How to get from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station?

reaching Amstredam central train station from the airport

When you arrive at Schiphol Airport it is actually very easy to reach Amsterdam Central Station. You have several options that you can chose from. You will notice that for every budget a different solution is being offered. From busses, trains and taxi’s: it is all possible!

Note: Non of the busses go directly to Amsterdam Central Station, but if you want to take a d-tour and see more of the city upon arrival you can explore your options by bus for sure.

Getting from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station by train

Traveling by train from the airport to the city center is by far the cheapest and most convenient way. The train station is located directly under the airport. With a quick escalator ride of less than 10 seconds you are on the train platform and you can just hop on, on the train to Amsterdam. Without having to change trains you will reach the city center in aprox. 15-20 minutes.

Before you enter the train you will have to buy tickets. You can easily do this online by downloading the ‘NS APP’ or do this at one of the machines at the airport. It is very important that you purchase this ticket and scan it before you enter the train. It might not seem as a big problem to enter the train without scanning your ticket but when you arrive at Amsterdam Central Station you will need to scan your ticket to leave the station.

Also, if the conductor sees that you did not scan your ticket upon entering the train he is entitled to give you a penalty fine. You can try to play the tourist card but this might not always work, therefor try your best to remember to scan scan scan before getting on the train. Current one way ticket: between €5,25- and €5,80,-

Buy public transportation passe partout for Amsterdam HERE

How to get from Schiphol Airport to Central Train Station by taxi

Another, more expensive option, is taking a taxi. If you have a lot of luggage or you share the taxi with several people the price can be quite foreseeable. If you want to take an taxi make sure it is an official taxi. Schiphol experiences a lot of issues with people that try to scam tourists by offering them very expensive rides. A normal ride from the airport to Amsterdam Central should be between €45,- and €60,-.

All cabs go by meter. You can ask this in advance and always ask an estimation of the price. When the chauffeur tells you it is between €45,- and €60,- you know you have the real deal.You can also order an Uber from the airport to the city center of Amsterdam.

You can easily let the driver know if you are at ‘Arrival 1,2,3 or 4’ for an easy pickup. Choosing 3 or 4 is recommended since this is far away from the taxi stand so you are sure not to be bothered by taxi drivers that want to offer you a lift.

If you are looking for nice place to stay in Amsterdam? CHECK HERE