How to Get from Amsterdam Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is located 17 kilometres south-west of the centre of Amsterdam. The Schiphol train station is located below the departure hall. The city centre can be reached by train in just 15 to 20 minutes. The train usually is the fastest, cheapest and the most convenient way to get from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station. However,  if you arrive at night or in the early morning, another form of transport might be better, depending on where you need to be in Amsterdam. On this page we’ll highlight all possible options to help you find most convenient;

• Trains to/from the airport; the train is usually the best option from Schiphol. However, bear in mind, at night connecting forms of transport from the train stations such as trams and subways have no service. Make sure to check whether there’s transport available from the train station you’re going to, if needed!
• Buses to/from Schiphol; in general, buses take a bit longer. However, that’s because they have more stops than the trains. Therefore, depending on your destination, the bus might be more convenient, especially at night! Holders of the Iamsterdam city card are also better off taking the bus, since it is included in the price, in contrary to the train to Amsterdam.
• Taxi services to/from the airport; if you don’t want to have the hassle of finding the right directions for public transport, after a long flight, there’s always the option to take a cab. From Schiphol Airport, there are also cheap, shared taxi services available!

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam by Train

For the latest departures times always check the displays on the platforms or check the official Dutch Railway website or visit 9292 to plan your trip door-to-door.

Easily order your train tickets directly via the widget below:

From Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station, Sloterdijk & Lelylaan

The train is in  most cases the most convenient and fastest way to get to the Amsterdam City centre. An NS train (Dutch Railways) leaves from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station ten times per hour on average. You can buy your train tickets at the NS Tickets & Service desk or at the NS ticket machines at the airport. The average journey time to Central Station is 15 to 20 minutes. You can travel with the NS trains Intercity Direct and Sprinter with stops at Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Amsterdam Lelylaan.

Night service trains between 0:30 and 6:00 a.m.

At night there is only one train per hour. The night trains run once every hour between Utrecht Central Station – Amsterdam Central Station – Amsterdam Schiphol Airport – Leiden Central Station – The Hague Central Station – Delft Central Station and Rotterdam Central Station and vice versa. Keep in mind that other forms of public transport from the train station might have limited, or no service at all!

Costs

A one-way journey from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central costs € 4.50 for a 2nd class ticket and € 7.43 for a 1st class. This price applies to online purchases of tickets and payments with an OV chip card, tickets from the ticket machine are usually € 1.00 more expensive. On the Schiphol Airport – Amsterdam route you do not have to pay a surcharge for the Intercity Direct, this is mandatory on the Schiphol Airport – Rotterdam route. For a one-way trip, you pay an additional € 2.60, available for purchase at the Supplement Column on the departure platform. Please check the NS website for more information on the Intercity Direct surcharge.

From Schiphol to Amsterdam Zuid, RAI & Bijlmer Arena

If you need to be in South of Amsterdam, you’re best off with a different train then the one heading to Amsterdam Centraal. For the train stations Amsterdam Zuid, Amsterdam RAI and Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena you’re best off taking an Intercity train heading to southern cities in the Netherlands Venlo and Nijmegen. Make sure not to fall asleep, if you don’t want to wake up far from your destination! These intercities have no night service, so you’re better off taking a bus or a taxi at night.

From Amsterdam Schipol Airport to Amsterdam Central by Bus

A number of buses go from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station. Bus lines 197 and 397 (Interliner) run during the day and stop at the Leidseplein and Olympiaplein. These buses leave every 15 minutes. If you travel at night, you can take bus 97 or 358 (Niteliner) that run approximately the same route. These buses run from 0.30 a.m. to 5.00 a.m. Connexxion Bus 397 (Amsterdam Airport Express) runs every 7.5 to 15 minutes between Nieuw-Vennep (P + R Getsewoud Zuid) and bus station Elandsgracht near the centre of Amsterdam. The travel time from the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to the Leidseplein bus stop is approximately 1 hr 23 minutes. Among other things, the bus makes stops at the Olympic Stadium, Museumplein and Rijksmuseum.

You can buy bus tickets online via the Connexxion website or from the bus driver. The prices are € 6.50 for a single journey and € 11.25 for a return trip. A single journey from the airport to the city centre takes about 1 hour 23 minutes and GVB tickets can be used on the bus, tram and metro. It is cheaper if you use an OV chip card, then you pay around € 3.44 for one bus trip. There is a special ticket for children up to 12 years old, the price is only € 1.00 per child. At night, visitors can travel every 30 minutes with night bus N97 (Niteliner) between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Central Station. The Amsterdam Airport Express is particularly popular with tourists. The buses are just outside the Schiphol Plaza. If you want to know more about departure times and stops, visit 9292. You can plan your entire journey via that site. The bus takes about half an hour and a single ticket costs € 4. You can buy this from the bus driver.

Bus 197

The bus stop of the 197 bus company Connexxion, also known as Amsterdam Airport Express, can be found at the B9 bus stop, right next to Schiphol Plaza. This red bus runs every 15 minutes and has stops on Stadionplein, Museumplein and Leidseplein. The final stop is Marnixstraat. This bus does not go to Amsterdam Central Station. Travellers can take the tram from the Leidseplein and Museumplein to Amsterdam Central Station. You can buy tickets from the driver or from the Connexxion Tickets & Info office in the Schiphol Airport departure hall. Night bus N97 has the same route as bus 197 and runs once an hour from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Commonly used Bus Connections from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport are:

• Bus number 197: Amsterdam Airport Express runs 4x per hour to the centre of Amsterdam.
• To Amsterdam South: Bus 310
• To Amsterdam Sloterdijk: Bus 69
• To Amstelveen, Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA: Bus 300
• To Leiden: Bus 365
• To Noordwijk: Bus 361

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central by Taxi

A taxi to the centre of Amsterdam costs between €50,- and € 60,- depending on the traffic, you can be in the centre of Amsterdam in 30 to 45 minutes. If you fly in and are in a hurry to get home or be dropped off right in front of your door, you can of course always take a taxi. You can get a taxi for yourself or share with others or with your own group of friends. If you do decide to take a taxi, you can easily find them at the official taxi rank, which is just outside the arrival hall of the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central by ViaVan Taxi Sharing Service

If you are flying into Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and want to experience the convenience of someone who is ready for you once you have landed and all at a cheap price, then the ViaVan Taxi Sharing service from the airport is the perfect solution. This service works like an Uber. Travellers share the cost of the taxi ride with other travellers — and this makes it cheaper. However, if you don’t want to share with other travellers, then there is an option for a private ride. With their Tourist Viapass, you’ll get both airport rides for only €59,-. All you have to do is confirm your taxi ride via the app and the driver will pick you up from the pick-up spot which is usually around the corner. ViaVan is safe, convenient, cheap and environmentally friendly.

Steps for Using the ViaVan App:

• Install the app on your phone.
• Create an account and add a payment method.
• Select a pick-up location and a drop-off point and then confirm your ride.
• Walk to the confirmed pick-up point and board your taxi.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station by Hotel Shuttle

The hotel shuttle bus is especially useful when you have a lot of luggage and this bus goes directly to different hotels. This minivan departs from stop A7 twice an hour from 06.00 – 21.20. The journey to Amsterdam takes 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the traffic. You can buy tickets at the Connexxion desk in Schiphol Airport departure hall 4.