we figured it out. They are doing construction on the rail line between Schipol and Centraal. It worked out ok. We had a great visit in Amsterdam. We are now up in Groningen.

[@pocketlighthouse]

@@clifffawcett that's great to hear!

[@emmag1788]

How much is a taxi please?

[@pocketlighthouse]

Depends on where you're going - perhaps request a quote from the taxi company.

[@emmag1788]

@pocketlighthouse sorry silly not to say park centraal hotel

[@gaffo_nl]

Just use your credit card or debit card check in and check out on the bus, this shall be cheaper.

[@pocketlighthouse]

.