Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (airport code AMS) is the main airport of the Netherlands and the hub of KLM. It lies southwest of Amsterdam, between the city and Hoofddorp, and the train takes you to Amsterdam Central Station in about 15 to 20 minutes. In 2025 Schiphol handled 68.8 million passengers and offered flights to around 300 destinations, from KLM and its partners to low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Transavia.
Schiphol looks complicated on its own website, but the layout is simple once you know it: everything sits in one terminal under one roof, built in a U-shape around Schiphol Plaza. Below you’ll find a clear explanation of the departure halls, lounges, piers and gates, plus where to eat, refill your water bottle, store your luggage, how early to arrive and the quickest ways into Amsterdam. Information checked in October 2026.

Schiphol Airport map and layout

How Schiphol is laid out

Everything starts at Schiphol Plaza, the public area on the land side with the arrival halls, shops, the bus station and the train station underneath. From Plaza you walk to the departure halls where you check in and go through security: Departures 1, 2 and 3. Only after security does the horseshoe begin. Departures 1A is a small extension of Departures 1, reached through a corridor from Departures 1; you’ll only end up there if the screens or your airline send you.
After security you enter one of the four lounges (Schiphol’s name for the airside zones), and from there you walk out to the piers with the gates. The piers run in alphabetical order along the U: you start at the B-gates on one side, and walk via C, D, E, F and G to the H/M-gates at the other end. Pier A is still under construction and is expected to open in April 2027.
The most important split is between Schengen flights (most European countries, no passport check) and non-Schengen flights (UK, Ireland, intercontinental), which require passport control. Your gate letter tells you which side you’re on.

Simplified Schiphol departures map

Lounges, piers and gates at a glance

Departures hall map

Arrivals hall map

On the day itself, the Schiphol app is the handiest map: enter your flight number and it shows your check-in desk, gate, walking time to the gate and any gate changes.

Terminal 1, 2 and 3: which one do I need?

Many travellers search for “Terminal 1, 2 or 3”, but Schiphol only has one terminal. What you need to know is your departure hall (for check-in and bag drop) and your gate. Check-in desks 1 to 8 are in Departures 1, desks 9 to 16 in Departures 2 and desks 17 to 32 in Departures 3. All halls are connected, so if you walk into the wrong one you only lose a few minutes.

Which departure hall for my airline?

Schiphol can change the allocation, so always check the screens in the hall or your airline app. This is how the self-service bag drop is usually divided:

Walking times and connecting flights

Distances inside the U add up. Between neighbouring piers you walk roughly 5 to 15 minutes; from the far end of the G-pier to the far end of the B-pier it can take 25 to 30 minutes. Switching between the upper (Schengen) and lower (non-Schengen) level of the D-pier takes about 5 minutes plus the queue at passport control. KLM’s minimum connecting time is 40 minutes between two Schengen flights and 50 minutes when a non-Schengen flight is involved, but in busy periods we’d plan at least 90 minutes when you have to pass passport control.

Shops, food and facilities

Shopping and duty free

Most shops are after security, under the name See Buy Fly. Lounge 2 and 3 (connected by Holland Boulevard) have the largest selection, Lounge 1 is a close second, and Lounge 4 at the H/M-pier is the most compact. In Schiphol Plaza, before security, there are also shops and a supermarket, which are handy if you’re picking someone up or arriving.

Dutch souvenirs

Last-minute gifts are easy: Dutch cheese, stroopwafels, Delft Blue pottery, chocolate and tulip bulbs. If you fly to a country outside the EU with flower bulbs or cheese, check the import rules of your destination first; for bulbs, ask the shop whether they come with the certificate your destination country requires.

Fashion, beauty and watches

Duty free stores sell perfume, cosmetics, liquor and tobacco, and there are fashion, jewellery and watch boutiques. The brand line-up changes regularly; the Schiphol website lists the current shops per lounge.

Restaurants and bars

Each lounge has cafés, bars and restaurants, from quick sandwiches to sit-down meals. Holland Boulevard and Lounge 1 have the widest choice. Lounge 4 has fewer options, so if you fly from the H/M-pier and want a proper meal, eat before you get there.

Free drinking water, Wi-Fi and charging

• Drinking water: Dutch tap water is safe to drink and has no chlorine taste. Bring an empty bottle through security and fill it at one of the water refill points spread across the airport; the interactive map on the Schiphol website and in the app shows where they are.
• Free Wi-Fi: Schiphol offers free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal without a time or data limit. Connect to the free Schiphol network and accept the terms on the login page.
• Charging: there are charging points in the waiting areas at many gates, and in Lounge 1’s Airport Park you can charge your phone on an exercise bike while you pedal.

Smoking at Schiphol

The terminal is completely smoke-free, both before and after security. The only place to smoke is outside the building, at the designated smoking area on Jan Dellaertplein in front of Schiphol Plaza (open 24/7). If you’re on a layover, that means leaving the airside area and going back through passport control and security, so only do it with plenty of time and the right entry papers for the Netherlands.

Luggage storage, showers and resting

• Luggage storage: there’s a staffed Baggage Storage on level -1 between Arrivals 1 and 2, open 24 hours, and there are lockers after security (on Holland Boulevard and in Lounge 1 and 2). Handy if you want to go into Amsterdam without your bags.
• Showers and rest: after security there are quiet areas with recliners. YOTELAIR in Lounge 2 rents cabins for a few hours or a full night and also offers paid showers.

Security, passport control and how early to arrive

Hand luggage and liquids rules

Since 1 September 2024, the 100 ml rule applies again at Schiphol: liquids in your hand luggage must be in containers of up to 100 ml, together in one transparent, resealable bag of 1 litre. Laptops, tablets and other electronics can stay in your bag. You can take an empty water bottle through security and fill it afterwards.

Passport control and the EU Entry/Exit System

Travellers without an EU passport are now registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) when they enter or leave the Schengen area: fingerprints and a photo replace the stamp in your passport. The first registration takes longer, and in summer 2026 peak waiting times at Schiphol’s passport control reached up to two hours, although most travellers got through within 15 minutes. EU citizens are not affected. Expect longer queues in the morning peak and on Fridays.

How early to arrive at Schiphol

Tip: you can book a free security time slot on the Schiphol website or in the app, from three days before departure. It only speeds up security, not bag drop or passport control. The busiest moments are early morning (6:00 to 9:00), late afternoon and the start of Dutch school holidays.

Getting from Schiphol to Amsterdam

Schiphol has its own train station directly under Schiphol Plaza, so getting into the city is easy at any time of day. For all options, prices and tips in detail, read our guide on how to get from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station. In short:

Train from Schiphol to Amsterdam

The train is the quickest way to Amsterdam Central Station. During the day there are several trains per hour; at night there’s still a train about once an hour, so you can always get into the city. Keep in mind that trams and metros in the city do not run all night.
Important: check in before you go down to the platform. The check-in gates and card readers are in Schiphol Plaza, before the escalators to the platforms. Hold your bank card, phone or ticket against the reader there, and check out again at your destination. If you forget to check out on the train, you pay a fixed fee of €33.30 instead of the normal fare.

How to pay for the train

• Contactless bank card or phone (OVpay): the easiest option for most visitors. Tap in and out with your contactless debit or credit card, or with your phone; you pay the normal fare without buying a ticket. Every traveller needs their own card or phone.
• Single ticket from the machine or the NS app: an option if you don’t have a contactless card. Paper single-use tickets come with a small surcharge.
• Children: children under 4 travel free. Children aged 4 to 11 can travel at a strong discount with a Railrunner ticket.
• OV-chipkaart: the anonymous OV-chipkaart has not been sold since 1 July 2026. If you already have one, you can keep using it until the end of 2027. For most visitors, a contactless bank card now replaces it.
• Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket: a 1, 2 or 3-day ticket (€23, €34 or €44 in 2026) for trams, metros and buses in Amsterdam and the region, sold online and at the Connexxion desk in Schiphol Plaza. Worth it if you’ll use public transport a lot; check on the I amsterdam website which transport is included for your route from the airport.

Bus 397 Amsterdam Airport Express

Bus 397, the Amsterdam Airport Express, leaves from the bus station in front of Schiphol Plaza. The bus station is being rebuilt, so follow the signs to the 397. Between about 5:30 and 0:15 the bus runs roughly every 10 minutes during the day; at night the N97 Niteliner takes over and runs about once an hour on the same route. In Amsterdam, the bus stops at:

• Oude Haagseweg
• Anderlechtlaan
• Amstelveenseweg
• Olympisch Stadion
• Haarlemmermeerstation
• Emmastraat
• Museumplein
• Rijksmuseum
• Leidseplein
• Busstation Elandsgracht (last stop)

Not sure which stop is closest to your hotel? Plan your trip with 9292:

Bus tickets

A single ticket costs €6.50 and a return €11.75. The driver does not accept cash: pay by bank card when boarding, tap in and out with your contactless card or phone, or buy an e-ticket online. Note that a GVB day ticket for Amsterdam is not valid on bus 397.

Taxi and ride-hailing

The official taxi rank is right outside Schiphol Plaza and is staffed 24/7. A metered taxi to the city centre costs roughly €40 to €55, more to Amsterdam-Noord or Oost. Ignore people who approach you in the arrivals hall offering a ride: only take a taxi from the official rank or a ride you booked yourself. Uber and Bolt also operate at Schiphol and are often a bit cheaper, but prices go up at busy moments.

Drop-off and pick-up

Dropping someone off is free at Kiss & Ride in front of the departure halls, but only for a short stop; parking or waiting there can get you a fine. Picking someone up or saying a longer goodbye? Use parking P1, a 2 to 6-minute walk from the arrivals halls and Schiphol Plaza.

Parking at Schiphol Airport

Schiphol has its own car parks, from P1 right next to the terminal to cheaper long-term parking with a free shuttle bus. Prices are lower when you book online in advance, and there are also valet and off-site parking companies around the airport. For a city trip, the train is usually cheaper than parking: parking in Amsterdam itself is expensive.

Long layover and hotels at Schiphol

One of Schiphol’s big advantages is that it lies very close to the centre of Amsterdam: the train gets you to Amsterdam Central Station in about 15 to 20 minutes. Even with a layover of a few hours, you can get a first taste of the city on a canal cruise that departs right in front of Central Station, and still be back at the airport on time. Before you leave the airport, check two things: whether you’re allowed to enter the Netherlands (visa requirements and the EES registration for non-EU travellers), and how long the queues at passport control and security are when you come back. Tip: book a free security time slot on the Schiphol website or in the app for your way back. You then use a separate lane at security, which saves time when you return from the city. The time slot doesn’t cover passport control, so still keep a buffer for that if you fly outside the Schengen area.

Hotels at and near Schiphol

There are two hotels inside the airport, after security: YOTELAIR in Lounge 2 (compact cabins, bookable for a few hours or a full night) and Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal in Lounge 3. For both you need a valid boarding pass, which makes them ideal for transfer passengers. On the public side, the Sheraton, citizenM and Hilton hotels are within a few minutes’ walk of Schiphol Plaza, and many more hotels nearby run a shuttle bus to the terminal. Use the button below to compare prices for hotels around the airport.

Booking flights to Amsterdam

Amsterdam is easy to reach by plane, with direct flights from all over Europe and many intercontinental connections, from both full-service and low-cost airlines. Schiphol isn’t always the cheapest airport in the region, though. If you’re flexible, it can pay off to compare flights to other airports. Below is a short overview; in our guide to the alternatives for Amsterdam Schiphol Airport we compare them in detail, including how to get from each airport to Amsterdam.

Always add the cost and time of getting from that airport to Amsterdam: for a short city trip, the cheaper ticket is often not worth it. A few more tips:

• Search for “Netherlands” instead of “Amsterdam” on Skyscanner to include all Dutch airports in one search.
• Be flexible with your dates: prices can differ a lot from one day to the next.
• Compare two one-way flights with a return ticket; combining two airlines is sometimes cheaper.
• Count the luggage fees: with most low-cost airlines you pay extra for a checked bag, and the weather in Amsterdam often calls for an extra layer.

To compare flights to Amsterdam and the other airports, we use Skyscanner. It searches most airlines and booking sites at once, so you quickly see which day and which airport is cheapest.

FAQ about Schiphol Airport

What is the airport code of Amsterdam Schiphol?
AMS. The full name is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Does Schiphol have Terminal 1, 2 and 3?
No, Schiphol has one terminal with three departure halls (Departures 1, 2 and 3). Your airline determines the hall where you check in, and your gate letter (B to H/M) where you board.
Which gates are Schengen and which are non-Schengen?
B, C, the upper level of D (D59 to D87) and M are Schengen. The lower level of D (D1 to D57), E, F, G and H are non-Schengen and require passport control.
How long does it take from Schiphol to Amsterdam city centre?
About 15 to 20 minutes by train to Central Station, about 30 minutes by bus 397 to Museumplein and 20 to 30 minutes by taxi.
Can I leave the airport during a layover?
Yes, if you’re allowed to enter the Netherlands and have enough time. Plan at least 5 to 6 hours and count on queues at passport control and security when you return.
Is there free Wi-Fi and drinking water at Schiphol?
Yes. Wi-Fi is free and unlimited, and you can fill your water bottle at refill points all over the airport.